See, out here in this lovely city, we had what was called a "weather event." That's fancy speak for 5 inches of snow in a place that is not prepared. And a
pparently, a weather event involves a surprising amount of inaction and denial. There was no plowing, no salting, just waiting for the snow to melt (which it did not).The weather event also involved the closure of the public schools, which meant that the boys' two week vacation turned into three. And let me tell you, a vacation for them is not a vacation for me. Lucky for us, the school system developed a new alert plan to inform parents about weather related issues. The first day of the snowy week, when it was not even snowing yet, the phone started to ring at 5:45 a.m. When we didn't answer, a computerized voice left a message on our answering machine saying something like, "Due to the possibility that it might snow some time in the future, we are going to cancel all classes. This gives us the added benefit of being able to save our cash-strapped district a little bit of money on our heating bills." The system then proceeded to call our cell phones, so the whole house was alive with ringing and buzzing. At 5:46, the kids whooped with joy. "No school! Hooray!" they sang. At 5:47, Green said, "I'm bored."
I'm afraid that being house-bound for so long drove me to drink. I didn't actually mean to drink as much as I did. But on New Year's Eve, as we were lamenting with friends about the weather, Michael accidentally doubled the amount of tequila in his famous margaritas. And sadly, bloggers, that led to some rather unfortunate middle-aged dancing around the living room to Billy Idol.
Oh, it wasn't pretty. There's even a video out there of the drunken flailing (and singing! "Dancing With Myself, woh-oh-oh"), but don't go asking to see it. You never will.
So anyway, that's a long, windy way of saying sorry. I know it's been a bit of a rough patch in our relationship, but returning to blogging is my new year's resolution. I'll leave you with a few photos from the holidays.
Holiday Penguin
Snow Day
Snow Day
Would have been a snow day if it weren't already winter break
Tongue
Freaks and Geeks
13 comments:
Jen: I hope this gets published. Since I accomopanied Michael and the boys at the time of purchase of the gorgeoous, tastteful Penquin shown in a picture, I am glad to see you came to your senses and allowed him inside to join your family. The other pictures of the winter wonderland that is so like ours in MN remind me that you could have lived here. Michael needs to give the sledder with his tongue out what happened to him when he stuck his tongue out near metal during our season of snow and of course a tad of cold. We so enjoyed our time together and the snow that was yours. With love, Grandpa C
I want to see the drunken flailing singing dancing video please.
Pretty please.
Everybody else, are ya with me???
Thanks, Grandpa!
Phthor,
It's never gonna happen. Come on,now, do you REALLY want to hear me sing Billy Idol and watch me shake my hair? REALLY? I didn't think so.
I'm not sure who are the freaks and who are the geeks in that last photo. And I agree, just say no to the video.
My favorite pic, though, is Blue's adoring gaze at the penguin. A fine purchase.
And as to the assertion by certain grandfathers that Seattle weather is the same as MN, I would just compare current temps: Seattle 53, MN 10. No contest.
Oh, I'll get my hands on that video. Yes I will. Thank goodness there's no video of my celebration of the winter season: a karyoke rendition of Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing." My point being that none of us is responsible for our actions when we've been snowed in with 6 year olds for 3 weeks.
By the way, what are those red things on the fence?
Frozen roses.
There's hair shaking, too? Even better!
Well, I don't think you would have mentioned that there's a video "out there" (how X files!) unless you had a subliminibibshowthevideonuminumabul desire for us to see it. Just saying.
I am not nagging. This is goading.
I'm with Quiddity. Show us your video!!!
OH, you people. NO WAY.
I wonder, ECM, is there a video of you and the karyoke?
And Phthor, when are you going to join facebook?
Facebook? Never never never. Think of what I do for a living! I'm the sort of computard that would flub the security settings wrong and upload some perversity to an excruciatingly public space. The evil compusmurfs would have a field day! (Yes, I know we have related jobs, but I teach scientists.)
And nice changing of the subject, by the way.
On that thought I am gonna back out of my goad stance, 'tho. I am reminded (and I suspect this was your plan) of a certain mortifying media slip of my own, from a certain relaxation and madness event a coupla decades ago. I've tried to disguise myself as a fat middle aged guy solely to elude the ignominy of being recognized.
So there, you're off the hook. (Not a flooding joke.)
just doing some DeLurking!
i honestly doubt, michaels doubling of the tequila was an accident...we all know he really wanted to dance a sing to billy idol and knew that he had to get you tipsy to join in with him! :)
but the video needs to make an appearance. really! you cant drop a bomb like that on the blog and then keep it in hiding!! SERIOUSLY!
Maybe some day I should auction off the video. I wonder if it could pay for the boys' college educations.
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