EARWORMS

This morning we awoke to something making noises against the house, and I reminded my husband that we were supposed to have "sleet and freezing rain" today that would eventually change to plain rain. This meant that the snow that remained on the lawn would be washed away, eliminating our early white Christmas. That's when the earworm hit me: the song "White Christmas" began playing in my head. I have the sheet music for it, and I've played it a million times. Having snow at Christmas is just as important as having the tree set up, the presents wrapped, and a crackling fire in the fireplace. With that in mind, I brought a wheelbarrow full of small logs into the garage to dry out, hoping that they would light in spite of having been outdoors for so long. The past week's newspapers would be there for starting the fire underneath; small branches would be kindling; and the logs on top would take hold and burn. This would set the scene for Christmas. Looking out the windows and seeing the white stuff on the ground would be a major help as well. I could almost hear Bing Crosby singing about it, reminiscing about Christmases in his past where "the treetops glistened and children listened to hear sleigh bells in the snow". Here at Tangled Oaks our best chance of that is for Nicky next door to have some bells put around his neck.

I believe that our "White Christmas" has come and gone for this year. It was lovely, but with the tractor still in its "mowing mode" in the garage, I would prefer to have no more snow. Getting around is hard enough. Even Skittles and Patches, on their little legs, really work hard to navigate. Does not wanting snow make me a Grinch? Or does sending my cards Email qualify me as "anti Christmas"? I am falling asleep at my computer, and I am afraid of falling out of my wheelchair. I cannot do anything outside without my scooter, so I may as well take a nap! The sounds of "White Christmas" in my head will quickly put me to sleep, I believe. There will be one more JustMom before Christmas Then I will take the same time off as my husband. Hopefully the weather will stay clear and somebody ELSE'S Christmas will be white!

OOPS! Computer problems at my husband's job led to lack of computer services here at home. This meant that today, the 19th, is my day of publication. Early this week the media was warning about a MAJOR SNOW STORM hitting this weekend. There was nothing going on last night-in fact it was dead calm with a starless sky. Then this morning, awaking from our blessed Saturday late sleep, there was again nothing going on. But my husband, coming in with the dogs from their "piddle trot", commented that it "felt like snow". The TV and computer had the East Coast already socked in with a major snowstorm in West Virginia and DC, but there was nothing up here until about 2 PM when the first flakes came down, almost invisibly, against the background of dry grass and clear pavement. But as I watched, they became heavier and faster. Could the weather people be right about us getting 2 feet of snow?

Now at 9:49 PM, the outside light that illuminates the flag is showing heavy snow coming down at an amazing rate. Because my Hoveround™ decided to break down last week, my husband has taken on mail/paper/trash can duty. This afternoon he ran up in his car and took care of business while I held the dogs by their collars. They LOVE to follow Daddy, but it is too dangerous. After he was safely back down the driveway, the dogs and I went back inside. We were not overwhelmed by the snowfall and were reluctant to believe that this was a BLIZZARD, but it WAS snowing, at least.

Because circumstances beyond my control have caused this article to be nearly one week late, I will leave it at this: