And suddenly, when the situation looked totally hopeless...

After an AMAZING weekend...Monday came round again to jar us back into a sense of reality...of sorts.

This past weekend was the "BIG BLIZZARD OF 2009," Which only looked like a blizzard with its 25 MPH winds and blowing snow, ice, rain and sleet. Wrecks were had, stores were shuttered and many a take out pizza was devoured.

I awoke Saturday morning expecting the blizzard of all blizzards and found that it had only sprinkled and "ice pelleted" a bit overnight. I was kind of in an "all or nothing" mood, thinking that it might be nice for once to actually have a threatening snowstorm actually threaten us. Usually we get these impending doom forecasts and then awake to nada, so this time...I wanted to get the smack down! A real, honest-to-goodness blast of last-ditch Winter that would scare folks enough to make them stay indoors and build a fire.

By noon we had more ice pellets and some pretty gusty winds, but still no "Apocalyptic Snowstorm" as had been promised. Dustin had no plans for the day since we'd warned him of the weather, and Jared had baseball practice (indoors of course) scheduled, that had not yet been canceled. So, with that in mind, Sherry, Jared and I started out on our trek... Shortly before our time to leave arrived, the snow began to fall. Not just any snow, mind you...but snowflakes the size of Half Dollar coins!

The wind increased making white-out conditions the norm. Suddenly, the Half-Dollar sized flakes grew to can-lid sized flakes! Having never witnessed flakes of that enormity (other than at the Democratic Convention), I paused to take a few photographs, should the evidence be later needed for blog purposes such as this.

We got into the van and slid sideways pulling out of the driveway. "UH OH" we said in collective agreement. We slid around the corner and down the hill and up a hill and around another corner.
"I'm calling the Coach" I said. The Coach agreed with my assessment of the weather and he too, decided that the practice facility fifteen miles away was too far a destination in such foul weather.
We turned around and headed for home...by way of Burger King and Taco Bell.

We arrived home after taking a slight detour to avoid sliding up and down and around, and still we did slide a bit regardless of our well-thought plans. We ate and then, seeing as how it was cold, overcast and snowing a tempest outside, we opted for nap-time. As I dozed next to my mate of lo these many years, I was awakened by a phone call.

Barnes and Noble (yes the actual Mr. Barnes and Mr. Noble) was calling to tell me that in spite of my wonderful work ethic and endless optimism, I would not be needed for the evening, since the store would be closing early due to the less than appealing weather. Having no need for money (seeing as how I'm independently wealthy and all that), I laughed a happy laugh and went quickly back to slumberland.

That night, as the storm closed in around us, my Wife snuggled close to me. "Protect me Dear," she begged. "Protect our loving family," she said, referring to the urchins we had taken in several years before. "Why yes, my love" I said. "I shall forever hold and keep you...or keep and hold you...whichever comes first!"

So we gathered on the Couch, just the two of us...and watched "Fireproof" starring Kirk Cameron of "Growing Pains" while the little ones watched the television sets in their rooms. We knew that whatever the weather had in store for those outside; it could not break through the bounds of our love and inflict it's cold cruelty upon us.

The next morning, we awoke late as our rooster had frozen solid during the night. We had slept right through church like a band of Heathens...or like some of the old people who sit on the back row in the sanctuary. The sun was dazzling yellow in the sky and the snow screamed weakly as it puddled it's way into the ground.

We were proud of what we had done. We had faced the evil storm and vanquished it with the warm light of day...and a couple of snow shovels to clear a path to our doorstep.
All in all, it was the perfect blizzard... Brief, and to the point...much like this story...
Today, only two days later...the temps reached a balmy 67 degrees and the blizzard, like this story...is now but a memory...

The End...

David Cox

Just give me something to talk about

So for the past few weeks I've been fielding complaints from my regular readers that my blogs have been coming in less-than-regularly... and for that, I am sorry....but....
I've had a bit of writer's block. Not that I haven't had anything to say, but more of the "how to say it" variety.

So, here I am... How are you? What have you been up to lately? See? Nothing of note to note.
I talked to my Sister, Cindy on the phone last night for the first time in a long time. We talked for almost an hour. After that, I called my Nephew, Shannon, who I literally have not talked to in years. We talked for quite a while about our kids, our lives and most importantly...BASEBALL!

Now those of you who know me know that I am an avid baseball fan and even more so I'm a RABID Kansas City Royals fan! A blog or two ago I posted pictures from the Royals fan fest, and sometime in early April I hope to post pictures of the Season Home Opener here in Kansas City! For the first time in....EVER!!! I was able to get some tickets to the first home game of the season.

This year is especially important being that it is the first one in the "new" stadium. Not only that, but our team is looking better than ever this year! I realize that by putting this in print it may come back to haunt me Ala the SPORTS ILLUSTRATED CURSE, but I'm willing to take my chances. The Royals had the best September in all of baseball and we had some of the very best pitching in the closing days of the season, which is very promising when you look at all that Greinke and Soria did last season and then they went out with a bang and not a whimper...(THANK GOODNESS!)

So, on April 10th, you know where I'll be, along with Jared...the other baseball nut in our house...


On the home front...Dustin turned 15 and got his learner's permit and has been tooling around the hood with us in the car. I must say, he's really pretty good and would be perfect if he'd stop hugging the edge of the pavement and making REALLY wide turns. Other than that, he's doing well.

Jared turned 9 and finished out the basketball season at almost the same time. His team ended up 2nd in the city tournament, although I thought they could have and should have won the whole thing. They had a great season! Baseball practice has already started and we've been busy with that... We moved our new team from Independence to Fort Osage, which I think is a positive move. We'll just hope and pray for the best, but I'm really impressed with the new Coach and team.

See, nothing huge going on...no super-deep thoughts, no witty asides... just life... Hope yours is going well.

Dave

The good the Dad and the ugly

Lately I feel like the old 1970's toy, Stretch Armstrong... He was a rubber bodybuilder that you could pull about ten different directions at once, almost to the breaking point....but then, he'd suddenly snap back into place (slowly actually) as if nothing had ever happened....and would be ready to be stretched again another day.

Call me Stretch Armstrong! Between work and work and basketball and baseball...between school activities and home and driving to work and home and other things, I think I'm reaching a point...and not a good point, in which someday, like dear old, Stretch Armstrong...I will snap!

Tonight, my youngest pushed me closer to that point. I spent several minutes the other day looking up juvenile biographies for him for a school project, only to hear when I got them home, "I don't want to do those!" I explained to him that I brought home the books he asked for and he said he'd changed his mind. Now he wants to do some goofy pro-wrestler, which I have already explained is a complete "NO" in my book.

Tonight we argued about it more than I ever thought possible and it ended up with me saying that he was on his own on this project and that he could expect no further help from me.
So, was I wrong? The yelling was a bit much, I will admit, but given his strong-willed nature, it could have been worse I suppose.

I think I'm just tired. This weekend alone we had a baseball fundraiser, a basketball championship game (we lost), I worked, we had a baseball meeting, I had errands to run, we had company, I had more errands to run and I took Dustin to the movies. Whew! Now it is late Sunday night and I have Monday to look forward to and a big headache roaming around in my head growling, which I'm sure is a precursor to a really loud ROAR.

"You should take it easy" my friends say, and Yes, I really should...but I don't have time.
I would like to plan some vacation days off around our 20th Anniversary this summer...but if it isn't me or our schedule, it will probably be our finances that get to play STRETCH ARMSTRONG.

-David