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