I checked weather.com last night and saw the following blaring headlines: “Impending storm will cover half of the country! Storm will break all records! 100 million people will be impacted by this violent, destructive storm!” This morning was no better: “Historic blizzard and ice storm underway at this exact moment in the Midwest!”
I turned to ask Now Husband Dan what he thought about all this, but he was already wearing his miner’s headlamp in anticipation of another power outtage, and so I was being blinded at 9AM.
I many not know a lot, but I do know that 100 million has a lot of zeroes. And I also know that when weather.com starts sounding like a made-for-TV disaster movie, we are in serious trouble. I put on my sunglasses and turned to NHD. “We’d better get to the supermarket right now.”
NHD wasn’t listening. He was standing at the window, looking out at the humongous virtually dead tree along our driveway, the one that flung a humongous branch at our house during the storm last week, narrowly missing my car and our roof.
“Do you have insurance?” NHD asked. I casually told him everyone had insurance. I will not play that game with him. “What’s going to happen now in this coming storm, when the rest of the tree crashes into the house? Where will we stay?” Still not wanting to play the “I’ve Told You Over and Over About the Dead Tree and You Wouldn’t Listen and Now We Are Doomed” game, I told him we could stay with the neighbors across the street. Then I said I would call Jorge/George, our tree-climbing lawn person who would be happy to take the tree down, hopefully when he wasn’t actually in it.
Of course, I know that Jorge/George can’t do anything about this before the storm hits. But this was enough to get NHD to leave the room so that he could continue to fret about world events and the story in the Washington Post this morning about all the kids who are too fat to get into the military. Which totally reminded me that we had to get to the supermarket pronto, before all the fun stuff was gone. Jorge/George would have to wait. In an impending disaster, no one can accuse me of not having my priorities straight.
Life in the Boomer Lane 
Marion Driessen
February 1, 2011
That weather forecast sounds pretty serious, stay warm, stay safe, stay house-roofed! 🙂
lifeintheboomerlane
February 1, 2011
Really! We’ll get something, but I’m hoping we don’t get slammed. Right now, it’s iffy. I feel awful for those folks in the Midwest.
Marion Driessen
February 1, 2011
Sending over positive thoughts and vibes from Europe. Thinking of you all!
duke1959
February 1, 2011
The part of the story that the national media is not covering is the south this afternoon is going to get hit with severe storms and up to 50 mile an hour wind gust.
Renee
February 1, 2011
Terrible!!!
carldagostino
February 1, 2011
Dr Z and Nicholas and Alexandra are my most favoritest movies of all. Such period pieces from drama, to costume, the background scenery, mood and climate….
Renee
February 1, 2011
Can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen that film….
Debbie
February 1, 2011
Renee, believe them when they say how awful this beast of a storm is! I’m in Illinois. Yesterday, we had hours on end of freezing rain, sleet, and ice. Everything looks like Narnia outside; my poor dog hates going out to potty for having his feet slip out from under him! Today, we’re expecting MORE ice, followed by about 6 inches of snow; then the high winds will kick in. I’m telling you, this is frightening! Preparation is key — stay safe!
lifeintheboomerlane
February 1, 2011
I feel awful for everyone in the midwest. You guys are getting slammed. We just heard the latest here (DC). Looks like we will get a bit of freezing rain early tomorrow morning, but that will turn to rain. That’s it. So this sytem will bypass us.
36x37
February 1, 2011
Hahahaha. “Which totally reminded me that we had to get to the supermarket pronto, before all the fun stuff was gone.” I love that line.
It makes me think of an incident one Saturday this past September. I was walking down the snack aisle at our local grocery and noticed the shelves were almost empty. “Where are all the tortilla chips?” I asked my husband. “Ohio State has an away game today,” he said. And THAT explained everything.
Stay safe in the snow!
Renee Fisher
February 1, 2011
Now that is a good story. Which of course, sets me off on a tangent. My first child came 4 weeks early. When I went into labor and arrived at the hospital they sent me home because there were no beds. I asked why so many people were giving birth at once. They explained that 9 months before that was July 4 weekend. Sometimes, the explanations for things are really funny.
Hippie Cahier
February 1, 2011
I am sorry to report that I did not get an email notification about this. I was simply drawn here by Omar Sharif’s magnetism. I will read later. Promise.
Renee Fisher
February 1, 2011
Oh, Omar. How many times have I seen Dr Zhivago….
sunshineinlondon
February 1, 2011
Wow, sounds so dramatic, Renee, but perhaps you’re not getting the worst of it? Take care, for sure.
I saw Omar Sharif on Sky News today – talking about what’s happening in Egypt. What a gentleman.
Sunshine xx
Renee Fisher
February 1, 2011
It’s bypassing us in DC, but the midwest is already slammed. And I have a close friend whose 26 year old son is studying in Cairo. He won’t leave because he’ll miss his classes. I love Omar.
Allison
February 1, 2011
Yes, yes. You must keep that fridge stocked for password emergency situations.
Regarding Dr. Zhivago– I’ve never read the book, but I almost watched the whole movie in high school. I was home for a snow day, and flipping through channels until I saw it beginning on AMC. I was 3.5 hours into it (or something like it) when the power went out for the remainder of the movie. I was devastated. But not devasted enough to rent the video, and fast-forward to the point where the power went out.
Renee Fisher
February 1, 2011
I have seriously watched that movie so many times. Whenever it’s on, I get sucked right in, mostly because Zhivago and Lara are the hottest couple ever. But then when it goes to Communist times at the end, it’s is really BORING.
TexasTrailerParkTrash
February 1, 2011
Here in central Texas we went from a high of 75 degrees yesterday to the current high of 25 degrees today.
Whiplash weather.
Yesterday I was wearing shorts and today I have my fleece pajama bottoms on underneath my sweatpants.
Renee Fisher
February 1, 2011
Whiplash is right. That’s brutal. Stay warm!
duke1959
February 1, 2011
The rain is here!
Kathryn McCullough
February 1, 2011
So did the weather miss you? Is that what I gather from the comments?
Stay warm and dry and may the lighs stay on!
lifeintheboomerlane
February 1, 2011
Seems it will. We are supposed to get freezing rain tomorrow morning, but that will change to rain. I think that’s it. I understand that other places are getting slammed.
Mary the OINKteller
February 2, 2011
Love the picture (who doesn’t love Omar Sharif in that movie?) and the line about the miner’s headlamp. People are acting all crazy about this storm. I live in Vermont so lots of snow is hardly unusual. I do feel for the people who live in places that are unprepared for it though. Like NYC. And everywhere south of there.
lifeintheboomerlane
February 2, 2011
Thanks for reading. Yes, I so agree (about Sharif and snow south of NYC). I have friends in North Carolina, and they get the very occassional ice storm or snow, it’s a major crisis.
Archie Harders
February 2, 2011
Did you ever notice how much Julie Christie looks like Streisand in that picture?
lifeintheboomerlane
February 2, 2011
Actually, no. They are, like, world’s apart to my eye.
Hippie Cahier
February 2, 2011
Mostly I’m thrilled that we were spared because I’m not ready for a replay of last week’s commute, but I didn’t do my homework because I thought there’d be a snow day. Bummer.
I hope all who are affected by it are safe and sound.
lifeintheboomerlane
February 2, 2011
Agreed. I’m happy to be spared, but it’s awful to see what others are going through. Where do you go to school?
writerwoman61
February 2, 2011
The image of Dan in his miner’s headlamp cracks me up! Glad you didn’t have many ill effects from this storm.
The kids have another snow day today, with about a foot expected this afternoon and tonight (snow hasn’t started yet!). I stayed home from the bookstore because Jim was working at home today…I hope I don’t regret it!
Wendy
lifeintheboomerlane
February 3, 2011
Unbelievable. I don’t have any appts tomorrow. I’ll probably have the weather channel on as I write. It sounds bad in so many places now. Stay warm!
Tori Nelson
February 2, 2011
I love the husband worry about fat kids getting into the military. A snow storm opens the door to worry about everything in the world!
Hope the snow (and your tree) stays put!
Renee
February 2, 2011
Not only did we get nothing, but the weather is positively balmy today. Crazy. But those kids are still fat.