The Storm

How did you fare in the storm that was predicted to affect 40 states and 200 million people last weekend?

On Thursday:

• Jim picked up the proverbial bread, milk, and eggs, not because of the storm, but because we were out. :) I also asked him to pick up snacks.
• I filled the van up with gas. 
• I just so happened to catch up on laundry, and even wash our sheets.  There is nothing like getting into bed with clean sheets!
• I washed my hair. I didn't expect our power would go out, but one never knows.  It just felt good to be up to date on all the things before the storm.  
• We asked that BK bring his Chromebook home from school.

A week or so earlier, I had run across one of our battery-operated lanterns, and both Jim and BK received headlight beanies for Christmas, so I felt like we were prepared as far as lights go.  (Multiple rooms of our house also have plug-in flashlights that turn on if the power goes off.)

Thursday afternoon the superintendent announced that Friday would be an e-learning day due to expected dangerously low windchills.  (I saw a great reel online in which a mom said she didn't mention it to say she doesn't enjoy her children; she mentioned it because it was a sudden change in routine for each family member. Changes in routine can be hard.)

Jim and I were already expecting that and had made a list on the fridge whiteboard: 

• puzzle or game
• chore
• shower or bath
• read for 30 minutes

... to be completed after e-learning and before fun or screentime.  

On Friday I was happy that I had cooked a big lunch on Thursday. Leftovers it was! 

Friday at 1 PM Jim had his tax appointment, putting an end to his weeks and weeks of bookwork.  Friday afternoon Jim & BK worked at the farm.  Saturday morning  Jim & BK went to the gym so BK could swim laps to practice for the upcoming meet. In the afternoon they ran errands, among other things trying to find farm boots that fit BK.

Both Friday & Saturday, people came to our house to buy things I had listed on FB Marketplace. Now that Jim's bookwork is behind him, he is moving on to other things on his winter list (replacing a toilet, small house repairs, big house projects). This winter the project is: make the basement usable (especially for pre-teen/ teen boys).  I foresee many trips to the thrift store in our near future. :) 

Sunday morning we woke up to a couple inches of snow. Our church (30 miles away) received more, and was canceled for the first time in our tenure there. (No livestream even.) We went to a church in the opposite direction (read: less snow) and with a later start time. We know many people there, and they always have lunch afterwards, so this introvert was EXHAUSTED when we got home. :)

For supper, we ordered gas station pizza & took our leftover tossed salad, went to Grandpa & Grandma's, took their tree down, worked on their puzzle, watched their TV, etc. 

And, surprise! Monday was a traditional snow day! (Due to extreme cold wind chills that are forecasted for Monday morning and the high likelihood of blowing and drifting snow Sunday night.)

House projects in the morning. Errands & speech therapy for LM & me in the afternoon. Farm & haircut for Jim & BK in the afternoon. Swim practice 6-7.30 PM.

And then! Then we received word that the pipes had burst at the middle school & high school. So on Tuesday LM delightedly said, "I get to go to school!" and BK was thrilled he got to sleep in and roll out of bed and log in to his classes at 8.30 AM for another day of e-learning!

Everyone was back to school on Wednesday ... just in time to hear of the next storm coming Sunday night. :-/