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12/08/2003 Archived Entry: "THE FIREPLACES ARE READY TO FIRE"

THE FIREPLACES ARE READY TO FIRE

Brit has been picking up bits of information about the bad weather that is heading OUR way and passing it on to me with each new update.

"They're forecasting 2 inches tonight", he says.

He starts hauling wood inside.

"Oh, Oh! Maybe 6 inches more tomorrow"

More wood comes inside.

"Now they say we're going to have winds of 50 miles per hour....that means there will be lots of drifting snow....Ally may not be able to make it to work....did you hear that? ...maybe you should call her...when is your bylaws meeting? ... Wednesday night?...how many are coming here?....we'll have a lot of soup to eat if they all can't can't get here....who are you going to Great Bend with...Scott?...is that Wednesday too?....what time is your meeting?...how are you going to fix dinner for all those people and be in Great Bend too?....."

Yeah...I wonder about that too.

"DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID???"

"Yes dear. I heard. Thank you for the updates. I think I'll crawl in the fireplace and sleep like a log!"

No comment...only a grin...he didn't hear the last part of it.

More updates.

Now I hear paper-crumpling sounds...crunch, crunch.... and wood hitting the back of the liners with a thunk, thunk...

More wood comes through the back door.

"Okay...let her come. I'm ready for the storm." Then he settled in to watch the news again.

He's so great about keeping the fireplaces burning in the winter. We both love the warmth of a wood fire and glow it brings to a room. And we have a fine cook top that will hold a great pot of beef stew if we lose our power. (I hope that doesn't happen...I don't mind freezing. I have withdrawals if I can't get on my computer!)

With the first sign of snow, the snowblower comes inside the house to warm up. Makes it easier to start.

We're about as ready as old folks can get. And the grandsons will be here to help if we need them.

I'd love to have a great big winter storm...with lots of snow...and get snowed in for a day or two. We used to have people off the highway who were stranded here in those big storms come stay with us. Friends of friends of friends. Locals had to put a lot of people up for the night during storms. There wasn't a motel back then. We don't seem to have storms like that anymore. Our kids used to go sledding a lot...for days and days at a time. And there was ice skating on the river and toboggan rides for us crazy adults behind someone's truck...with lots of hot grog to take our minds off the fact we were freezing!