How we survived the storm together…but by ourselves

"Pssst...that big guy just filled up the feeders again."

It’s Tuesday after the great storm of 2016. I wholeheartedly refuse to call it by any given name. I have too much respect for hurricane season.

Slowly we’ve all been digging out and life is returning, somewhat, to normal although area schools remain closed and my office is opening two hours late.

So, what’s it been like for four days of non-movement? Not able to run to the store. Not able to take a walk. Not able to order pizza, or go out to eat.

Last week social media was full of speculations regarding how much snow we’d actually end up with (personally we got a foot-ish). The store shelves were being emptied of bread and milk in preparation for one one west coast friend referred to as “some sort of French toast festival.”

I did not get French Toast.

In fact, in spite of an 11th hour (literally it was Thursday after 11) trip to Walmart in which I spent my sons’ inheritance on necessaries, I managed to forget both cat food and bacon.

Let’s just say one oversight was more of a problem than the other.

But, in spite of no French toast (and really, I wasn’t looking for it), we didn’t starve. Quite the contrary.

However, the cat thought he did.

We were quite fortunate in that we never lost power, and thus did not lose heat, television, or Internet.

It was fun to watch across social media as folks posted their snow pictures and their snow stories. We were all in it together. But not together.

Some brave souls ventured out on Sunday. The boys and I managed to free two of the three vehicles. And by Sunday evening the older son was out foraging for food that we didn’t have in the house.

And no, he purchased neither cat food nor bacon.

It’s funny what you choose to do with unexpected time off. I squirreled myself away in my home office to write, to work on lines, and to catch up on some other things. I was semi-productive.

No, I’m not off book yet. Don’t judge. I still have a week. Or less.

But I did turn in some articles on Monday and get the go ahead to continue on some others.

And I made some plans for moving forward which include accepting a new role (details to come) and gaining some writing/PR business (details to be discussed). Those are good things.

Maria von Trapp (the real one) was born on this day in 1905 (died 1987). She said:

“One of the greatest things in human life is the ability to make plans. Even if they never come true-the joy of anticipating is irrevocably yours. That way one can live many more than just one life.”

She most certainly knew about changes in plans.

I’m sure some of my plans will change as well, although perhaps not as dramatically. And, unfortunately, as far as the stage version goes, I’m not the Captain von Trapp type.

None of us really planned to have an indoor weekend. Sure we made some last minute plans, mostly involving buying all the bread, milk and beer.

What? You plan your survival kit, I’ll plan mine.

Sometimes plans change. Like my plan to move closer to the equator.

Maybe I’ll get there, and maybe I won’t.

But I’ll try to remember the cat food.

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