Snow Day

I worked from home today so I could go to Ruby's holiday concert this afternoon. The dented Volvo is still not fixed and Ken needed his car back so I decided to walk to Ruby's school. In a blizzard. With the snow blowing in my face. I was dressed for the weather so it wasn't too, too bad. I got there in plenty of time to get a front row seat, per Ruby's request. One problem. The concert was canceled and they decided to release the kids early. Another problem. I had no car.

I called Ken and he said he would come and get Ruby and me, pick up Zane, and take us all home. (I thought about having Ken take me to my Volvo but decided I didn't feel safe driving in this weather. ) So great. Ken to the rescue, all the kids and I are safe and warm at home.

We get home, have a snack, watch a little PBS Kids and then I get a call from Peapod saying that, due to the inclement weather, my groceries will not be delivered tonight. Fabulous. We're home, with no car and no groceries. When they will be delivered, they do not know.

Then, John, who did not leave work even a minute early in preparation for this blizzard that they've been predicting for the last week, calls to say he won't be able to pick up the kids for dinner but that he will "stop by." He tells them this. Zane cries for a few minutes but then moves on.

So, I start to make dinner with no groceries. I make a concoction of green beans, Ramen noodles, and shrimp. Pretty darn good considering it came out of a pantry with no groceries. Ruby starts whining about how she doesn't like shrimp. In the middle of my cooking, John calls again to say he hasn't moved a mile and that he won't be coming by at all. Zane is beside himself. I feel his pain but why am the I one dealing with the forlorn whining and crying and yelling of "Daddy?" Because I'm the mommy, that's why.

So, Zane is screaming, Ruby is whining, and dinner is ready. Eventually, magically, everyone is at the table, Zane still sniffling, and Ruby still whining. I make the kind of deal a mommy only makes on a snowy weeknight when she has nothing left in her back of tricks and no one intended to be home in the first place. (They were supposed to have dinner with John and then hang with a babysitter while I went to my work holiday party that was also canceled due to the weather.) I told Zane if he stopped crying and told Ruby that is she ate just one shrimp, that they could watch a movie during dinner--something they never get to do. So, they are eating and watching Robin Hood on Toon Disney and I am on the couch finishing today's blog update. All is well in the world.

An aside about MS in the snow: I think it must be even harder than the heat of summer for people with balance issues and foot drop. I am pleased to report that I did not fall once today.