The Snowstorm on Christmas

Well white Christmas lovers, you got it!  The Blizzard of 2009 has arrived in Lincoln and there is plenty of snow, wind, and of course, big drifts.

Now for me, that's a problem. I am "afoot" as it were and frankly, folks just don't scoop their sidewalks like they use to scoop them. My Dad would have nothing to do with this meandering path stuff. He wanted the entire walk scooped so you could see grass on either side. That would mean when it started to melt, it would melt into the grass and not on the walk to re-freeze and put up a nasty hazard for Mrs. Lubeley. (I never understood why he was so worried about her. She never went out except to bring me a freshly baked apple pie for scooping her walks and that was usually a day or so after the storm.)

Well I am not that smart. I was born with cabin fever. (Not to be confused with a manger.) When the storm slows down, I have to get going. That's why I have three cracked ribs right now. Thanks for the lousy job of clearing your walks Bennett Martin Library!

So much for complaining. It's beautiful outside right now. I get the Bing Crosby song today. I am alone, my choice, and have had my morning oatmeal and coffee. We were "Eve" people so Christmas morning was never any big thing unless it snowed or we got something really cool that required the outside environment to use--bunnies beware!

But, I miss it. I miss the dear head with the blinking red nose that mom fashioned from a flashing bulb in a liquor display and a musty old dear head. She was an early recycle fan, don't you know.

Lutefisk?  Well I can't say I miss that. Mice, sugar cookies we helped her make; and mint cookies where she could never seem to find "those" mints until the last second; all fond memories. I miss Uncle Bill showing up on Christmas Eve in his best overalls and Dekalb hat. I miss Uncle Jelly and Aunt Rebe coming in from the country. I miss the crowded kitchen full of wonderful smells. I miss the golden brown huge turkey. I miss Penny, our Scottie zooming in and out picking up crumbs and more from young hands under the table. I miss the quiet of the night except for the last pieces of wood crackling in the fireplace downstairs. (The whole house smelled of smoke because some bird forgot to tell Dad he had built a nest in the chimney and the smoke backed up.) I miss that huge tree in the alcove with all of those lights and ornaments. I wonder where all of those things went?

I miss the tink tink tink sound of snow hitting the window pane, just like it did last night.  It's a White Christmas after a blustery snowy night. That's neat that God created a memory for so many young boys and girls that someday far in the future, they will sit down and remember...and miss.

Merry Christmas!