Tiny and I have felt like Rapunzel these last few weeks. Trapped in our "tower" err house, just wanting to see the "Lights" (in our case the giant glowing orb that used to rise daily in the sky, also known as the sun) waiting for our life to begin. We've finger painted and read and done puzzles and made forts with blankets and baked cookies, and, and, and...Cue Disney music….
"Seven A.M., the usual morning line-up
Start on the chores, and sweep 'til the floor's all clean
Polish and wax, do laundry and mop and shine up
Sweep again and by thenIt's like seven fifteen
And so I'll read a book
Or maybe 2 or 3
I'll add a few new paintings
To my gallery I'll play guitar and knit and cook
And basically
Just wonder, when will my life begin?
Then, after lunch, it's puzzles, and darts, and baking
Paper-mache, a bit of ballet, and chess
Pottery and ventriloquy, candle-making
Then I'll stretch, Maybe sketch
Take a climb, Sew a dress
And I'll re-read the books
If I have time to spare
I'll paint the wall some more
I'm sure there's room somewhere
And then I'll brush, and brush
And brush, and brush my hair
Stuck in the same place I've always been
And I'll keep wondering'
And wonderin'
And wonderin'
And wonderin' When will my life begin?"
You get my point. It's been a long winter and its only January 9th. The beautiful thing about living in the south is that its supposed to be warmer here. So, if it snows it happens once a year and its celebrated and cozy for a day until it warms up to 50 degrees the next and we all go back to business as usual. But, not this year. This year school/business/life has been shut down for a week at a time, TWICE. Temperatures hover just below freezing, and a wintry mix is becoming a nightly thing.
All of this winter shenanigans is annoying no matter where you live. But, in places like say, Cincy, where I harken from, we have a little thing called "equipment" to deal with winter events…they're called SNOW PLOWS and SALT TRUCKS. Take note NWA…a few of these bad boys would have paid for themselves with all the lost revenue of two weeks of total commerce shutdown…and if not, I say we start a collection church style. Pass a basket around every neighborhood, each family chips in a couple bucks and BOOM, snow plow!! Kate for Mayor! Maybe I'm over simplifying, but something's gotta give.
Even Tiny has had enough. Last night I was so confident that she was going to have school today that we made her lunch, washed her nap mat, even picked out her clothes.
Then this morning I pull myself out of bed, turn on GMA and head to the shower when out of the corner of my eye, I see 'Bentonville Schools CLOSED' flash across the bottom of the screen. NO!!!!
By this time, Tiny is awake and I know I need to break the news to her. She's standing at her bedroom door and she's practically dancing, "I have school today!"
And, I have to say, "I'm sorry honey, school is closed today because of the weather."
She gets angry, "Don't say sorry!!! School is not closed! School is not closed! Its NOT snowing!"
And, I've got nothing. A quick glance out the window and a temp check on my phone proves she's right on some level, and it is all the evidence I need to give her the one thing I know will make us both happy. "Tiny," I say, "let's have breakfast and go to Target."
She's confused…"Target's open?" she asks skeptically with just the slightest glimmer in her eye.
And, when I assure her that yes, Target is open, its as if I've promised to show her the "Lights." We are going to leave our tower!
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| Snow. Again. |
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| "Don't say you're SORRY! School is NOT closed!" |
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| Nothing makes a girl feel better than heels and a sparkly dress. At least for a minute and a half. |
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| …and there's nothing like kicking a man when he's down like another first round of the playoffs loss by our Bengals. |
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| Temporary sanity saver…Finger Paints! |
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| "Bowling?" you ask. And the answer is, yes. We are that desperate to get out. |
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