The forecast.

TONIGHT: ***WINTER STORM WARNING*** Mostly cloudy with occasional snow north of city, snow mixed with sleet and freezing rain in and around city, and freezing rain and sleet south of city. Snow accumulations of 1-4" by morning (heaviest north of city); ice accumulation of up to 1/4" south of city. Temps: Nearly steady/slowly rising to the upper 20s/lower 30s Wind: E to N 8-15 MPH


TUESDAY: ***WINTER STORM WARNING***Mostly cloudy, becoming windy, and turning colder with any mixed precipitation changing to all snow by afternoon; snow may be heavy at times. Additional snow accumulation of 3-10" (heaviest north of city); minor ice accumulation south of city in the morning. Temps: Steady/slowly falling to the middle 20s by late afternoon. Wind: N increasing to 15-25 MPH


The four of us have been safely tucked inside since late this afternoon, when the freezing rain mentioned in the forecast above began. I was in the station after work for a matter of 20 minutes or so, as I changed my clothes and sent a couple of emails. When reached my vehicle in the parking lot, it was already covered in a thin layer of ice. It should be an interesting night (and, I'm glad that Dave isn't working.)

Back at the house (after driving, slowly, through our neighborhood... the side streets were already a little slick!) I found Dave and Theo in the garage, "winterizing." Dave had pulled the trash and recycling bins in from the side of the house for the winter, so that we don't have to traipse through 3 feet of snow every time we have some refuse for one of the cans. This involved some rearranging, moving the boat and the motorcyle, to make everything fit. They spread some salt on the front walk, and made sure that the bird feeders were full so that our fine feathered friends will have some fuel over the next few days (I think they are going to need it!!!)

After being out in the cold for about an hour, Theo desperately requested a bit of his new favorite treat... hot cocoa!! I made a mug for each of us, as we both needed a little bit of warming up... he on the outside and me, inside! I'm fighting off what the others have been suffering from for about a week now. Had the chills tonight, that I just could not shake.


I must say, however, that nothing warms my heart like looking back at some of your responses to my last blog post. I can't tell you how much I appreciated, from my very bad space, your willingness to detail the disorder in your own homes, and throw your own husbands under the bus, and moan and groan, if only for a minute, about how imperfect things are in your own worlds. Of course, on the day that I decide to lament my very existence, my blog is viewed by record numbers (how did this happen?! How did over twice as many people than any other day before decide to look up This Family Squish on the one day I chose to air all of our dirty laundry?!)

Anyway, the experience in it's entirety (especially your comments, encouraging me to continually "be real") motivated me to go somewhere that I have been meaning to go for quite some time (especially since I lost a bet this summer, forcing me to go there....) Now, I thought about writing all of the details here, for the whole world (or, at least, my 50 daily viewers) to read. However, I quickly decided that if my "secret " is discovered, I would probably fall off of Herb's and Tim's (gasp!) "top ten lists," and that thought mortifies me. So, if you are intrigued (or, if you know me personally and you haven't already figured this out) shoot me an email, and I'll tell you all about it!! A warning, however.... it's honest to goodness, honest to goodness Emily. Perhaps more than you bargained for if you are simply here to read another adoption blog.

Finally, for Erin...
I got the TB test taken care of, and the paperwork straightened out. We're back on our way.