Monday, December 22, 2008

It's STILL snowing!


Unbelievable. I mean, this is Portland. In the eight years we've been here, we've been "snowed in" twice, and those times were nothing like this. Our neighbor says she hasn't seen anything like it in the thirty years she's been here. It's beautiful -- tranquil, perfect dry powder, glittering ice branches. Enchanted.

Well, it would be "enchanted" any other week. Next week, I'd welcome it. But this week. Agh! Looks like we'll be celebrating my birthday alone this evening. Jim and I walked to the store a few hours ago and bought some dungeness crabs and some good bread, so that will be dinner (with plenty of butter :-). Sometimes salad is part of the plan, but usually, with a big bowl of crab legs in front of me, I can't be bothered with salad. Barbaric, no? Eating a pile of legs? Yummy yummy legs.

I love that walk to the store in the snow. Whenever we get snow (NOT often), we walk there for "provisions", and there's something magical about it, the way the mundane landscape is transfigured. Leroy had to walk in the tire ruts.


A Laini's Lady lost in the snow:
When it started snowing last week, I really wasn't too concerned about the weather continuing until Christmas -- but. . . now I'm worried. How will we get to my parents' house? So many people's travel plans have been cancelled. Flights cancelled. I don't think my brother will be able to make it here. This sucks. Why didn't it wait until next weeeeeek???????

15 comments:

Stephanie Perkins said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Yippee!

As a present, I'm sending a bag of sunshine to melt a car-sized path directly from your house to your parents'.

Enjoy your legs :)

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday!

Man, I know so many people with December birthdays, and a lot of them I just met this year through blogging and Facebook.

Lexi said...

Happy, happy joyful birthday greetings!

You know, I think the snow has a lot to do with global warming. It has to.

Maybe it'll be like Laura Ingalls Wilder in THE LONG WINTER and you'll have to have Christmas in April!

Cuppa Jolie said...

Happy, Happy Birthday, Friend!

xoxo

Anonymous said...

Crab.

Hmmmph!

The OrchidWitch

Lisa Schroeder said...

For some reason, I posted earlier in an older posting.
Just wanted to say

H~A~P~P~Y B~I~R~T~H~D~A~Y!!!

They are indeed saying this like a once every 30 years storm. It's unbelievable. We were snowed in last week cause we live in the hills, and now this week too. Much too long, if you ask me...

violetismycolor said...

I've lived here 25 years and I've never seen anything like it, either. Happy birthday, though.

Anonymous said...

nice post

lizardek said...

I know you will have a joyful day and a wonderful holiday no matter what. Many happy returns of the day, Laini!! May your year be everything you want it to be.

Linda said...

Happy Birthday, Laini. :-)

We got an enormous amount of snow here in the Northeast as well this past weekend...but it really makes a difference to have the equipment to deal with it quickly. The snow plows are fast...it makes me kind of sad. The snow is definitely at its prettiest during the storm, and then as soon as it stops, it gets all pushed out of the way and covered with yucky mud.
But I will take snow over an ice storm any day! Our power was out for two days last week in the big ice storm, and, with a two-year-old and a baby in the house, it felt like two years.
Anywho! Weather.
Hope you enjoy your birthday...stay warm!

Rhonda the Stitchingnut said...

What?! You didn't say you wanted a White Christmas for you birthday present? Crabby, crabby, crabby legs!

I do hope it stops and lets you get home for Christmas tho. I'm hoping to drive up to NH by myself to see the grand kids and won't do it in snow OR rain either. I don't want to disappoint the grand kids.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday!

I try to empathize with folks who aren't used to snow. I've lived in Fargo, ND for 3 years now and I am still not used to it!

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday, Laini, and a wicked awesome Christmas! Whoa, not to mention a Happy New Year. I'm especially looking forward to 09 so I can finally buy myself a copy of Silksinger and Lips Touch.
Too bad your brother might not be able to make it, but keep your chin up, even though I hate that saying. I'm not much a fan of snow either.

Heather said...

Belated Birthday Wishes! Hope it was a good one!

Anonymous said...

I'm really glad it's over! This is my first winter in Oregon and this is not supposed to happen here! Of course if I had a dollar for every time I heard that phrase in the past two weeks, I'd be rich!

My kids' flights from California to spend Mom's first Christmas away with me were both dramatically changed by the weather. My 18 year old spend 12 hours traveling (several delays) to spend 30 hours with me before she had to go back, all because her Dec. 21 flight was canceled. Bummer.

Anyway, it's over!