2009 WINTER STORM

If anyone had asked me the definition of a blizzard two weeks ago, I would have given them a thoughtful yet inaccurate reply similar to this: "Greater than x amount of snowfall within a given time period? " The question mark would also be included, seeing as how it would be more of a question in an answer form.

In case you didn't know, a blizzard has one key component that a snowstorm does not: wind. Specifically, winds with an average speed of greater than 35 miles per hour.

Winds that blow snow onto the front porch and disable one from take a picture without receiving a gift of multiple ice crystal orbs on the camera lens.





Winds that take ordinary plains of snowfall and coerce them into cute, pinch-your-wittle-cheekies* moguls and hills.

* The cuteness only lasts until you have to remove two-feet of snow from your driveway with a non-snow shovel and until Christmas plans are rescheduled on a day that you are unable to make them.

Winds --with a combination of 15-inches of snowfall and below-freezing temperatures -- that lead to cancellation of holiday festivities. The inclement weather had made the roads too dangerous for travel.

My heart sank at the prospect of missing out on a Christmas get-together, but Jerm and I were quick to make alternative plans.


I cannot remember a single time in our relationship that Jerm and I have played games together, but we spent most of Christmas Eve night trash-talking over games of Yahtzee and Skip-Bo. We even went as far to make a bet that the loser of the final game of Skip-Bo had to run out in the snow in the backyard BAN (you figure it out...) wearing only a pair of shoes. I sure thought this was a great idea until I lost.

Jerm laughed his butt off the entire time.


On Christmas Day, I vowed to make an improvised holiday meal for the two of us.

I even made from-scratch vegetarian cornbread stuffing. (Didn't have any celery so I used carrots instead...)



We even managed to take a bunch of silly-face pictures with a few normal* ones in the mix.

* Please excuse the massively flexed neck muscles -- it was the only way to keep the double chin out of the picture. Oh, and please excuse the gum "discreetly" tucked away in the side of my mouth. Oops.

Happy New Year, everyone!