The obligatory ice storm post (and a fun story)

So we survived the Great Ice Storm of 2010 That Thankfully Wasn't as Great as the Great Ice Storm of 2007. At least, it wasn't as bad here, anyway. There were other parts of the state that got hit much, much harder.

All that to basically say we didn't lose power for a week this time.

Thank heaven.

The power did flicker a time or two, and we had gotten some extra propane and an indoor-safe heater, just in case, and I had mentally made preparations (no extra shopping... I have a bit of an apocalyptic mentality that requires me to keep a full pantry at all times, anyway), but we never did actually lose power for any amount of time.

I had fun taking a few photos, especially after it started snowing on Friday morning.



The kids couldn't get over the fact that the tree branches were buried in the snow.

M2: "They're touching the ground, Mama! Look!"

M1: "Mom, is that tree gonna break?"

Me: "I don't know, baby, but it sure is bending."

One child or the other: "Can I go outside and touch it?"

Me: "Um... no... but thanks for asking!"

It didn't break, by the way. That tree is extremely flexible. It survived 2007 fairly intact, too.

I thought we'd go a bit stir-crazy over a three-day weekend where we were all cooped up together, but the kids kept themselves pretty busy.

M1 broke out his tools - REAL tools - that Granny gave him for Christmas along with some wood - REAL wood - and built a little table. He loves woodworking, which does and doesn't surprise me. I thought the noise of hammering would be too much for him, but he pounds away without even blinking.



M2 wanted mint hot chocolate, also a gift from Granny. I made that and also served up some snow ice cream. I hadn't made any of that in a long time. It reminds me a lot of the ice cream I had growing up, since "premium" ice cream in my youth meant that Grandpa had churned it himself in the storm cellar beneath the house. My kids and husband, on the other hand, are ice cream snobs.

It almost made me sad.

But then I got to eat the rest of it, and I got over it.

And now it's all melting.

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And now for something completely different.

I want to share a web site with you. But first, a story.

M1 and I went to the pediatrician today. He's been having asthma attacks this fall and winter, which is something new for him, and I needed guidance in how to manage it.

I love our pediatrician.

So we got into the office and started going over the details, and the pediatrician nodded and told me we needed an asthma action plan and a peak flow meter to measure how well his lungs were working. So she stepped out to get the sheet for the plan and the meter for us to take home.

I really, really love our pediatrician.

And then she walked back in with this:


And I about died laughing.

That, my friends, is Ebola virus, in plush form, straight from giantmicrobes.com. Oddly enough, I had known of this site previously. One of my friends was gifted the Swine Flu plush toy after her family contracted the virus over the fall; another one had received a louse after she had to deal with that in a family that wasn't even hers. The pediatrician had received Ebola (among others) from her son at Christmas, and she just KNEW that my son would appreciate it. Which he did... does...

And the pediatrician also got a good kick out of hearing about the swine flu and louse stories. Her quote: "It's good to know you have as warped a sense of humor as my family."

Love my pediatrician. I'd be friends with her even if she wasn't my kids' doctor.

Hope you got a good giggle, and enjoy checking out the site. Hope you can find something on there to amuse yourself or your friends with!