Bfth Panics About the Weather

 


It's been a long, cold, snowy winter.  A winter that began before it officially began.  We've had consist snow since the beginning of December. (Which is why my little solar powered Christmas lights are still up because I can't get to them to pull them off the bushes.  I ALMOST got to them a little over a week ago, but there was still a pile of snow that I would have had to deal with in order to get to them and I wasn't willing to stand in it and freeze, so there we are.)  The company (person) that plows out our driveway in the Poconos came 5 times in December, then got a bit of a break before coming back last Saturday AND Sunday.  (Truth be told, he came a little too early on Sunday because we got another half inch to an inch which is still lingering because it's so darned cold.)  Meanwhile, whenever it snowed in NJ over the past month and a half, my son would have to deal with it.  He did a great job, but now he's gone back to school, which leaves me with dealing with snow in two places.  Not fun.

This wouldn't bother me so much, if we weren't in for the worst storm of the year (decade?  century?) which is supposed to start Saturday night and continue into Monday. (Don't believe me?  https://www.weather.gov/)  To make matters even more panic inducing (and believe me every news outlet is inducing panic in me), temperatures are plummeting to dangerously low levels.  (It almost feels as if we are living in the Arctic Circle.  If I didn't know better I'd think that a country like Greenland was delivering us a message via the weather.)  To summarize we are going to have a foot (or probably more) of snow dumped on us with high temperatures MAYBE in the 20s.  This also presents an opportunity for ice...and NOBODY likes ice. (Except maybe in their drinks on a hot day, but we aren't having any hot days for a while, so I think I'm good in saying NOBODY likes ice.)

I have tried to prepare for this incoming storm as best I can.  When I left NJ mid-week, I set the heat in the house to a higher temperature than I usually would.  (Although not as warm as I would if I was in the house.) I have the faucet in the bathroom slightly dripping.  (I hope it is enough.)  I asked a neighbor if her son would be interested making some money by shoveling us out a bit.  (Nothing major...just a path on the sidewalk and part of the driveway so that I can get the car in and out when I get back.)  She said he would, so I'm hoping that works out.  (I know the family has a snow blower as well.)  However, with the frenzy of news about this storm, which seems to be covering the entire country has got me doubting myself. (Am I crazy in thinking Mother Nature, God or whatever you want to call a higher power in the universe is trying to tell us something?) Are my pipes going to freeze?  Is the house going to be buried and inaccessible?  What else can I do?  (Well, I could head back to NJ, but...)

Meanwhile, I'm also trying not to panic in the Poconos.  Temperatures will be even colder here.  (Thank goodness I had an oil refill on Monday.)  Do I crank up the heat?  This house isn't as well insulated as the house in NJ.  (French doors and lots of windows are usually my friends, but not when it's below freezing.)  What about my pipes here?  I know I will get plowed out (I am so grateful that the plow service has been very reliable), but who knows when and how will the roads be once I am able to get out?

I KNOW I have enough food.  (With ShopRite's can can sale, I have enough tuna fish for at least a month and that's if I eat a can a day!)  However, with all the hype, I keep thinking I need more.  There is this irrational voice in my head telling me I need to run to Walmart to get MORE.  Should I go after work?  Do I go tomorrow, when it is COLD, but the snow has not yet come?  What do I really need?  (The answer is nothing, but I'm not thinking logically here.  Frantic seems to be the word of the day.)

Since I can do nothing about the weather (nobody can...no matter what you may hear), I'm trying to be calm.  (Don't laugh.)  Whatever will be, will be, right?  Or “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."  (Matthew 6:34)  

We may have a ton of snow and cold, but we'll get through it and panicking is not going to help.  (Even though it's so easy for me to do!  You know stress is my middle name...or it should be!)  Deep breaths Bfth and remember 56 days till spring!


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