Blizzard-a-go-go

I was actually expected to work yesterday during the "Blizzard of '11" and I actually did work until about 2 p.m.  I even drove out in the country yesterday in the late morning.  I can tell you that I will not be working today, though, even though I have not yet received "the call." 

In order to keep myself cheerful during the storm, I had stocked up on good quality produce that normally costs an arm and a leg this time of year in Central Illinois.  I found blueberries on sale (at Walmart...shhhh!), organic greens, grape tomatoes, a beautiful red pepper, and organic celery on Monday when I was shopping.  So yesterday I had a delicious salad that would have been respectable even in July!  I added carrots, walnuts, croutons, and some dressing.  I closed the blinds so I couldn't see the snow, turned up the heat a bit, and wore my Chicago Cubs t-shirt.  Blizzard?  What blizzard?

Later I heard the howling winds and saw my salad bowl was empty.  Oh, that blizzard.

During the blizzard the kids are at their dad's house.  He miraculously returned from South America on time Monday night, after being gone a little over one month.  The kids were thrilled to see him and they left to go to his house yesterday with their most prized new possessions:  Sierra's sled and Jeremiah's new basketball pump. 

It seems that basketballs that sit out in cold garages get pretty flat.  Our old ball pump broke a few days ago and Jeremiah and I had taken to some pretty unorthodox methods to warm them up so he could shoot hoops in the driveway.  (Yes, in the middle of winter he still shoots baskets.  I think he is working on a shot he can take while going down the driveway standing on a sled.)  We even put a basketball in the dryer a couple times.  Yes, it was my idea.  Yes, it worked.   Yes, it was hideously loud.

So Monday while stocking up on delicious produce I also ran by Dick's Sporting Goods and bought him a new pump.  He was overjoyed and pumped up every basketball in the garage and left them in my kitchen.  Now it looks like a basketball nursery.  They are everywhere.  I promised him not to put them out in the cold again.  What was I thinking?

He took the pump to do the same thing with the basketballs in his dad's garage.  Where did we get all these basketballs?  Why do we have 7 basketballs at my house alone?  Inquiring minds are thinking that we need to thin out this collection.

I am grateful that I have electricity, and thus light and heat during this storm, at least so far.  My plan for today, in addition to putting basketballs and other clutter away around the house, is to read and nap and relax and make another delicious salad.  And I might shovel the driveway so I can work on my layup.