sprite writes
broodings from the burrow

February 13, 2007


twenty-four hours
posted by soe 11:54 pm

I’m looking forward to tomorrow, when I celebrate my 33rd birthday. Rudi and I both took the day off, but we won’t object if our respective workplaces call the day because of icy conditions and we get the day off just because.

What are we planning? Ice skating. We were originally contemplating one of the downtown rinks or maybe the C&O Canal, if it’s still cold enough. (Rudi reports that National Park Service employees were measuring the ice on Sunday and had it at 4″ thick then.) But at this rate, we’ll just be able to lace up our skates and head out to Connecticut Avenue.

If the Smithsonians are open, we might head to the Museum of the American Indian, where they’ll be holding a lecture on chocolate, as well as a free tasting. I mean, if someone is handing out free chocolate on my birthday, who am I to refuse it?

We always try to catch a movie on my birthday. This year I’m lobbying for Music and Lyrics, the new Drew Barrymore romantic comedy. Seems appropriate, no?

And there will be some pizza. And some cake. And hot chocolate — with whipped cream and sprinkles. And cake.

If we get stuck indoors for the day, I’m thinking we could always make chocolate chip cookies and knit. Well, okay, Rudi would have to play video games…

And snuggle and watch the snow/ice fall…

Doesn’t that sound like a nice birthday/Valentine’s Day plan?

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impending disaster, according to the locals
posted by soe 1:53 am

Tomorrow they are predicting that we will be hit with a little bit of snow, a little bit of rain, and a little bit of ice. Typical winter weather, right?

Well, if by typical you mean what elicits fear, panic, and obsession, then, yes.

I swear, if we were expecting the sort of storm like Rudi and I moved down during four years ago, when D.C. received a foot of snow and eventually had to ask New Jersey to please let us borrow their snow plows and drivers after they were done with them, then I’d understand.

But we’re talking about a few inches, at best.

We are not Atlanta where snow is such a foreign thing that it’s cheaper to shut down the city whenever it falls than to keep a couple of plows on hand. It snows in D.C. every winter. Ice occurs even more regularly than that.

Get used to it, people. Shovel your sidewalks, clear your cars off fully before you drive them, and assume you will not need to burn toilet paper to stay warm.

We’re a proud, resilient people who fancy ourselves self-sufficient. Don’t let the Northerners see you before a winter storm, though, or they might question why we keep asking for political autonomy.

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