Saturday, December 13, 2008

The Ice Man Cometh

I'm going to my riding lesson and then prepare for the ice storm that is supposed to hit in waves beginning tomorrow.  I'm still not really abounding with energy, but that will be no comfort at all if the electricity gets blown out again and there is no food or heat in the house.

My first executive decision of the day will be to buy TWO small generators rather than one big whole house one.  I want Mom and Dad warm and cozy in their own house and me in mine.  Mom can't even hear the word "snake" without a bunch of shuddering and shivering-I don't know how much of it is for show and how much is for real, and I don't care at this point-she just needs to stay warm and safe at her own house and leave me to my snakes, birds and dogs.

Today will be to batten down the hatches, then tomorrow I have to go find something to wear to Uncle John's ceremony.  I really pray that Mom and Lee decide not to go-and that is very selfish on my part-but I need to focus on the drive and the task, not comforting them, and having passengers in the car just adds a whole new level of difficulty to an already difficult situation.  If the weather is too bad, I won't go either, and they are probably praying for enough ice to make the point moot.

So, now I've gathered my thoughts about what I want to happen, and I will go forth and see and deal with what actually DOES happen.

5 comments:

Mim said...

I'm going for the whole house generator soon

Debra Kay said...

It was an epic showdown. They wanted to see what happens, etc. which I cannot do with exotics in the house. So I just calmly but forcefully told them, "If you can get a motel that's great, IF you can drive on the ice...but if you can't, my house will be warm. However it will also be full of snakes, parrots and dogs, and if that bothers you, you need to let me help you today, because I am not losing my animals because you won't look ahead."

Mom made some noise about not being allowed into my house anyway and I just had it and said "LOOK, my job is to keep you safe which I am trying to do, it is NOT to maintain a second home for you to come to that is comfie for you."

Which really was the crux of the entire situation. She was pissy because her daughter doesn't have a house that she's comfortable in-well too fucking bad. Her daughter has been bending over backwards to try to get them to agree to back up heating so it never becomes a problem.

Furthermore, it had to be done today, while it was warm and no one was crying or upset about burying Uncle John on Monday, because I plan on being catatonic Monday afternoon.

Daddy finally agreed to go help me pick out a generator and perhaps look for one of their own (the specter of being trapped in a houseful of snakes with me and a pissy Mom was just too much for him, so we agreed on the best generator and he didn't protest when I asked them to load two. (And it was the last two of that kind that had.....talk about bringing it in under the wire-oh shit shit fire).

And I'm sure Daddy is secretly pleased with a new gadget that is already unloaded, assembled and in his shed, cause he's a guy.

Mom had to have the last word-I stopped in after unloading and assembling the generators (Saul, our dear neighbor helped). I said I was going to get gas and lay in some groceries and she said "you should have bought gas two days ago-it was cheaper then."

But she didn't get the last word after all. I smiled and said "I did, but then I went to Dallas and it got used up, so I've got to buy more........" muwhahahahahaaaaaaaaa.

Mim said...

You are a little Devil my friend - but good for you. Moral of the story - just do it.

soulbrush said...

oh nooooooo, how well i remember your big freeze last time...keep those snakes and dogs and parrot, oh yes and of course, yourself, warm and dry. hugs from sunny sa.

kj said...

i echo soulbrush. keep you and all those critters warm and snug.

and i echo mim: you are a little devil, debra kay!

:)