The Return of Hot Showers, Eyesight and Long-lost Friends
I’m not one to complain too much about winter. I love sledding and snowboarding and making snow angels. Jackets, hats and cute boots? The best.
Plus, snow is the great equalizer, making everything it blankets gorgeous and clean. A fresh start.
That being said, we’ve gotten a record amount of snow in a short time. More than 40 inches in about 10 days, and we’re slated for 10-12 additional inches this weekend. I finally just stopped taking pictures of it because when you’ve got gargantuan snowbank piled up in front of your house, what’s another foot or two?
Our street.
But a lot went right this week, so I’m going to focus on that, instead of the fact that I probably won’t see my grass again until May.
Let’s hear it for showers!
So, the day before the huge blizzard hit last week, our tankless hot water heater broke. Because, Murphy’s Law.
To fix it, the HVAC guy had to order the part from the manufacturer, where it was then apparently strapped to the back of a turtle with two broken legs and sent to Massachusetts.
As the Turtle Express hobbled here from parts unknown, we were without hot water, for eight long days. That meant packing up duffel bags and schlepping to the gym for showers every day, sometimes with kids in tow. It meant boiling pots of hot water to do dishes and getting way, way behind on laundry.
Despite another sizable snowstorm on Monday, the HVAC finally dudes made their way here with the coveted part in hand and restored the glorious hot water. My husband and I took the world’s longest showers in our own bathrooms.
Cleanliness is next to awesomeness, especially when it’s achieved at home.
When Sweet Pea finally got out of her extended bath that night, her whole body looked like a raisin, not just her fingertips. Superhero also spent the better part of his evening underneath a steamy downpour of sweet, sweet water.
Each day that isn’t like a modified game of Survivor in your own home is a good one.
20-year college friend reunion
My college friend, Michelle, who now lives in Dubai, was in town this week for work and we got together for lunch.
It was such a treat to have sushi and an afternoon cocktail with Michelle and discuss how far we’d come since we were having a blast and partying expanding our already ginormous brains in college. She has lived in several countries since finishing her master’s degree. It was really cool to hear about some of her adventures, and a nice change to be drinking with her out of glassware instead of red Solo cups.
Girlfriends are the best.
Glasses crisis averted
Thursday, Sweet Pea lost her glasses. This happens from time to time, but after two frenzied hours of searching the usual places, random places and digging through trash cans (just in case), we felt as though we’d have better chance finding Jimmy Hoffa or Kim Kardashian’s modesty than unearthing those damn pink spectacles.
Sweet pea was late to preschool because of it, and had to go without her specs.
Over the course of the day, we turned the house upside down. By 6 p.m., we decided the same goblin that steals socks from the dryer made off with them and we might just have to order a new pair.
Finally, as I was getting the kids ready for bed, I randomly found them underneath the pillow in my son’s room. She had apparently put them there when we cuddled Superhero before bed the prior evening.
So, Sweet Pea can see again and we won’t have to shell out $250 for a new pair of glasses. Winning!
Seeing is helpful when doing painting projects.
Flowers and cupcakes
While I worked Friday morning, my husband took Sweet Pea out on a daddy-daughter date. She wore her fancy Sofia the First ball gown (with fleece pants and snow boots because it’s, like, 4 degrees outside). They looked so sweet and adorable as they walked toward his car, on their way to Chuck E. Cheese, and then lunch.
Upon their return, I saw that he’d gotten both of us flowers — just the cheerful pick-me-up I needed to propel through the rest of my work.
They look quite lovely against the white backdrop, no?
When he headed in to work, the kids and I made cupcakes. They did most of the heavy lifting — pouring, stirring, sprinkling — and now we have a bunch of frosted treats to sustain us through the next snow storm.
Mmmmm. Gluten-y goodness.
Sweet Pea ate hers frosting side first. She is a wise soul.
Have a wonderful weekend, everybody!
The Wild Rumpus 