1 Mother 2 Another

Yes, it's true. I'm a little envious of
all my friends in New York City right now.


Yes, I know that this hurricane is serious business, and that
people have died in the Caribbean because of it. Yes, I know my
friends in New York City are a wee bit concerned right now, some
without power.


On the other hand, I have several friends posting video updates on
Facebook that shows their whole family at home playing Balderdash
or Uno, making big pots of spaghetti or huge bowls of popcorn to go
with their movie marathon. Everyone's home from work, no one's
going to school, no one can run errands.


It's a little bit of the perfect family time. Forced to slow down
and hang out and enjoy each other.


Of course, the flip side of that is a family of four contained to a
700-square-foot apartment for two. Whole. Days. Or a friend with a
dog who is so afraid to pee inside (the dog, that is) that he
hasn't peed in almost 24 hours because he's so tiny there's no
way she's taking him outside to pee since he'd get blown away. So
he's shivering and probably in a fair amount of pain. Let it out,
little guy, it's ok just this once, I promise.


And I'm sure that forced family fun time won't be quite so fun
when the power goes out and there's no popcorn popper or movie
marathon. I know, I know.


But I rememeber the great power blackout of 2002 or 2003, when the
whole eastern seabord lost power for days. I remember lighting
copious candles - this was pre-kids - in our apartment, sitting
around with the windows open on an August night, listening to quiet
talking from neighbors drifting in. Just slower, more intentional
time together.


Like I said, I know it's dangerous. I know it's a multi-million
dollar storm.


It just makes me wish a wee bit for, say, one good snow day here.
Is that so wrong?