winter weather woes

Oh, look - it's snowing again!  How pretty, how festive, how NOT!  We are meant to be leaving for Florida in 48 hours on a trip to meet the birthmother of our adoptive baby boy.  Only the weather gods do not look to be on our side. After spending 40 hours (it felt like 4 days!!) this weekend without power, heat or water due to an ice storm, we are not feeling very open-armed about the lovely winter weather forecast for the week ahead. 

Now I can honestly say we are fortunate - unlike 1000s of others - as our power was restored in a relatively short time.  Our pipes did not freeze, no part of our home was damaged, wonderful friends had us over for scaldingly hot showers, and despite the fact that I spent about 8 unplanned (and utterly unenjoyable) hours cleaning our fridge and struggling to salvage the savable items, there was indeed a silver lining. We are finally rid of the 100 or so bottles of moldy condiments that have been collecting on the shelves for the past 4 years. (I exaggerate, but not by much. I LOVE condiments and have a hard time saying no to the pickled okra, red pepper jelly, strawberry compote, jalapeno relish and pumpkin butters of this world. Then I use them - once, or maybe twice - and thereafter they become space-taking sculptural objects in the refrigerator that I don't use yet can't bear to throw away....)

But I digress. It's really the weather that's the issue here, not the fridge.  The blessed Maine winter weather. Unpredictable. Ever-changing. Often icy cold. And completely out of my control. (As if there isn't enough in my life that is already out of my control.)

My plea to the powers that be:

Don't f*#k with our trip - it means a lot to us. This is what we hope will make this whole adoption process seem real to us. At least for where we are at, now. We really don't ask for help too often, so please be kind, okay? We promise to pay it forward, one way or another. Really. We're good for it, I swear. Pretty please? Extra sugar on top?

Fingers crossed..........