Thank you Mother Goddess…

I’ve been reprieved from having to drive for hours during the height of the howling Nor’easter snow storm that is about to hit.

Three months ago, my dad got tickets for a production of A Christmas Carol down in Worcester, tonight at 8:00 p.m. He was absolutely determined to go. Some years back, he and my mom had tickets to see one of the touring companies of Phantom of the Opera and there was a raging blizzard that night. They’d have been driving about 60 miles at the worst of it to get into Boston and decided it just wasn’t possible. The theatre refused to change or refund their tickets and dad has never gotten over that. He’s practically boycotted going to the theatre in Boston ever since.

Apparently, The Hanover Theatre in Worcester is much more accommodating (and aren’t sold out, unlike Phantom probably was). Dad just called me and said they’ve changed his tickets to tomorrow’s matinee at 3:00 p.m. By that time, the storm will be long gone and things will be cleaned up. I’m still going to drive us down, but I’m much less concerned about that now. You just wouldn’t believe how I was stressing this. It’s almost 25 miles up to my dad’s house and then 40+ miles down to Worcester. Driving in blowing snow falling at 2 inches an hour is no joke.

My driveway never was plowed after Wednesday’s snow because we only got about two inches of snow with a crust of ice. Now that’s packing down and my driveway is very slippery. I got stuck in my own driveway, briefly, three times just going out to pick up the mail from my post box this morning. I hope it will be less slippery after it’s been well-scraped by plow blades tonight and tomorrow! Otherwise, I may have to go down the whole 150 feet of it sanding by hand (sand, at least, is free for the taking over at the DPW yard. They dump a big pile of it and residents can bring buckets and take all they want).

I was stressing so much about having to go out in the storm, I slept like crap last night. Since I haven’t slept well since before the ice storm–my last “normal day” was Wednesday the 10th, between storms, power outages and putting up my dad here–I’m absolutely exhausted. I also haven’t been able to find things for my Solstice observance. The place I usually buy mistletoe doesn’t have it this year. I don’t have a real Yule log, I’ll just have to choose a nice piece of wood. I still need to go out and gather ivy and snip some holly from my holly shrub, and I better do that before the snow starts. This really is turning into a star-crossed holiday season! 🙁

But one stressor, at least, has been withdrawn for the moment. Whew.