Merry Christmas 2008!

Ho, Ho, Ho, Christmas is cancelled this year. Says Santa.

Let it snow. Those were the words on the Christmas cards I sent out to you all this year. That's what we have wished all along for this Christmas. But be careful what you wish for. It started to snow over one week ago, and there have been no signs of slowing down since. We've got about 2 feet snow around the house a few days ago, according to the measurement by the man in the house. The heavy snow days have turned us all Washingtonian callers into volunteer weather reporters (Guess we all want to have a meteorologist's job. It's not only economy proof, but also weather proof. A meteorologist can report to work while vacationing in Thailand because any mistakes they make, it's the weather's fault. What can you say.) You bet when a phone rings all you are going to hear is how much snow the other side is getting, or whether it is still snowing. People send in their snow shots around their houses over the phone. We do the same. You think you've got more snow than us. Look, we’ve got more than you. Now the results are in. Here are our photos. We won. Richard is worried that the roof of his parents house is going to collapse. We watch the snow piling into hills on the front wood decks. At first we are afraid they will give in, and then we remember we have home insurance to cover the decks. We find ourselves plan on the details about how to expand the decks if they give in, of course using the insurance money. Snow, please fall in more. We like the new deck idea.

After failing on my all-wheel drive car, Richard tried his 4-wheel pickup truck. It got stuck on our own driveway halfway. Luckily, one of our neighbors is the local Fire Chief. Think about it. Everyone else can be stuck in the house but not the Fire Chief. To ensure the Fire Chief be able to get out of his house, a contractor was hired to plow his driveway so as a collateral benefit, all of us neighbors on the same road got the free plowing service on our driveways. We are no longer trapped in the house.

With all the snow in the truck bed, it almost feels as if we are heading to deliver the snow whenever we take off. Snow anyone? At the corner of the road by the Walmart today, a young man was holding a sign that says "Homeless. Sleeps in the Car. Needs help." Felt bad for him standing there in the snow. But sorry guy, unless you need snow. We got a full trunk load.

While it might be too much snow than we asked for, it is still the most beautiful and peaceful sight. You don't look at rain the same way you gaze at snow. Rain falls down fast, and gets lost the minute it drops on an object whereas snow falls gently, and with each flake it accumulates until it creates such a perfect decoration on everything it touches. That’s quite a metaphor to the results of rushing in vs slowing down. Look around. You are the interior decorator of your house. The snow is the exterior decorator. Now it’s the perfect setting for the Christmas, only if we can get to the party location.

For this Christmas, I'm sure some people have to call it canceled simply because of the undrivable road condition, unfortunately. Ho, Ho, Ho. Not us! No way!

Merry Christmas, everyone!