Wednesday, December 24, 2008

ONE OF THOSE “REMEMBER THAT CHRISTMAS?”

The boys and I just got home from Iceland.

Not the one close to Europe, but the icyland of northern Indiana.

When we drove the 8 hour trip on Saturday, it was 1 ½ days after the big ice storm that so badly damaged trees and left much of Ft. Wayne without power.  But it seemed as if it had just happened—the trees and grass were astonishing and eerie, and when we opened our car doors upon arrival, it sounded like a thousand tiny chimes of tinkling.


The next day was the Christmas celebration of the Harvey sisters (and their children), and the temperature never rose above -3 degrees.  The wind made the snow blow horizontally across the farm fields, and so the wind chill factor was very very bad.  But since the only time they have ever cancelled the celebration was when it was twenty-five below, 40 people came to my parents’ home for lunch, gifts, bingo, and a visit from Santa.  Many of them brought sleeping bags “just in case,” but at the end of the day all got home safely. 

The house was so full, and there was so much chatter and laughter, the windows fogged up and we were safe and snug inside.  Every once in a while, I would take a towel and clear a space for me to peek outside to see the wild wind and snow. 

If you would like to see the whole group of us trying to sing the last verse of The 12 Days of Christmas, go here.

On the way home today, our first “rest break” was at a very very large department store in Ft.Wayne.  Most of the residents have power restored now, but you could still feel the shell-shock.  As we waited in line to pay for our stocking-stuffer oranges and apples, the lights flickered, and the whole huge building of shoppers paused and gasped.  But nothing bad happened, and we got out of there as fast as we could!


6 comments:

  1. Gorgeous picture! Praise God for getting you safely home.Merry, merry Christmas!

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  2. The video was great. What fun that must have been for all of you!

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  3. Merry Christmas, Mrs Chickadee and family! Glad you had a fun time and are home safe. :)

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  4. It appears we are not the only ones to have a memorable Christmas !! What a ride in hard conditions but all went well ! Thanks for your Christmas wishes and I wish to you all a happy New Year 2009Love
    Michel

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  5. I feel like going back. It's way too cold. It's supposed to be 24 in Marietta, GA tomorrow morning. I don't know what it will be at home. Shiver!!God bless you with a Happy New Year.

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  6. hey... just wondering and still tapping my foot here... did you like the presents you got yourself? 

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