Truths: My everyday blizzard

So, we are all home today – our town hit with a blizzard – record snowfall of 18” plus. I remember the last two blizzards in ’99 and ’79… ’99 I was stuck inside with a brand new baby and NO WHERE to go… You can imagine my insanity. And in ’79, I was 8 and thought it was the best thing in the world as me and my best friends played “king of the mountain” on a snowdrift 10’ tall in my backyard.

Today, I look out similar drifts – without, quite, the same inspiration. Yet, even my husband couldn’t go to work and there is something comforting, quieting about all being safe and secure in our own home.

The one good thing about a blizzard like this is that nothing else matters. There is no where to go, no expectations of the day – just sitting inside watching the news and hearing about how much snow we got and that there were a bunch of crazy people who failed to heed the warnings and found themselves stranded on the highway waiting for the brave emergency workers to save their ignorant asses.

I guess “roads closed” means something different to everyone.

Last night I went to the grocery store to stock up on essentials just in case the weather people were actually right this time (there is usually a 50/50 chance of accuracy). I walked the aisles aimlessly only to fill the cart with the frozen pizzas, chips, cereal and amazingly, I did get water. It is so not like me to plan for a true emergency.

As I wandered the crowded aisles filled with people just as bewildered as I was – I heard one mom reply to a neighbor, “Oh, no this is actually my regular shopping day.”

That caught my attention because it inferred one of my deepest longings, “To have a consistent way of life.” She obviously goes grocery shopping every Tuesday of nearly every week. She probably plans her whole week’s menu, kids’ lunches, etc. She probably has one of those family calendars – color coded with each family members’ activities… Yep, she is one of those… and I am soooo not.

I want to be. I constantly try to be. I don’t know how many times I have scheduled my life: days to work on my book, days to clean, days to grocery shop and run errands… But, for me, life gets in the way and the schedule I meticulously planned out gets crumpled and thrown in the trash…again.

Maybe that is why I like today… Sure the blizzard got in the way of my plans – but it got in the way of EVERYONE’S plans – yep, everyone is like me today!! Yay!! I bet those people are freaking out!

Not me – I am used to chaos – used to my plans changing on a whim. I am relishing this day.

Yesterday was a slap of reality on many levels… It started in the morning when Maggie, a housekeeper recommended by a friend, came over to quote how much it would cost to clean my house. A wonderful, Polish woman very sweet and sincere.

I had done my best to straighten out the house the night before – things put away in their places, piles of laundry hidden in closets. I managed to wipe down the bathroom sinks and figured she would just look at the other rooms and not touch anything.

I walked her through the house – God knows what SHE saw – maybe the cobwebs on the light fixtures or the dust bunnies (more like dust elephants) under the sofa… but then, just when I thought I was safe – she touched the banister… Just like a real maid, she slid her hand down the woodwork and I gasped… and she looked at her finger and did her best to hide what was caked on it…

It was after that that she said, “I was thinking that maybe the first time we come – we could spend a little extra time wiping down all of the woodwork and the cabinets – it will cost a little more than the normal rate but…”

What she meant was, “Your house is a pigsty… and I will only feel good about cleaning it if I am able to have a fresh start.”

What I said was, “You take as much time as you need to get it clean…” Looking down at the ground I added, “I know it could use it.”

To add to the kind insult – she said, “Maybe you could show me the cleaning products you DO use?”

I know she meant, “Do you use any cleaning products? When was the last time you actually washed a wall? Do you know how to dust?”

What I said was, “Well, all the cleaning supplies are in the laundry room and that is where I put the dogs…maybe you could just tell me what you need.”

It wasn’t so much that the dogs were in there – it was that everything that didn’t have a place – including the piles of unfolded laundry was in that room… After the filth on the banister – there was NOWAY I was letting her in there!”

So, instead she just gave me a list of the things she would need… I should mention that she described these things as though I wouldn’t even know where to find them at the store.

Maggie left – and I was embarrassed but the good part is that she is coming back and eventually my house will meet her approval.

Maggie left and a few hours later I found myself at the hair salon – sitting in Heather’s chair – telling her that a few weeks ago when I turned 40 – my hair actually turned grey. I told her how I swear that the grey just poured out and it was everywhere.

She sat me down and started scurrying through my hair… and didn’t say anything. She didn’t respond with, “Oh there isn’t much – its not that bad.”

No, she didn’t say anything. Until she said, “Oh… yeah… I see it all over… It’s not in the back, yet, but it is all through the top. Gosh, it sure did take over.”

“Can you make it go away,” I asked.

“Well, luckily your hair is highlighted so it won’t show that much. If we highlight it in lighter shades we should be able to cover it, for now.”

I love Heather – she has done amazing things with my hair… But, really, she couldn’t pad my ego a little and say she didn’t see any grey??

I have often lied and told her I loved how she blew my hair dry – when in reality I sped home to re-wash it.

The dust, the grey hair – those are MY daily blizzards – my personal disasters – the kind that don’t make the morning news but always seem to be the headlines in MY paper…

But like my hair, once I left the salon, the grey is “gone” (okay, hidden) and soon, because of Maggie, the dust will be wiped away and the snow piled in my drive will be plowed and then, yes, I will have a life where I can actually say, “No, Tuesday is my regular day to grocery shop.”

A girl can dream, right?