TBnJ

Yesterday the kids were off school for the fifth day in a row (though part was due to MLK Jr. Day and the weekend). It was actually T's sixth day off because he took a sick day on Friday. Today is B's sixth day off since he's got a fever today; he'll likely be home tomorrow, too.

So anyway, yesterday TBnJ went outside with Daddy-o to explore the world of ice. T and B used toys to play with loose ice. The kids broke icicles off of the trampoline. And then the four humans went into the dog yard to help Daddy-o clear the dogs' steps into the yard. There are about 7 steps down from the window to get into the yard. They were all coated with 1/2-1" of ice. Blue Dog and Red Dog went out the stairs and slid down the bottom three stairs into the yard as they came out to "assist" with operations. Fortunately neither of them hurt themselves on those last few stairs though the nose dives were scary to watch. In order to clean off the stairs, I was handing pots of hot water out to Daddy-o who was pouring them on the steps to melt the ice. Then he would loosen the rest of the ice off with a BBQ pit scraper and a screwdriver. Yes, we do own two ice scrapers from my days in Boston. However, they are packed in a box somewhere because on average, 364 days a year in Austin, you don't need them. It's only weird years like this year when you need them for more than one day. And then you are left wondering which box it was you packed them in to get them out of the way.

Out in the backyard, Red Dog did his thing and was then quite ready to get back in the house out of the cold. However, Blue Dog decided to help. His approach to helping was to eat the ice. He had a grand time doing it. He was shaking while doing it from the cold, but he was determined to eat it all. He took a similar approach almost ten years ago when Daddy-o and I were camping in Hot Springs, Arkansas with him along. Our non-waterproofed tent flooded during torrential rains, and so Blue Dog decided to try to drink up all the water. He made a valiant effort but failed.

Most mercifully T and J went back to school today on a delayed opening. I'm sure the teachers had LOADS of fun with a bunch of stir crazy kids who've been cooped up for too long. B and I have been listening to the ice fall off the roof and oak tree in loud "THUNK"s as it hits the wooden deck. At the end of the day, 80% of the ice is gone, though there are still some icicles on the house and on the trees and roof.

Labels: around the house