Just a box of rain -
wind and water -
Believe it if you need it,
if you don't just pass it on
Sun and shower -
Wind and rain -
in and out the window
like a moth before a flame

--"Box Of Rain" The Grateful Dead

Today was to have been a day of freedom. A WHOLE DAY ALONE. Alone shopping, which is one of my least favorite things, yes, but still...I've found I like shopping a whole lot more than I used to if I have the opportunity to do so by myself. Anyway, I had a babysitter scheduled so I could travel to civilization and wipe out all of our Christmas shopping in one trip. Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, lunch at the Baker's Crust, a trip to Starbucks perhaps?

Evidently the weatherman had other ideas.

A nor-easter is slamming the coast today, resulting in high winds, torrential rain, wind restrictions/closures on the Bay Bridge Tunnel (couldn't go even if I wanted to), and leaking at our house. So I cancelled my trip, and have spent the ENTIRE day cooped up with the Short People and fervently looking for water drips in every room.

On a positive note, the Short People have behaved rather well considering they would rather eat spinach for breakfast than remain in the house all day. They spent a lot of time creating fabulous costumes (at one point India was wearing a velvet dress, Strawberry Shortcake bedroom slippers, a macaroni necklace and Indian headdress) and making appalling messes. Somehow the girls conned our dog Daisy into playing Polly Pockets in the above photo.

Another bright side to my imprisonment is that I was able to get a bit of Thanksgiving cooking done ahead of time. Tomorrow we are going to our friends John and Susan's, joined by Susan's parents and another set of friends and their children. I was assigned an appetizer, sweet potato casserole, asparagus casserole, and stuffing. Since Tracy will work a half day tomorrow it was helpful to have some things done ahead. We'll head over there after naps for our Thanksgiving feast. Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!