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Jul. 14th, 2009
Writer's Block: Lights Out
Jul. 14th, 2009 03:54 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]
Last Christmas morning we awoke to find our power out, and we'd already been suffering through Snowpocalypse 2008. Our home was surrounded by two feet of snow, and our fridge and freezer, filled with the goodies I intended to make for our meals that day were threatened. We opened presents in the gray light of morning, each of us bundled and wrapped in warm clothing and blankets. My daughter wore her hooded vest over her bathrope as she tore apart the paper.
My partner and I piled our food in a box, wrapped in plastic, and placed it outside in the snow. I can't recall what we ate for breakfast, but it wasn't the long-awaited bagels, lox, and schmear, which was traiditional in my mother's home. We built up a fire in the brick oven, and gathered around my daughter's Hello Kitty table on a blanket. I tried to keep them entertained by singing and playing games. Since we couldn't rely on the brick oven to cook the duck and accoutrements (at least I had no experience doing so), we made nachos. They were the messiest, cheesiest nachos we'd ever made in that house, and our hands were sticky afterwards.
Throughout the afternoon and evening (since it was exceptionally dark that day), our house was filled with Shabbat candles that flickered around us and cast long shadows overhead. Just as we were getting restless, and I had suggested another game, that they'd agreed on, the lights came back on and suddenly they didn't want to sit together chatting or playing simple games. They went immediately to hook up the new Wii, and I was left sitting alone on the blanket. Neither of them really got into the time together, neither of them sang with me or showed enthusiasm, and it just felt like a big disappointment. I know there are families who do well when the lights go out; they gather together and find ways to entertain each other, but neither my partner nor my daughter could enjoy themselves without being hooked in. If it weren't for the cold seeping into our bodies, and the stiffness at sitting in a small corner of the house huddled by the oven, I might have pulled the plug for a week to get them to try to enjoy the chance to be close and live simply.
Last Christmas morning we awoke to find our power out, and we'd already been suffering through Snowpocalypse 2008. Our home was surrounded by two feet of snow, and our fridge and freezer, filled with the goodies I intended to make for our meals that day were threatened. We opened presents in the gray light of morning, each of us bundled and wrapped in warm clothing and blankets. My daughter wore her hooded vest over her bathrope as she tore apart the paper.
My partner and I piled our food in a box, wrapped in plastic, and placed it outside in the snow. I can't recall what we ate for breakfast, but it wasn't the long-awaited bagels, lox, and schmear, which was traiditional in my mother's home. We built up a fire in the brick oven, and gathered around my daughter's Hello Kitty table on a blanket. I tried to keep them entertained by singing and playing games. Since we couldn't rely on the brick oven to cook the duck and accoutrements (at least I had no experience doing so), we made nachos. They were the messiest, cheesiest nachos we'd ever made in that house, and our hands were sticky afterwards.
Throughout the afternoon and evening (since it was exceptionally dark that day), our house was filled with Shabbat candles that flickered around us and cast long shadows overhead. Just as we were getting restless, and I had suggested another game, that they'd agreed on, the lights came back on and suddenly they didn't want to sit together chatting or playing simple games. They went immediately to hook up the new Wii, and I was left sitting alone on the blanket. Neither of them really got into the time together, neither of them sang with me or showed enthusiasm, and it just felt like a big disappointment. I know there are families who do well when the lights go out; they gather together and find ways to entertain each other, but neither my partner nor my daughter could enjoy themselves without being hooked in. If it weren't for the cold seeping into our bodies, and the stiffness at sitting in a small corner of the house huddled by the oven, I might have pulled the plug for a week to get them to try to enjoy the chance to be close and live simply.
Eep! Almost Missed It ...
Jul. 14th, 2009 10:24 pmHAPPY BIRTHDAY ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
passions_sonnet!!! May your bosom always be bountiful, and the men fall to their feet as they should.
passions_sonnet!!! May your bosom always be bountiful, and the men fall to their feet as they should.