A diabolical plot to ensure Christie never leaves California again
By Gina Spadafori
December 9, 2009
Christie has been sorting out more than her mother’s estate since Kathleen McKenzie passed on recently. Everything’s on the table right now, or at least open for consideration. Major life-changing events will do that to you, especially when your mother was not only your best friend, but also your housemate. And when, in recent years, you were also your mom’s 24/7 caregiver, with rarely more than a few hours respite .
Which is all by way of saying that Christie has been traveling a lot lately, in large part to clear her head. Now that she isn’t caring for a sick dog (Rebel, who died just before Christie’s mom) and sick mother, she can safely leave her one dog with a house-sitter and take off for a few days.
She has travelled more in the last six weeks than in the first 15 years I’ve known her.
But … ha! I have put an end to that! I told Christie it was a GREAT IDEA for her to visit friends in the Midwest in December. The very same part of the country, mind you, that has been slammed by a massive winter storm, with new snowfall measured in feet.
Christie was supposed to come home today, but she’s just going to have to sit, um, chilly, because ain’t no flights leaving Detroit today, baby.
Image: Christie’s iPhone view of the landscape outside. California, here she comes back (eventually), never to leave again!
That would do it for me! smile….
Beautiful picture but drive in it; live in it; and try to work in it? Nope!
Comment by Liz Palika — December 9, 2009 @ 10:15 am
Ha! Brat. At least it’s very SEASONAL.
Comment by Christie Keith — December 9, 2009 @ 10:25 am
We’re locked in here in not-exactly-balmy Minnesota. 10F, howling winds and feet of snow (you could still see the grass yesterday!)
The chickens are pissed. The dogs think it’s wonderful. I’m happy as long as the heat stays on and we don’t run out of coffee.
Comment by Janeen — December 9, 2009 @ 10:37 am
But look how beautiful is! Look at those wide open spaces! What great weather for cross country skiing, ice fishing, and snow mobiling! LOL.
Comment by Debbie — December 9, 2009 @ 10:52 am
You are so lucky Christie - time to play and have fun…..
Comment by Snoopys Friend — December 9, 2009 @ 11:00 am
I have it on good authority that at least some part of the Bay Area got half an inch of snow yesterday.
Stop lying to the woman, Gina.
Meanwhile, still mud season here in Central Appalachia.
Comment by H. Houlahan — December 9, 2009 @ 11:06 am
Extended time away…good for the soul. Hoping all the travel is a good thing. I know it did me good after loss.
Comment by Ark Lady — December 9, 2009 @ 11:10 am
Houlie: I think Christie’s neighborhood in San Francisco and mine in Sacramento were the only two square miles of Northern California not to get ANY snow this week. At all.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — December 9, 2009 @ 11:42 am
Gina-
I knew you were all-seeing, all-wise and (Chaka Chan) everywoman - but I had no idea you could change the weather! Are you drunk on power, or wha?
Can you make it rain bacon here please? Pleeeease?
Comment by Dr. Tony Johnson — December 9, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
Ummm…I was culturally confused for just a second there - I meant to say Chaka Khan not Chaka Chan which could have been Chaka’s last name from Land of the Lost.
Or am I just digging a deeper hole?
Comment by Dr. Tony Johnson — December 9, 2009 @ 1:47 pm
Well, I didn’t get any snow in my low lying Marin hollow… but the grass was very crunchy the last couple of mornings. The temp gun said 32 this morning at nearly 9 am. And even with the cat, sweatsuit, robe, blanket and down comforter, it was coooold last nite.
Comment by Moira — December 9, 2009 @ 2:10 pm
I once confused Chaka Khan and Chaka Fatah(PA congressman)… but who hasn’t really.
Comment by Original Lori — December 9, 2009 @ 2:48 pm
Chaka Khan and Aga Khan …
NOT SAME PERSON as it turns out.
Comment by H. Houlahan — December 9, 2009 @ 3:26 pm
We’ve got a lot of frost here in Sonoma Co. Even now, in mid-afternoon - all the shady spots are still glittery, and there’s ice on the deck. Our dachsie-chihuahua cross, Bertie Woofster, is burrowed so deep in the sofa cushions it looks like he’s not there. I think he never got that memo about how dogs are supposed to like chilly weather.
Comment by Eucritta — December 9, 2009 @ 4:26 pm
Our pond had 3/8” solid ice on it the last few days. Perfect for ice skating mice. We are a mile (at most) inland from the beach. I had to push some down on the edge to let free water come up so the collie boy could have his drinkies.
But it actually got up above 50F today!
Comment by Susan Fox — December 9, 2009 @ 6:34 pm
Umm, it’s 60 degrees inside my condo and 39 degrees outside. Does that count as cold?
Comment by Kim Thornton — December 9, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
Boarding pass — I haz it.
Direct flight home, not so much.
Comment by Christie Keith — December 10, 2009 @ 8:59 am
Kim: Thats about what it is down here, too, and yes, that counts as cold!
Comment by Liz Palika — December 10, 2009 @ 9:42 am
Cold? It was 11 BELOW zero in my CO town this morning and I’ve heard reports in other areas of 25-30 below. that’s actual temperature, not wind chill! It was a 3-dog night!
Comment by Di — December 10, 2009 @ 2:20 pm
Christie just texted that she doubts she will ever get home. Flight delayed — but at least she’s at her connecting airport!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — December 10, 2009 @ 2:24 pm
Christie now reports it’s 3 below at the Chicago airport, and that she believes she will never leave the airport and will never get home.
I assume the fact that she able to text suggests the sub-zero temperature is OUTSIDE the airport, not in the terminal, but she was not clear on this point.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — December 10, 2009 @ 3:01 pm
Hang in there Christie - you should be home soon - we hope.
Comment by Snoopys Friend — December 10, 2009 @ 3:26 pm
I got home at MIDNIGHT. It essentially took me a day and a half to get home.
Gina’s plan worked. I’m never leaving the HOUSE again, let alone the state.
Comment by Christie Keith — December 11, 2009 @ 2:34 pm
Wow you made it okay. Good!
Comment by Snoopys Friend — December 11, 2009 @ 2:35 pm