Home Alone

I've suspected since last night that I might not be able to get home for the holidays.

A freak warm patch, about ten degrees above zero, caused everything to melt. Then a flash freeze and some flurries on top. It's like an accident sundae waiting to happen.

So I've been rapidly cycling through the process - feel irritated, guilty, sad, then hopeful, then repeat.

And as I always do on a Sunday night, listened to This American Life. The episode is called Home Alone. Not in a funny way, like those delightful movies (okay, the first two are delightful), but rather about people who die alone in their houses and the people who try to investigate whether they might have a friend or relative in this world.

So after about six hours of wondering what will happen to me when I die alone, who will claim my valuable (?) collection of signed Canadian poetry books, what will happen to the dogs I have then, whether my siblings will be able to take care of me, etc., I started to think a bit differently.

For crying out loud - it's just one day.

So I am trying to think of the perfect plan b xmas. So far it looks like this:

go out, get stuff to make lasagne
walk dog in the park - let her stick her whole head into rabbit burrows, don't let her get stuck
listen to motown at top volume
call family several times
think for a long time about going to the giant ukrainian catholic church
watch newsies
make paper balls filled with catnip for cats
bake a loaf of bread
light tree!

But honestly if I knew the weather gods were going to curse me I would have saved my shopping til boxing week.