What Fesh Hell is This?

I suppose I should have chosen something more festive for a title, but frankly, it came down between this and, "F***ing Snow, F***ing Heathrow, Merry F***ing Chirstmas!" I thought the chosen title was a bit less belligerent. Why all the hostility? Because due to a relatively minor snowfall, Heathrow fell apart, and I'm stuck in London, alone, for Christmas. The truly upsetting thing is that it didn't have to happen. The snow fell on Saturday. It wasn't much. But, Tuesday, they were still canceling flights left and right because they hadn't cleared the 2nd runway. In light of heavy criticism, the response from the powers that be is, "Other countries are used to snow, but we don't normally have weather like this." Hmm, well, this is the 3rd winter in  row, so maybe it's time to stop wringing your hands and start admitting that now you do have weather like this! And invest in some snowplows and salt. Geez. I thought Yonkers was bad with snow removal, but at least it's not a major international city with one of the busiest airports in the world!

I was on hold with Virgin for three hours before I finally got through, and the best they could do was a Boxing Day flight. We tried every airport on the East Coast, figuring I could then drive to NY. But there was nothing. At one point, I even told the woman (Michaela was her name - very nice woman) that I would take a sleigh and eight tiny reindeer, but apparently that was booked too (peak time!). So, I'm stuck here. The first Christmas without both Mom and Dad, and Keith and I are separated by 3000 miles, and an entire ocean. Not to mention that Keith and Angela are going through so much right now because of her illness. We really needed to be together. For many people, these issues are an inconvenience. For me, it's a tragedy.

I am trying to make the best of it, and my boss here, Gaynor, has been very kind and invited me to spend the holidays with her family. At least I won't be all alone. Cali and Brooke have been at the sitter since Monday, so I haven't had them around either. But at least I know they're doing fine. I'll be getting the train to Gaynor's a little later, and then going from her house to the airport Sunday. At least (all things being equal), I should get som time at home, but I lost five days and, as philosophical as I'm trying to be, it still is very upsetting.

Well, on a brighter note - special thanks to family and friends who have patiently listened to me vent my frustration (with special note to Erika's idea to airlift snowplows and salt from the US and Canada!), and to Michaela at Virgin for trying to get me home in time, and to Gaynor for sharing her Christmas with me. At least the Christmas Spirit is alive and well.

Merry Christmas!

Snowbound in London

OK, we'll ignore the fact that it's about a month and a half since I've written anything (I like to ignore inconvenient truths - seriously, how do people blog every day?). Let's focus instead on the fact that it's Friday, December 3, and I haven't been in school since midday on Tuesday, November 30. The entire United Kingdom has been paralyzed by early season snow. Three and a half snow days?!?! Before Christmas?!?! If I'd wanted snow like this, I would have applied to teach in Switzerland! Cali and Brooke haven't been too thrilled to have to wear their sweaters (or jumpers, as the case may be).

On the plus side, since I'm in Central London, which has not been hit as hard as the outskirts, I haven't been trapped in the flat. Definitely makes me glad I chose to live where I do. I've been able to go out every day - see Christmas lights, do my Christmas shopping. I even got to my favorite pizza place - Delfino's near Grosvenor Square. If I had been livig closer to school, it would have been just me and the dogs, with some blankets and DVDs. Which would have been fine fora day or so, but now we don' go back to school until Monday, and I would have gone stir crazy by now if I hadn't been able to get out and about.

I've also been able to put up my Christmas decorations. They look nice, and I like having them up, but I kind of feel like a fraud - everything is all festive, and I'm listening to the music, but every time I try to watch a Christmas movie or show, I start crying. And, I suspect it will just get worse whenI get back to New York. These are the last major holidays to get through in the first year, and I'm worried. I'll go to Ann and Bill's for Christmas Day, but what about Christmas Eve? That's always been such a big night, and I don't know if anyone in Mommy's family will host it this year. After all, Mommy's the one who kept everyone together after Mama and Papa died. Now who's going to do it? I'd consider it, but my new apartment is too full of boxes to host a dinner party. Then there's the fact of seeing the house empty for Christmas - with no decorations. I remember what it felt like seeing Gilbert Place empty for the first time on Christmas Eve, and this will be a lot worse. Anyway, I don't want to think about it now. I'm trying to force myself to enjoy the season because I know Mom and Dad wouldn't want me moping around, but it's not easy. Sometimes it seems OK, then suddenly it all goes very dark.

Well, tomorrow I'll hit another Christmas fair, sort the presents I bought, and put up my remaining decorations and lights. And, maybe, I'll manage to write about what I did for Thanksgiving, or as it's known here, Thursday, 25 November. I took the anti-holiday approach this year. Until next time . . .