Christmas bummer

countrygrl5533

We got hit with a big ice storm in New England. It stalled over Maine so instead of having the worst power outages Sunday like predicted, it was Monday.

DH is a utility line arborist...which is fancy speak for "he trims trees around the wires." So when there is a big storm like this, he is out working 17-24 hour days until the power is back on.

When I went to bed, our power company (there are three in Maine. He works under the biggest one) had 78,000 without power. This morning...83,000.

Most of that isn't in his district but once they get their district on, they will go help another one. If they get the whole state on and there are still massive issues in a nearby state, they will go help them. That's just how it works.


So......looking like DH won't be home for Christmas. I'm super bummed. I can't even go to the Christmas Eve service tonight because my driveway is a hill that slopes towards the road rather steeply. It's a sheet of ice. I need DH's help to deal with the ice. It is going to freeze solid today as the temps will be dropping to -10 tonight.

This is not the Christmas I had hoped for.

nunzchucks

Oh no! I'm so sorry  Can you celebrate this coming weekend or on New Year's?

countrygrl5533

LilNunz1 said:

Oh no! I'm so sorry  Can you celebrate this coming weekend or on New Year's?

That's the plan. Usually my family comes on Christmas Day then his on the following Saturday. So looking like we will just do everyone either Saturday or New Year's. But it just isn't the same, kwim?

Thankfully. DD is young enough that she won't know which day is which. But we will miss out on our quiet just the 3 of us morning. The outage list just went too 86,300 for his company, 113,000 for the whole state.

countrygrl5533

@Excited30 : I have no idea right now. I know for me it will be a day of comfy clothes and Christmas movies. DD doesn't have a clue what day is Christmas so to her it will probably just feel like a normal day.

countrygrl5533

We're going to do pancakes for dinner tomorrow I think. But that's all I've figured out yet. You figure out anything yet?

I am so, so glad DD isn't old enough to really get it yet. If this happens in another couple years, we're either going to have to Santa gifts without DH or DD is going to wonder why Santa didn't come.

countrygrl5533

Excited30 said:

Me?  Well... we are going to watch a movie for sure.  I've only ever watched one movie with her.  Read the Christmas story tonight.  I'll have her open a pair of new pj's tonight.  I want to try and have a fire tomorrow.  I've got a fire log left.  Might be a tad ambitious, but that'll be super exciting for her.  We will stay in our pj's all day.  Other than that...still thinking.  Pancakes sounds nice.  Hmmm... pumpkin apple I think 

We heat with wood only so a fire in the furnace, eh. lol. No fireplace or else that would be nice.

I have DD's play nativity back up so we will play with that tomorrow. Maybe just do something fun even if not Christmas-y like play dough. I thought about pj day but it is so annoying to unzip her pjs all day just to check/change her diaper.

Mrs MoJoRisin

My Mom came down with a stomach bug, she was hosting Christmas Day at her house. It was kind of sucky not seeing anyone from my side of the family. We ended up going to my SIL's for coffee in the afternoon and spent all day being lazy with the kids. How did you make out?

countrygrl5533

Mrs MoJoRisin said:

My Mom came down with a stomach bug, she was hosting Christmas Day at her house. It was kind of sucky not seeing anyone from my side of the family. We ended up going to my SIL's for coffee in the afternoon and spent all day being lazy with the kids. How did you make out?

I'm not gonna lie, it was hard. I tried my best to hit it from DD and make the day special for her. We even had snowman pancakes for dinner while watching the original Grinch. I know we will have Christmas whenever we can but it was hard to have nothing going at all the day off, not even having DH home. He's been working out of state or on storm so much the last two months, DD has stopped asking for him. That's the hardest part I think. It makes me so sad. She's such a daddy's girl. I'm glad she's not crying for him like she used to but not asking for him is almost sadder.

Mrs MoJoRisin

countrygrl5533 said:

Mrs MoJoRisin said:

My Mom came down with a stomach bug, she was hosting Christmas Day at her house. It was kind of sucky not seeing anyone from my side of the family. We ended up going to my SIL's for coffee in the afternoon and spent all day being lazy with the kids. How did you make out?

I'm not gonna lie, it was hard. I tried my best to hit it from DD and make the day special for her. We even had snowman pancakes for dinner while watching the original Grinch. I know we will have Christmas whenever we can but it was hard to have nothing going at all the day off, not even having DH home. He's been working out of state or on storm so much the last two months, DD has stopped asking for him. That's the hardest part I think. It makes me so sad. She's such a daddy's girl. I'm glad she's not crying for him like she used to but not asking for him is almost sadder.

When you do get a chance to celebrate with your family and DH I hope it makes up for it 10x

countrygrl5533

Mrs MoJoRisin said:

When you do get a chance to celebrate with your family and DH I hope it makes up for it 10x

Me too.

I hope your mom is feeling better. That is the 4th person I have heard that got the stomach flu yesterday. One was a friend's 4 yr old who woke up at 2am yesterday throwing up. Temp of 103.

My BIL's foreman had to be released from storm duty yesterday. He got a call from home. His daughter was being taken to the ER. She was so sick, both ends, and couldn't stop. I don't know how old she is but no matter what age, that is no fun and scary with the risk of dehydration.

Mrs MoJoRisin

Yes, there is definitely something going around here also. My cousins son, 5, had it on Sunday but only lasted 24 hours. I have two in diapers and DO NOT need to deal with that! lol

[Deleted User]

What a bummer! I hope your "make-up" Christmas is super fun and special. Like you said, at least your DD doesn't realize what day it really is. Maybe not asking for daddy is just her understanding that he'll return when he's done (and there is security in knowing he will return). I hope you all get some good family time in soon!