The two-way present

There was no place else in the world I would have chosen to be other than with Gavi Levy Haskell on her 16th birthday. First, for our utterly comfortable, happy, and fun afternoon of conversation, editing pictures from the Corning Museum of Glass, and related good times. Then with her parents at the adults' booth at the pizza parlor while two booths away Gavi and three of her friends celebrated her birthday together.

Saturday night, I saw the future from just two booths away. It's approaching oh, so quickly, and is a bright, bright future, indeed. Things I've known -- things I believed on an intellectual level for years before Gavi was born -- became emotionally true and real for me tonight.

I don't yet have the words to accurately describe what being present for this particular birthday did for my head and heart. Gavi said it was the best birthday present ever. It was for me, too.

Thank you, fredcritter. Thank you, Susan. Thank you, Gavi. I am so deeply honored to be such a part of your family, such a part of your lives.

I'm sorry, this subject line is frozen

People live here. They voluntarily live here. debgeisler reminds me that I once did, too.

Current Minneapolis temperature: -9 degrees Fahrenheit, RealFeel: -38

Here's the forecast for the rest of my stay, with Tuesday extended beyond the time I expect to leave:

Sunday
High: -4, RealFeel: -32.
A little snow at times this morning, up to 1"; otherwise, cloudy, windy and much colder

Sunday night:
Low: -11, RealFeel: -31
Mostly cloudy and bitterly cold; extreme cold can be dangerous for outdoor activities

Monday
High: 9, RealFeel: 0
Partly sunny and not as cold

Monday night:
Low: 3, RealFeel: -23
Cloudy, windy and very cold with 3-6 inches of snow late

Tuesday
High: 21, RealFeel: 8
Breezy and not as cold with snow, accumulating an additional 3-6 inches

Tuesday night:
Low: 6, RealFeel: -6
Snow

Notice how they don't even mention an accumulation amount for Tuesday night? After 6-12 inches in the previous 24 hours, well, there's going to be more. Of course, that sounds like the current forecast for Toad Woods and environs, too.

I somehow just don't think we're going to be loading the copper sun into my car today. Not at temperatures like this. Not through snow and down icy stairs. As galacticvoyeur said yesterday:

"pick... up... 125 lb copper covered hardwood ball...

carry through deep snow, down icy concrete stairs...

[...]

This thing is no joke. I'm more than a bit worried about safety issues here. I'm very worried, in fact.

The sun just might stay in Minnesota for a few more years. They clearly need it.

I just hope that the mere threat of leaving will convince it to do its job. 'Cause it's brutally cold out there.

Meanwhile, back in Wales...

...something on the order of 22.3 inches of snow has fallen on Toad Woods since I pulled out of the driveway last Monday. It's likely to be a couple of inches more than that rather than a couple of inches less.

I suppose I should be glad that I'm not there, but as I told several friends today, if I were home, I'd just stay there. Having just a few days in Minneapolis, I keep filling them with places and people that draw me away from the warm comfort of Casa Dinh and outside through the brutal cold and snow-packed, iced streets.

This morning, I had dim sum with five friends. Yum. After an utterly peaceful afternoon talking and working at lsanderson's, I headed over to Chez Levy Haskell for the first night of Chanukah. Then the Christmas carol party at Dreampark, where I had the pleasant surprise of finding both retooned and James Maxwell Young, (of the Minneapolis Youngs). fmsv and cowfan were there; I was especially glad to see them since I'd missed the Minn-stf meeting they hosted yesterday.

Lots of other friends were there, too, including some who are on LiveJournal. There were lots of other people I didn't know, but who energetically sang along, adding to the night's festivities. The best discovery of the night was that the "other kids" who knock down the snowman in "Winter Wonderland" have been transformed into alligators in at least one rendition out there running around on the net and in recording studios.

Great party, dreamshark! My thanks to you and Richard, and to all who added to the fun of the evening.

I'm calling it an early night in the hope of being at least somewhat reasonably rested if I head out Tuesday as planned. I've gotta tell you, I'm more than a little tempted to drive much further south than the roads home will take me. It's not snowing in Key West, is it?