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First, a comment about the "old dog" reference: When I took Hogan to the groomer last week, she asked me his age (almost 9) and then checked the box for "elderly dog" on his paperwork. I haven't told him this yet. Let's keep it our little secret.
We always thought it was cute in years past when we'd give Hogan a wrapped Christmas present (almost always a stuffed toy) and he'd rip into it.
But this year, he was on to the whole "Santa coming down the chimney" trick... On Christmas Eve, all of the presents were wrapped and arranged under the tree. Most of us were out in the kitchen, getting ready for dinner. Then we heard a little rustling in the family room and look up to see Mr. Hogan picking through the presents under the tree. Wouldn't you know, he found one of his own gifts!! But here's the better part, when Todd "gently reprimanded" him, he looked up -- all cute and innocent of course -- and had a small bit of wrapping paper stuck to his lip!!! Ha! Ha! We didn't get a picture of that, too bad. After that, Todd removed the package to the counter to eliminate the possibility of any further indiscretions.
Fast forward a few hours. Now we're unwrapping presents and Hogan is actually ALLOWED to have at it this time. I captured a couple of them on video. Watch how methodically he goes at each one! Hil-arious!!! ...and then the sheer joy when he discovers it's not merely a stuffed toy, but a Bully Stick, too!!
We haven't had a *flake* of snow to speak of all season. OK, I know that winter officially started just a few days ago, but you know what I mean. I've been blaming my "lack of Christmas spirit" on the fact that we've had merely a dusting or two since October.
Christmas Day, we might as well have been in Miami -- though we had temperatures more like those in Minneapolis.
Then the weather reports started to come in...
We wake up on Dec. 26th to alarming forecasts, travel advisories, and winter storm warnings. Yet the ground is still dry.
Mom and Dad give each other "that look" that says we better get out of here before we get stranded here for the rest of the week. Of course, that wouldn't bother me, but Todd was (I'm sure) hoping they'd get on the road to enjoy a safe and comfortable journey. ;)
So they hit the road. At about 10:30 that morning.
A mere 20 minutes later, Todd and I get in the car to do some errands and the entire driveway is covered and white! I swear, the snow started the second they pulled out of the driveway. And it hasn't stopped since!!
I don't know what the official stats are, but I do know that it's the first time that we are COMPLETELY UNABLE to get out of the driveway since we've lived here. There was a snow drift that came up to the brass handle on the front door of the house (up and over the three-step cement stairs). We have to dig a little "area" where Hogan can "go", since the snow is deeper than his chest!
And then it happened...I'm surveying the back yard from the window of the bathroom. I jump into the shower and no less than a second later, I feel the house rumble. From the glass-enclosed shower, I can see a huge puff of snow and then, a second later, a 60-foot tree laying across the entire back yard. We can't even get a crew in here to remove it till the landscapers come to plow us out.
I asked for snow for Christmas, but sheesh!
