Ice Storm 2026

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I was hoping to upload a pic from our recent ice storm but some glitch is preventing me. In the meantime, enjoy this excerpt from one of my favorite short stories “The Snow covered up the grass with her great white cloak, and the Frost painted all the trees silver. Then they invited the North Wind to stay with them, and he came. He was wrapped in furs, and he roared all day about the garden, and blew the chimney-pots down. “This is a delightful spot,” he said, “we must ask the Hail on a visit.” So the Hail came. Every day for three hours he rattled on the roof of the castle till he broke most of the slates, and then he ran round and round the garden as fast as he could go. He was dressed in grey, and his breath was like ice.” (The Selfish Giant, by Oscar Wilde)

What do you say when you get a gift you *Really Don't Like*.

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10. "Well, well, well, now, there's a gift!"


9. "No, with all the hostile takeovers this year, I missed the big Ronco/K-Tel/Ginsu merger. Would you just look at that! What will they think of next?!"


8. "Hey, as long as I don't have to feed it, or clean up after it, or put batteries in it, I'm happy!"


7. "No, really, I didn't know that there was a Chia Pet tie! Oh, wow! It's a clip-on too!"


6. "You know, I always wanted one of these! Jog my memory -- what's it called again?"


5. "You know what? -- I'm going to find a special place to put this!"


4. "Boy, you don't see craftsmanship like that every day!"


3. "And it's such an interesting color too!"


2. "You say that was the last one? Am I ever glad that you snapped that baby up!"


And the number one thing to say about the Christmas gifts you didn't like is: "You shouldn't have! I mean it -- you really shouldn't have!"

(from Crosswalk)

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