Blizzard: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

(Wednesday noon, December 23, 2020; my webcam’s view of Sauk Centre’s south side.)

Tuesday afternoon’s winter storm warning for my part of central Minnesota became a blizzard warning in the evening.

We were promised a chance of freezing rain. But I didn’t notice any Wednesday morning.

On the other hand, wind was picking up and by noon snow wasn’t coming down. It was coming across. I’d probably have got out to the Eucharistic Adoration chapel for my 2:00-3:00 Wednesday afternoon turn, if my wife hadn’t said I should think about it.

Which I did. Then I started calling folks who should be told when a scheduled adorer can’t make it. Odds are pretty good that they closed the chapel anyway. The Adoration chapel may be devout. But we’re not crazy.

Adoration and Alternatives

Well, most of us aren’t.

Like I said, I was going to go: blizzard or no blizzard. I very strongly suspect it’s not because I’m devout above and beyond the call of reason.

More likely, it’s because I’m a guy and we live longer if we’re married. Or so I’ve heard.

About closing the Adoration chapel: I’m not involved in that part of the operation, but I gather that someone’s tasked with reposing the Host and taking care of whatever weather-related procedures are needed.

Would I have preferred having my hour of Eucharistic Adoration this afternoon? Yes!

Am I going to grouse, grumble and gripe about the weather, folks who say my life matters, or the National Weather Service for scaring us with weather reports?

No. I am not.

I am, however, going to do a little reading and some prayer that I’d have done at the chapel. And then I’ll be back to finish this post. That’s my plan, anyway.

Discord, the Other Discord, and “Deck Us All With Boston Charlie”

That was several hours back now. It’s still Wednesday, Wednesday evening.

My son had asked me if I had set up a Discord account yet.

I had not.

A Discord account, I discovered, has nothing to do with My Little Ponys. Or is that My Little Poinies? Never mind. Discord (discord.com) has nothing to do with Discord, the charmingly eccentric dragon-moose-whatever of MLP.

Or, so far as I can tell, with those who would bring chaos and tumult to this fair land.

Which would be quite a trick on a night like this. I figure the only folks out in this weather are those whose job is keeping streets and roads comparatively clear, emergency responders, and folks with more optimism than good sense.

None of which has much to do with “Deck Us All With Boston Charlie,” but it’s almost Christmas, and I like the old Pogo strips.

Speaking of Christmas, the Weather Service says this blizzard will likely keep going for another 12 hours. (It’s just after 6:00 p.m. here in Minnesota.) Looks like we’ll have a white Christmas this year.

And now, more weather maps than you need, or probably want, to see. And whatever else I think while setting them up.

“Oh, the Weather Outside is Frightful….”

(From National Weather Service, used w/o permission.)
(U.S. National Weather Service map, 6:58 p.m. on December 22, 2020.)

That’s what I saw about 23 hours back. A winter storm warning is something to notice – but not enough to necessarily make me change my Wednesday afternoon plans.

A few hours later, the forecasts had been updated.

(From National Weather Service, used w/o permission.)
(U.S. National Weather Service map, 10:09 p.m. on December 22, 2020.)

Okay. A blizzard is still a winter storm of sorts. But Stearns County, where I live, is on the edge of the blizzard warning. Still not necessarily reason to change my plans.

And thus ended Tuesday the 22nd.

Snowing Sideways

(From National Weather Service, used w/o permission.)
(U.S. National Weather Service map, 8:24 a.m. on December 23, 2020.)

Wednesday morning, and the forecasts have changed again. Slightly, and mostly other than where I live.

No problem. My hour at the Adoration chapel is from two until three, but now I’m wondering whether maybe I’d better reconsider.

(From National Weather Service, used w/o permission.)
(U.S. National Weather Service map, noon, December 23, 2020.)

Noon, Wednesday, December 23, 2020. It’s snowing sideways. My wife tells me I should think before going out. I decide that she’s right. And start calling folks who need to know that I’m not coming in.

Start trying to call folks. The telephone system told me that some numbers were disconnected or no longer in service, other didn’t respond, and – – – long story short, it was frustrating.

And, therefore, a good opportunity to practice patience.

(From National Weather Service, used w/o permission.)
(U.S. National Weather Service Upper Midwest radar map, noon, December 23, 2020.)

And so, now, several hours after I said I was going to do my ‘Adoration hour’ reading and prayer, I’ve done only a little of the reading and none of the prayer.

“And a Good Time Was Had by All”

I’m not overly concerned. Partly because I’ve been spending much of the time chatting (I think that’s the verb) with my number-one daughter via Discord. Nice! As my father used to say, “and a good time was had by all.”

I figure I’ll get the prayers done later this evening. After I wrap up this post.

And, as it turns out, decide to do some slightly more Christmas-themed stuff tomorrow.

Which leaves me with the often-pleasant task of adding links to vaguely-related posts:

• “Joy and Shadow, Free Will and Something Silly”
  (December 12, 2020)
• “Taking to the (Digital) Streets: Advent and Social Media”
  (December 9, 2020)
• “Eucharistic Adoration and Social Distancing”
  (December 3, 2020)
• “Boston Charlie, Partridges in Pear Trees and Me”
  (November 28, 2020)
• “Storms, COVID-19 and Politics”
  (July 11, 2020)

And, this time, my webcam:

• Webcam: Sauk Centre MN