Forecasts, Theater, Parties, Parades,

and "Evan Almighty"!

Top of the morning to ya! It has been a busy and fun weekend thus far. No snow or ice storms. I mention this because ice and snow is what I have continually heard for the past several days!

Friday we traveled to Elkins to meet Mom Meads, Sister Judy, and Brother-in-law Bill. We checked into the Holiday Inn Express and had a super meal at C.J. Maggies. After supper it was off to our last show for the year at the American Mountain Theater. For the past month, American Mountain Theater has been presenting their Christmas show. This afternoon is the last show of their 2007 season and the theater will not reopen until February of 2008. It was a great Christmas show and we will certainly return when they open for their spring season.

On Thursday night, I was talking to the good sister and she said “Have you heard of the big snow storm that will be arriving on Saturday?” I assured her that it was a minor problem even if it does occur. (I know Elkins is in the mountains, but I have little faith in the forecasters when it comes to the movement of winter storms. I constantly say that the folks at the weather service are among those rare folks who still keep their jobs even though their forecasts are often wrong.)

After the show, Judy and Bill said that they were getting up and leaving the hotel early so they will hopefully beat the heavy snow. Now Bill is a retired WV Highways employee and I wonder why he does not have the faith in his storm removing crew at the Department of Highways? Bill is the one that always says when they cross a bridge – “This was constructed by the lowest bidder”. It makes me feel really secure when I travel over the New River Gorge Bridge outside of Fayetteville.

Everyone had breakfast in the hotel around 7 A.M. Bill, Judy, and Mom left around 8 A.M. No snow or ice storm this morning. The good wife and I decided to walk over and visit a few shops before we headed to Glenville. It was a nice morning with bright sun and the crisp winter air filling our lungs. It was one of those mornings that it is super to be alive. (Well, when you get my age, it is every morning that we are blessed to wake up!)

After adding to the local economy, we left Elkins at noon. No snow yet. We had to be back in Glenville at 2:00 for Grandma Great Musgrave’s Christmas Party at SunBridge. We arrived back in Glenville with temperatures in the forties and no precipitation. I thought to myself that the BIG STORM must have slowed to a snail’s pace somewhere in Ohio.

The Christmas party at SunBridge is always a wonderful affair. Brenda Marks and the staff do an outstanding job. They arrange for Santa to deliver presents to all the residents.

I will show you Santa and "Grandma Great In The Big Chair". Many special folks are at SunBridge. Phyllis Marks is a great lady who has performed at the Folk Festival since it began in 1950. Even though she has lost her sight, she has a great sense of humor. After receiving presents from Santa, she asked “Do you know how to get Santa unstuck from a chimney?” I said, “Nope.” Her answer was SANTAFLUSH!

After the party we had about an hour to rest before the big Christmas parade in downtown Glenville. Still no snow but the sky was getting cloudy. Perhaps Judy and Bill’s big snow and ice storm has finally started moving into West Virginia.

We left the house at 5:45 P.M. (Parade was scheduled at 6 P.M.) Streets were deserted! Went to the local bookstore and the part time guy had no idea of when the parade was supposed to happen. It is now 6:08 P.M. and still no life on the streets that would indicate a parade was happening. Judy and I went to The Common Place to ask about the Christmas celebration. It seems that it was cancelled until next Saturday. REASON- BIG SNOW AND ICE STORM MOVING IN AND FEAR OF CHOAS RESULTING FROM THIS MAJOR WEATHER EVENT HAD BEEN THE REASON THAT WE WERE NOT SEEING THE PARADE! I remind you that it was a lovely evening with no rain and temperatures were still in the low forties. Has all the world started believing in the weather folks? Why would the planners would the event 48 hours before this tragic weather was to occur? We had our evening meal at The Common Place, stopped by the bookstore, and went home to watch “Evan Almighty”. (I would highly recommend this DVD.)

Before I leave, I must tell you that it rained most of the night. No ice nor snow event in Central West Virginia; however, the weather folks do say that temperatures will be dropping and that light snow is possible. They indicate that there will be high winds. It is still raining and the winds have picked up in speed. They have 50% of the forecast correct – not bad!