The Emergency Blanket Fort.

[Leigh]

I don't think many of us are having a good time right now. I know I'm not. So here is a giant blanket fort full of pillows, stuffed animals, warm drinks (or hooch) and comfort foods, where we can come share our troubles, and hopefully leave them here, even temporarily.

So please come in, make yourself comfortable, and bitch away. I hope it'll make you feel better.

(steps behind the bar to serve the first round of drinks, booze or otherwise)

[Paula]

*Donates pile of self-knit woolen socks to Leigh's fort.* Nothing like warm feet to make you feel better. *Goes off to brew some hot chocolate*

[Avery]

This sounds like a great fort idea. I love the idea of warm socks. And I should fish up my hot chocolate/coffee recipe I use for cold snowy winter months...

[Leigh]

(pours self a giant glass of wine)

My twin has COPD. We're only thirty-three.

My littlest niece, my twin's youngest daughter, is in the hospital, dehydrated. She was throwing up a lot earlier this week, but she seemed to get better. But now, hospital.

One of our Dachshunds is going to need our vet to give her mercy soon.

I'm worried about so many of you because you're ill as well, and someone else I greatly like, respect, and admire -someone who's always been so kind to me- needs a kidney NOW, and I'm too fat and too medicated to even make an offer, even if I did know my blood type.

Stop the world, please; I got my money's worth, I don't wanna ride no more. I've had enough of the friggin' soap opera.

(chugs wine and slams glass onto bar, grabs a stuffed animal, and borrows a pair of Paula's knitted socks) I'm-a be hiding here in the Blanket Fort for a little while, making drinks for anyone who needs 'em, 'cause I don't wanna be in the real world right now.

[Paula]

Aw, poor Leigh.

I had sinusitis and we had snow (about 1/2 - 1 inch).


Yeah, not really that big worries.  I can always knit some more socks.

[emma]

And there I was moaning about having to scrape Ice off my car on Tuesday... Although there has already been snow on the high ground, it's turned to rain.  this is when I thank my lucky stars I live at the top of the valley after last year's flooding...

[Leigh]

(slides drinks to Paula and Emma) One for continued health, and one for continued safety. Emma, see if you can find some kind of aerosol spray that can help defrost windows; I use some from Walmart come Winter, and it's a big help. Anything that helps keep anyone safer out on the road is a good thing.

[emma]

Oh I keep deicer in the car along with the rest of my winter kit from the middle of October. 1 large can deicer, 1 large can night before spray, two ice scrapers, 2 blankets, a shovel, newspapers,chamois leathers, chocolate and bottled water. Where I live, the hazard is more likely to be the car icing up rather than thick snow. It either rains heavily enough to cause major flooding, or the temperature drops to a point where it's too cold to snow here and it gets really slippery, which is why the newspaper, in case I need to get traction to move my little car.

It's raining now, but I'm indoors with a chicken dinner and the heating is on...

[Leigh]

I could learn a few things about cold weather preparedness from you. :-)

[Paula]

Lol You forgot the shovel, Emma. Where do you live, north Scotland?

[emma]

I have a shovel... and while Manchester isn't as far north as Finland, it's comparable to Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. They think we're going to get a cold winter this year... I heard them mention -14c, I think that's around 5f...

I need the shovel because I live off the main roads, maybe once every 3 our 4 years I need to dig my way out, but if I take it out of the car....

[Suzee]

**Will not discuss weather in San Diego**

[Paula]

Well, the winter did star early here too, it's now something like -6 C and light snowfall. Usually we get first snow in december and more permanent snow cover in January.

Me and my hubby keep nagging to the kids when they go to the car without proper outdoor-clothing. Yes, the car is heated but if something goes wrong they are going to freeze in thin leggings and no mittens/jacket/cap.

[Avery]

Ugh Leigh, that sounds awful, I hope things improve soon.

Emma: that's a great emergency kit!

[Leigh]

My youngest niece was able to come home on Friday and no one told me. :P Shows how in the loop I am. I hope those with upcoming hospital trips can come home in as good shape as she did.