The NIght Before Our Blue Christmas

Books By Patti Liszkay
​Available On Amazon

​"Equal and Opposite Reactions" http://amzn.to/2xvcgRa
and the sequel, "Hail Mary" https://www.amzn.com/1684334888
​​Available on Amazon.

​THE NIGHT BEFORE OUR BLUE CHRISTMAS

​      My daughter, son-in-law, and grand daughters flew in from warm, sunny Los Angeles, California  to Columbus, Ohio on December 21, the eve of the bomb cyclone that caused massive Christmas snow storms and freezing sub-zero temperatures from Colorado to Connecticut and points south.
     Weeks before the bomb cyclone was on the weather radar, I made plans to take the family to see the holiday display at the Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus's indoor/outdoor botanical garden.

         I vacillated between buying advance tickets for Monday, December 26 or Thursday, December 22. Fortunately, I settled on Thursday, December 22. That night the temperature was 43 degrees, and so we were able to enjoy the beautiful outdoor lights in relatively warm weather.  

     After we saw the outdoor lights we strolled around among the indoor sights, among which were a number of permanently displayed glass pieces by artist Dale Chihouly.

       The halls were decked with plants, lights, and ornaments,

...and a gingerbread house exhibit.

​      By the time we arrived home from the Conservatory at around 9 pm there was light drizzle in the air and the temperature was still in the low 40's. 
      The bomb cyclone dropped on Columbus just before midnight, and by the following morning, Friday, December 23 at 7am, the ground was covered with four inches of snow over ice and the temperature was negative 7 degrees with a wind chill of minus twenty. The news stations were warning us to stay off the roads and indoors for the next three days.
       It was clear that we were in for a blue Christmas, to be brought on not by the funky holiday malaise that Elvis crooned about,

​...but by this bout of freaky frigid weather fit to turn us blue from the cold and, it being too cold to venture out, keep us home for the holidays.
       To be continued...