You know, after our experiences with the horrible 2004 hurricane season, it might have seemed reasonable to escape Florida for a vacation. Well, the bad weather followed us. Or, rather, its cousin met us on the trip.
We went north this year to Columbus, Ohio, to spend Christmas with my sister-in-law Pam and her husband David. Our original plan was to stay there a few days, then travel north to Akron to visit my wife's mom.
Well, it didn't work out that way.
Columbus, and much of the midwest, was hit by a snowstorm in 2004. Ah, but for us, the weather was Extra Special: first it snowed, then it rained, then the rain froze into an icy sheet, and then came more snow.
You know, there are a few things I have to admire about the north. One is, even with the roads a sheet of ice, Donato's was still delivering pizza (and excellent pizza it was).
Pictured below is me doing the duty -- shoveling snow. David and I even went and cleared snow and ice (with axes!) so my niece Angela could get to work.
We finally made it out of the city on December 26. Driving on the ice, listening to NPR, we learned of another tragedy -- the Sumatran Earthquake and Tsunami of 2004.
All in all, 2004 was one of those years with incredible high points -- for example, becoming a teacher and playing at the jazz festival. But the odd thing is, despite the good, when I think of this year I more often remember the disasters.
Update: I found some more photos from this time period. Two of the most notable are u12 and u13, me chilling with my nephew . . . oh, nuts, actually, that's my grand-nephew, Michael.
We went north this year to Columbus, Ohio, to spend Christmas with my sister-in-law Pam and her husband David. Our original plan was to stay there a few days, then travel north to Akron to visit my wife's mom.
Well, it didn't work out that way.
Columbus, and much of the midwest, was hit by a snowstorm in 2004. Ah, but for us, the weather was Extra Special: first it snowed, then it rained, then the rain froze into an icy sheet, and then came more snow.
You know, there are a few things I have to admire about the north. One is, even with the roads a sheet of ice, Donato's was still delivering pizza (and excellent pizza it was).
Pictured below is me doing the duty -- shoveling snow. David and I even went and cleared snow and ice (with axes!) so my niece Angela could get to work.
We finally made it out of the city on December 26. Driving on the ice, listening to NPR, we learned of another tragedy -- the Sumatran Earthquake and Tsunami of 2004.
All in all, 2004 was one of those years with incredible high points -- for example, becoming a teacher and playing at the jazz festival. But the odd thing is, despite the good, when I think of this year I more often remember the disasters.
Update: I found some more photos from this time period. Two of the most notable are u12 and u13, me chilling with my nephew . . . oh, nuts, actually, that's my grand-nephew, Michael.
columbus_500
u11
u12
u13
