Storm Days

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Today nostalgia fills the air … it’s a Storm Day. 

Growing up, Storm Days meant playing in the barn loft, building forts. Indoors on days like this, Mom would occasionally make home made toffee which we pulled and stretched while licking fingers from the buttery mix. I can only imagine the mess of five children pulling sticky toffee. She must have been desperate to keep us busy!


I confess I have never tried to make home made stretched toffee. Perhaps you have.


Storm Days where great fun when my children were small - especially when the power went out. Everything slowed down. Huddled near the fireplace insert, we played games. In the shadows of candle light indoor hide and seek became a thrill. 


Fast forward. As the children got older, on Storm Days we often stayed under the covers with a book… possibly appearing when a VHS movie was played. Or it was a great time to clean out a closet. 


In the early years after divorce, Storm Days were lonely times… something like Saturday afternoons at a long term care home. No one drops by. And stuck indoors you can get fixated on missing past good times and wondering if better days are possible. 


Fast forward again to today’s Storm Day in New Brunswick. ‘Stormchips’ enter the scene. My grandchildren (and perhaps some teachers) wear their PJs inside out… hoping for a storm day. While schools are closed across the province, many people were still able to go to work. 


At home we are quite comfortable. So far the power has stayed on. Should it go off, we have a generator ready to go. Plus a gas fireplace to curl up by. The internet keeps us connected despite the snow, wind and rain. 


The fact that my biggest disappointment was having to cancel a hair appointment demonstrates just how privileged I am.


In my luxury I think of those who huddle in tents today. I think of Evan McArthur who recently died after a fire tore through a tent encampment in Saint John. I think of Evan’s mother who speaks candidly about her son’s life. She calls on all of us to do whatever needs to be done so that homelessness would be no more. 


I don’t know what the answers are. Still it behoves me to ask more questions. How do governments make decisions about homelessness? How do we as citizens take action to create a different world? 


Perhaps we could look to Iceland and Japan who by building appropriate housing along with providing necessary supports have the lowest rates of homelessness.  


Lots to ponder on this Storm Day. 


What do you think about on Storm Days?


In peace,


Elizabeth

elizstevenson@gmail.com

506-650-4812

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 10, 2024 at 8:44 PM

    Thank you, for memories.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 10, 2024 at 9:49 PM

    Thanks again Elizabeth, I too remember those Storm days with fond and " warm" memories!! Although the Ground Hog storm had a few too many!!
    Homelessness is so tragic and sad, it feels like we are not " keeping care of each other" very well. I do think Saint John Outreach programs do very well!!🙏

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thoughts from Chickadee LaneJanuary 12, 2024 at 3:41 PM

      Thank you for your comments. Indeed the outreach programs are good very good work.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousJanuary 10, 2024 at 10:09 PM

    Thank you for the trip back in memory and bringing us back to the reality in which we live and breathe
    There needs to be more energy put into the realities of today and your suggestion of other countries who seem to have a better understanding might be the insight that is needed
    As for storm days, they were few in the city in my days and we had no school buses
    Thanks again / Steven at the Bluff

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thoughts from Chickadee LaneJanuary 12, 2024 at 3:43 PM

      Thank you Steven at the Bluff. Your comments are greatly appreciated. Indeed - There are places that do much better in 'loving their neighbours" than we in NB. I wonder why that is?

      Delete
  4. AnonymousJanuary 10, 2024 at 10:12 PM

    Enjoyed

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousJanuary 11, 2024 at 7:22 AM

    My heart aches for Evans mother. I see these tent encampments and my heart aches. “ if I were a rich man” but all I can do is make some soup or buy coffee occasionally..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thoughts from Chickadee LaneJanuary 12, 2024 at 3:44 PM

      Thank you for your comments which are much appreciated. Thank you for sharing an occasional cup of soup and coffee.

      Delete

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