My parents and brother up in Seattle have been hit pretty bad by the snow storms in the past two weeks. Last I heard, the snow count in inches at my parents house was up to twenty-three. Luckily, my parents were able to escape the snowy hell and go to Phoenix to visit my brother’s family for Christmas. My other brother, however, was not so fortunate.
Despite being snowed in, my brother has ventured forth everyday to, at the very least, get coffee. Like me, my brother can very much be a homebody… except when there is no other option but staying at home. To say he has cabin fever would be putting it nicely. As he put it to me the other day: his laundry and room has never been cleaner and all his DVDs do, in fact, work.
Yesterday, per holiday tradition of our family, we all called each other up to wish happy [ holiday of your choice - omg PC! ] and generally chat. I called my brother, up in Seattle, who was pissed that:
- He was stuck in 23 inches of snow
- The parents house had been without power since 5:30AM.
The second problem didn’t bother him as much since, in winter of 2006 when I was still living there, we were without power in freezing temperatures for eight days. After that little experience my parents bought a generator (when I had of course moved to warmer climates, jerks). The being-stuck-in-the-snow-for-the-upteenth-day annoyed him most of all since he had had plans for friends to come over, which were pretty much history with that much snow.
As he complained away in his frustration of the snow just not GOING AWAY, he made mention of the fact that he sincerely hoped that the roof would not cave in under all that snow. Now, this is the brother who is a professional window washer. Keep this in mind as you read what I suggested:
“Why don’t you just climb up on the roof and knock it all off?”
Amused, my brother chuckled and said he wasn’t stupid, thanks. He wouldn’t do that unless he was anchored to something like the chimney and… then again, if he did fall off he’d have about 23-inches of snow to break his fall. I pointed out if he did anchor himself he’d be okay and yes, he had lots of snow to break his fall. Thinking my brother got that I was joking (since I myself would lavish in an excuse of being snowed in not to get off my lazy butt) I wished him a merry christmas and put that out of my mind.
A few hours later, my parents called to see how my Christmas had been and made mention of the fact my brother in Seattle was bored silly. They casually remarked that he had been on the roof earlier in the day knocking snow off. Snorting, I said I sincerely hoped he at least anchored himself to the chimney like he and I had discussed.
I think at that point my parents realized the power of stupidity that their children together can produce. Sure, I think my brothers getting drunk after one of their weddings and chasing a skunk probably hinted at the stupidity factor, but suggesting knocking snow off the roof? Yeah, their children have grade A smarts.
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