What were you doing ...

Snow on bark. Photo Jennifer Weber 2009... seventeen years ago today?

If you lived east of the Mississippi in the United States of America, you were battening down the hatches in preparation for the storm of the century.

Or, as it has come to be known, The Superstorm.

On Friday, March 12, 1993, we lived in Knoxville, Tennessee. I worked at a law firm downtown, and it was mid-afternoon before I heard someone in the office mention that we were due for "some snow."

I'm sure I laughed it off. Having lived in Northwest Indiana for 17 years, I knew from snow. If you get my drift.

*beatific smile*

(When we moved to East Tennessee in 1991, folks there were quick to tell us that they saw a lot of snow each winter. Suuuuuuuure, we said. Keep tellin' yourself that, darlin'.)

For five days at least, nobody went anywhere.

I recall glancing outside late in the afternoon. Ominous clouds were indeed approaching. If I'd had a little dog named Toto, I would've tucked him into his basket right about then.

By the time I was on the interstate headed for home shortly after five o'clock, snow had begun flying furiously in a horizontal pattern. The winds were whipping up; hillsides and tree branches were already silvered. 

A few hours later, safe home and the family gathered in, we tuned in to The Storm Team on WATE Channel 6. Chief Meteorologist Matt Hinkin told us Knoxville might get six inches of snow if all the "ingredients came together."

Knoxville and the surrounding areas saw 15 to 30 inches of snow. In southern measurements, that's approximately 12 feet.

The entrance to our neighborhood was long and steeply slanted, as was our own driveway. I don't remember how long the kids were out of school, but I know that for five days at least, nobody went anywhere.

TG and the older girls, dressed in every warm layer they could find, finally walked to the grocery store early the next week.

It was fun. Great memories.

Did you experience the Blizzard of '93? What do you remember?

Queen of simply everything, darlings

Queen of Everything. Photo Jennifer Weber 2010It was my birthday last Sunday and you won't believe all the stuff I got.

First let me say, I partied down for five days straight. No lawyers in sight, and nothing to do but have fun spending time with friends and family.

That in itself was a gift.

Jenny's Official Birthday Weekend (JOBW) kicked off on Friday while I was visiting my mom and my sister in Greenville.

They took me to Mimi's Cafe for lunch, where I enjoyed quiche lorraine with a buttermilk-spice muffin and fresh fruit plus a green salad with citrus vinaigrette.

I was given a luxurious bath towel, some seriously cute bedroom slippers, a scholarly book, and a silver picture frame.

Earlier that day, in the spirit of my impending birthday, I had picked out a glamorous necklace and some bangle bracelets. these were "from" TG, who also tirelessly ghost-shopped until I was outfitted with two new spring cardigans, a sequin-and-bead-encrusted top, and a cute flippy skirt.

He likes it when I do his shopping for him because that way he knows I'll like what he got me.

It's what you might call a foolproof system.

Some of my loot. Photo Jennifer Weber 2010

On Saturday I was treated to tea with all the trimmings at The Cracked Teapot and Creamery in Taylorsville, North Carolina, by some special friends. All three of my daughters were there too.

I received a beautiful teapot and a china cup and saucer, plus all the leftover teacakes and cookies I could carry.

That night, back at daughter Stephanie's, I was given three more books and a generous Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) gift card.

On Sunday, my actual birthday, two of my daughters attended church with TG and me, and they brought me a beautiful red rose.

Then I was taken to lunch at O'Charley's, where I chowed down on Pecan Chicken Tender Salad with honey mustard dressing.

While there, I received a music CD I had been wanting. 

After lunch, our adorable waitress (who resembled Cameron Diaz) presented me with a (very large) complimentary slice of caramel pie -- smothered with whipped cream and chocolate chips -- in honor of the day I graced the world with my presence.

More roosters than Sunny von Bulow had.

(Yes, I shared. If I hadn't, the amount of sugar in that pie would've sent me into an unfortunate coma … like Sunny von Bulow minus the money.)

I attended a funeral on my birthday too, but that wasn't part of the festivities so I'll omit the details.

On Sunday night TG took Audrey and me to the grocery store for snacks like Triscuit (I wanted cheese and crackers), hot tamales (the candy), good 'n plentys, and giant muffins (for breakfast Monday morning).

That night we watched the Oscars. Don't ask me why; inertia, I suppose. It wasn't part of the festivities either, and was only marginally more interesting than the funeral.

On Monday, after enjoying muffins with our coffee -- wait; did she have one? -- Audrey and I set out mid-morning for Concord, North Carolina, where we visited Concord Mills. I found DSW and spent my gift card, which was burning a hole in my pocket. 

For the record I could've frittered away the entire day in that place, inducing a shoe coma only slightly less dangerous than a sugar coma.

My shoe news. Photo Jennifer Weber 2010

Audrey and I lunched at Cracker Barrel because I had a gift card for there too. I love their Old Timer's Breakfast and it's always what I get. Eggs over medium, hashbrown casserole, grits, sausage patties, biscuits, sawmill gravy, apple butter, and plenty of fresh, hot coffee.

After more shopping and hanging out at Concord Mills, it was time for Audrey and me to hit the road in separate directions. I arrived safely in Columbia at around 6:30 p.m. and saw Andrew, who was home for a few days, for the first time since the New Year holiday.

On Tuesday, before he went back to college, Andrew gave me two roosters made to "shelf-sit" … they have stuffed cloth legs that dangle down between their resin bodies and resin feet. 

Since Andrew had brought home a college friend, name of Sam, I am tentatively calling the roosters Andrew and Sam. They adorn my baker's rack in a kitchen chockablock with roosters, including another shelf-sitter (this one with jointed resin legs that swing to and fro) named Johnny.

Probably more roosters than Sunny von Bulow had. And that makes me richer than her.

I also got ten paper cards.

Later on Tuesday, my gift from Audrey arrived on the doorstep: A tube of Chanel Rouge Allure lipstick in my favorite color, hard-to-find number 16, Chic. For a long time it wasn't available, so we had a joyous reunion. 

I love that lipstick. 

Plus, tucked into the box were samples of Chanel Inimitable mascara and Allure Sensuelle perfume. Not bad.

So, let's sum up the five days of birthday partying.

I was taken out to lunch four days in a row. I got shoes, slippers, four books, a towel, a picture frame, a rose, a teapot, a cup and saucer, two cardigans, a top, a skirt, a necklace, several bracelets, a CD, a lipstick, some Chanel samples, and two roosters.

And that is not all.

My slippers. Photo Jennifer Weber 2010

I do believe that Erica has ordered for me a large rhinestone-encrusted fleur de lis pendant on a 30-inch chain, which shall arrive in a few days.

(She let me pick it out online.)

Two more loved persons have told me that my gifts are late but on their way.

I also got ten paper cards and several birthday emails.

I love my birthday and all those who celebrated it with me, making five days in a row so very enjoyable.

I am at this moment as young as I will ever be, so I will not complain about my age.

And neither should you! 

After all, why should you care how young I am?