hatch battening in shiny things
- Feb. 11, 2014, 10:16 p.m.
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- Public
Word on the street is we're getting a massive snowstorm tomorrow. Well, word not so much on the street as word on the interwebs. There is much speculating and debating and estimating going on, but it appears we will get at least 8 inches of snow. Maybe 12. Maybe 14. Weirdly enough, despite this winter being just miserable, we really haven't had much snow. It's been miserable because of the !!Polar Blast!! and the below 0 temperatures. But very little snow. This is quite backwards.
It felt really strange all day. It was really still, and that "something's going to happen* feeling was in the air when I went out at lunch. I'm sure that had nothing to do with the constant Facebook Weather Panic Updates. I kept hearing Mycroft in my head saying "An east wind is blowing!" Despite there being no wind at all and an east wind having nothing to do with anything. Except my serious Sherlock addiction, but that's neither here nor there.
We're prepared for the blizzard, though. We've been to the store, we've stocked up on catfood and beer and coffee. We filled the 5 gallon container up with kerosene tonight in case the power goes off and we have to use the kerosene heater. We've got backup water somewhere (I hope... I'm actually kind of assuming this) - we're on a well, so if the power goes off the water goes away. I'm washing dishes right now so we won't be stuck with nasty dishes for days.(And by I'm washing dishes, of course I mean the dishwasher is washing dishes, and I'm listening to it work.)
We've got kerosene for the lamps, and I actually know where the big fancy flashlight that stands up by itself and has several bright-light settings is. I have charged up my phone and my iPad and my computer and my Kindle and my cute little portable charger thing that I bought not long ago because we don't have a land line and it made me a little nervous that my shiny new iPhone needs to be charged up every day or two, and what if our power goes out for, like, EVER, and we are phoneless?!? And need to phone somebody??!! (Our power never goes out for more than a few hours, except during The Ice Storm From Hell when it was out for days but so was the entire town's power, because it was The Ice Storm From Hell and it knocked all the power lines down). There's no use in thinking we can use Baker B's phone because it certainly won't be charged. So I bought this cool little lime green portable charger from Amazon on sale for something like $30 and have already found it very handy when I wanted to use my iPad in Starbucks but it was nearly dead.
Anyhow. I think we're about as prepared as we ever get for anything. Which is never all that prepared, but hey, at least we're making a little effort! This massive snow is supposed to start sometime tomorrow morning, and I am SO SO SO hoping it will get here BEFORE I have to leave for work. So I can just say forget it, I'm staying home! With a clear conscious. Especially since it's 11:00 now and apparently I believe I am getting to sleep in tomorrow. I keep hoping they'll just cancel classes. If they cancel classes I don't feel like a wimp for not going in. We're not "essential personnel" and I certainly have plenty of vacation days, but I work with people who drive in from other counties in all sorts of horrible weather, so I hate calling in saying, "Yeah, I KNOW I live 12 minutes away... but it's SNOWING!! And I'm up a BIG HILL!!! And I hate winter and I don't want to DIE!!!"
So. Send GET MOVING thoughts to our snowstorm to make it arrive before 7:45 in the morning.
Lyn ⋅ February 11, 2014
Wow, you are well prepared.
Sending vibes that you get tomorrow off.
Stay warm.
I am sooooooooo tired of winter. Ugh.
Figuring It Out ⋅ February 11, 2014
You are super prepared - more than me. We are expecting a nasty ice storm here in my neck of the woods. What part of the country are you in? I'm so over winter. Especially after the whole damn city shut down 2 weeks ago over this crap. That and I'm supposed to be traveling this weekend. We shall see. Be safe!!
edna million Figuring It Out ⋅ February 12, 2014
I'm in NC, in the mountains - Boone. I'm over winter too. I never liked it and every year I hate it more and wonder WHAT AM I DOING HERE??!!??
seafarer ⋅ February 11, 2014
weathergeeks started out saying 7-14" here and keep backing it down, now 2-4" plus possible ice... I'll take snow any day, but we did invest in that very expensive whole house generator this past summer, so at least we'll be warm, have water and can flush!
edna million seafarer ⋅ February 12, 2014
I'd love a generator. The lack of water is the worst!
noko ⋅ February 11, 2014
I was telling Saint Joe that they would never, have never closed the office in oh 12 years on Thursday and then Friday and Monday they closed the office. I hope you get clear direction when you get up that you are not expected in. I find the should I, should I not dilemma exhausting. That is why I loved the text (first ever) from county emergency services on Sunday. Do not go out! That was pretty darn clear. All the best your way for uneventful and cozy.
edna million noko ⋅ February 12, 2014
When I was in school here, they NEVER EVER cancelled classes. I remember being shocked about 10 years ago when they did, and at the time it had been something like 20 years since the last cancellation. Now they cancel them all the time -- I think because work can be done online now and also parents are much more ready to sue the university if something happens to their kid.
They shut down the university today, which used to be even more unheard of-- and now they've done it twice this semester. We got an email at 6 am saying the university would shut down at 12 ---- so we didn't go in at as since the forecast was still for the snow to start at 9. Now it's 12, and........ no snow! But it's apparently still coming -- just slower than expected.
edna million noko ⋅ February 12, 2014
"Shut down" as opposed to just cancelling classes. When they shut down, we actually get paid for it, which is really nice. We have to take vacation time if they only cancel classes.
noko edna million ⋅ February 12, 2014
Oh that is sweet. I expect you are restless waiting...
FallingDog ⋅ February 12, 2014
Sooooo, are you at work, or are you home? And BTW, if you really haven't had enough snow, I'll send you a few thousand inches. We won't miss it.
edna million FallingDog ⋅ February 12, 2014
Amusingly enough, I am at home and we are still waiting on the BIG SNOW. We ended up not going in because although the University announced at 6 AM that they would shut down at 12, the forecast was still saying the storm would start at 9... so we said forget it. We both have tons of vacation, and although I hate to be wimpy, I also hate to get caught in a sudden storm.
Oh, I see a few flakes. Yippie.
elaine2 ⋅ February 12, 2014
Don't forget to fill your bathtub and have a bucket handy so that you can flush your toilet.
edna million elaine2 ⋅ February 12, 2014
We did! I'd never even thought of that, until I read about someone else doing it yesterday. So far this blizzard is kind of a non-event, though-- we got maybe a half inch of snow and it's stopped. Of course there may be another round...
Justlovely ⋅ February 12, 2014
I kind of like all the build up to a storm. I hope you guys are doing OK, so far. Stay safe.
edna million Justlovely ⋅ February 12, 2014
So far it's quite the non-event! It snowed maybe half an inch, and now... nothing. What weird weather. There may be another round coming, though.
Marg ⋅ February 13, 2014
Really glad you got your day off! I just hate those folk who struggle in from miles away in awful weather making those who stay nearer feel super guilty - not fair.