On a Saturday night in January 1982, a childhood friend had stayed all night. As dark neared, the mother came home with groceries and we helped her carry them inside.
We were up late, laughing and watching movies, carrying on as teenaged girls do. Before we went to bed, the predicted snow had started to fall. The original forecast was for maybe 4 inches. Throughout the night, it kept getting added to. By the time they got to 10-12, they stopped talking numbers.
It was just a little snow. We weren’t going anywhere so we didn’t care. If we got enough snow, in fact, we’d not only have that Sunday, we’d have the next day, too. SNOWDAY!!! What we didn’t know is that we have the entire next WEEK as St. Louis dug out of 14 inches of snow. (Some areas had closer to 2 feet.) They were showing footage on the news yesterday where snow plows had been abandoned on highway ramps, buses left in the middle of streets.
And they’re saying that what begins afterwhile and runs through sometime on Wednesday will rival that storm. Oh, I can’t wait. Freezing rain today and tomorrow, changing to all snow tomorrow (from 8-12 inches in total when it’s all over, but they can’t be sure at this point.)
I’m on my way to work having been delivered to the bus station by the mother who drove back into town and is heading to the store. It’s not that I didn’t buy stuff Saturday; I did. She is just completely and totally freaked out. I’m not sure how much of anything she’ll find, or what she thinks we just have to have, but I guess I’ll find out.
For now, I’m just concerned about commuting for the next few days. I won’t be driving. And I’m a little concerned about shoveling as my neck and shoulder, while much improved, are still achey and tight. I did next to nothing yesterday. Even so, it was hard to rest as I couldn’t get comfortable long enough to go to sleep.
But, you do what you gotta do. I’m just hoping this isn’t a repeat of 29 years ago. I’m not ready for that, not even a little bit.
A non-professional,faux home improvement blog dedicated to the insane yet diligent do-it-yourselfer,thoroughly peppered with random views and thoughts from me
2 comments:
I am feeling your pain. I wasn't here in '82, but the ice ctorms of '06 are still fresh in my mind, a bitter memory I had hoped we wouldn't be repeating. Living in the country, our situation could be dire if/when we lose power and if the roads are too bad for us to get to shelter. I am NOT looking forward to this at all. Actually, I'm pretty much a nervous wreck today, alternating between dread, and hope that it won't be as bad as they say. Good luck to you!
Good luck to everyone there. Stay home if you can. I can't imagine it all. So far beyond anything I've ever experienced.
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