The Storm ... That Wasn't

Well, that's not completely accurate.

If you live 30 to 40 miles west of St. Louis, it's COMPLETELY inaccurate. They got a foot or more of snow. St. Louis, however, got a couple inches of sleet ... and then about 3-4 inches of snow.

To the Weather Service's credit, if the storm had moved just a little more off its course, St. Louis would have gotten the 10-12 inches of snow they had predicted. And, if the storm had changed from sleet to snow sooner, same outcome.

But it didn't. THANK GOD!

Please stop bitching that everyone overhyped this storm. (I've heard several people grumbling about this since yesterday.) The good news is that WE DIDN'T GET THE SNOW and we would have been READY FOR IT if we had. So, just say thanks for the heads up and go on about your business already. They don't control the weather. Their forecasts, though greatly enhanced by technology, still remain little more than a guess.

And now, it's just ccccccccccold. This morning, 6 degrees. Hard to believe it's going to be almost 10 degrees COLDER tomorrow!

While we didn't get all of the predicted snow, the sleet that we did get, and the city's plowing left me with an unenviable task last night. I left work a little early yesterday. I did good to get there at all. I developed a sudden fever (nearly 102) on Tuesday as I camped out on the sofa to await the storm. As the day wore on, I felt progressively worse. By yesterday, it had dropped a degree but I was still feeling it.

I needed to go get some drugs. So, when I got home yesterday, the first order of business was to dig out the edge of the driveway. Yeah. And unlike the previous snowfall, this was ICE-FILLED, super wet and uber heavy. By the tenth shovelful, I was ready to lay down in the yard and die.

But I persevered and I just focused on that edge. Had I tried to shovel the whole drive and the walkway, I guarantee a trip to the ER would have been in order. I got my meds, took a shower and went to bed. By 10 p.m., I was fever-free.

Today, I remain in my Nyquil-induced fog. Even feel a little better, I daresay. But, I need to remove myself from the cloud and get crackin'. There's a lot to be done.

D*mn, it's been a long winter already.