A Prairie View

Counting My Blessings

When Brett came out to the office Thursday, and told us of some weather stuff he had been listening to, I knew it wasn’t going to be a good deal. We ended up getting some “weird” weather, but nothing too damaging. He was headed home and I called David and told him we had hail. He told me I was smoking something. He was only a mile or so from town, and the sun was shining. He got into town, still no indication of rain — which was also weird. The first time it hailed (we got two doses of it), it hailed but there was just a sprinkling of rain, and then when it was actually hailing, there was no rain with it. When he got just a couple blocks from our house, he said he could smell rain, and the sidewalks looked damp. It rained and hailed (pea size) a bit more, and that was pretty much it.

During the middle of the night though, it was frightening listening to the TV. We left it on our local channel just in case we needed to be alerted to other storms. Hearing “funnel on the ground” in counties adjoining ours, was a bit unnerving. But, the storm was headed more north, so again, we escaped any major damage.

But yesterday and today, other parts of the country haven’t been so lucky. From the news reports. many towns have been hit pretty hard. I am counting my blessings that we yet again escaped major damage.

Unbelievable

This has been THE strangest winter.  You watch the weather report.  You stock up.  You prepare.  And then for us … its not been nearly as bad as they predicted.  We’ve gotten some snow, some ice, and other yucky weather when they said we would, but it has always skirted around us.  We breath a sigh of relief, and go on about business as normal.

But tonight.  The normal forecast of late.  Sleet, to follow with a little bit of snow.  We had a Mexican Fiesta event at our church.  Started at 5:30, and we got there around 5:15 or so.  It was sleeting when Ethan went to work at 3:30, and it was sleeting a little when we went to the church, but not bad.

Fast forward a couple of hours.  We’ve eaten. We’ve worshiped with 3 Rusty Nails — an awesome gospel group that is from the local area.  We go to leave.  The men head out the door with snow shovels.  What?  Do they need to scrap that much sleet off the sidewalks?  No.  Several inches of snow.  It was amazing.  It had snowed a couple of inches in that short period of time, and was still coming down.  We had no clue, and if it was in the forecast, we sure weren’t paying attention.   According the tomorrow’s forecast though, its supposed to be a beautiful day, with the high being like 51.  So, if I want to get pictures of how deep the snow got, I had probably taken them before church while it’s still cold.   It has been such a weird winter.

I Didn’t Make It

It sounded like bacon sizzling outside. It was sleeting, and was just not a good deal outside. But, I ventured on into the church, and got my mission accomplished, for the most part. I have 50 directories run and bound, and ready for distribution. I will do the other 25 tomorrow. I need to find a way to be nice to my boss. He shoveled and salted the sidewalk for me, plus started my Explorer and scrapped the windshield and windows. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated him doing that!

Then I ventured out to the trucking company. David was still in Topeka, but I have plenty to do out there, and a key to get in if he’s not there. Normally, I can park in the carport, and all is good. But. There was already a car there, and our boss was parked behind them. So, that meant having to park in the driveway, which has a bit of a sloop. Not bad, but nonetheless, a bit of a sloop. I put one foot out, and when I couldn’t get any traction — it just kept sliding, I decided I wasn’t going to chance it. Put my foot back in the Explorer, and went home.

I called David later to see if he had made it back — which he had — and I asked him if I was over reacting by coming home. And he actually agreed with me, that it was slick, and it probably was best that I didn’t attempt to try to make it into the office. Esp. since he wasn’t there.

So there went one day of not working on the IFTA stuff. I had had it at home; but since I knew I would be working on it at the office, I took it back. If it had still be at home, I would have worked on it there. Oh. well. Such is life. I am such a chicken these days when it comes to ice. Me going down on ice, would NOT be a good deal, nor a purty sight.

Mother Nature Is A Tease

Mother Nature was such a tease earlier this week. I think it was Tuesday, it was won-der-ful. I stepped out of the church at noon, and locked the door, and it was so warm and spring like. I just automatically felt so much better. Had a spring in my step, and just savored the moment of what felt like spring. David laughed at me later that afternoon, because my phone alerted me to a “winter weather advisory”. It was 60 degrees outside, and my phone is warning me of a winter storm? But, if you read the advisory, it was for weather on the way. Snow. Ice. Within the next 24 hours. And sure enough. We woke up to a world covered in white. Back to warming the Explorer up early. Back to wearing a heavy coat. Back to taking little baby steps as I made my way into the church to work. *sigh. I don’t regret having the spring-like day only to be thrown back into the deep freeze of winter, but I will say it again. I. don’t. like. winter. I am ready for spring!!!

Being A Sandwich

It pays to be a sandwich. The weather guy just said that to the east of us, they are having thunderstorms and tornado warnings and watches. To the west of us, snow. But us? We have had 50-60 degree weather today, and its not supposed to get down to freezing tonight, so thats a good thing. We have lucked out several times this winter. Just being on the fringe of things, or a black spot in the middle of a big mass of blue on the weather map. Works for me. I hate winter weather, and am so looking forward to spring.

I have a full week ahead of me at work — both places. But, if I keep my nose to the grindstone, I may be able to get back on top of things and actually be in a good place. I have shepherding lists I need to make up for the elders. I need to make corrections in the directory — I’m still waiting on the serving list for the guys for the year. Once I have that, I can get it published and behind me. Its such a major project and I am so close to having it done in the respect of distribution. I’ll be glad when its done.

At the trucking company, I got the billing all done, checks wrote for bills and ready for the mail. What I really need to work on tomorrow is getting some tote boxes and start boxing up all of 2007 stuff. I have 2008 stuff that needs to be filled, and I would like to stay on top of it. Since I’m ahead of the game this week, I am hoping to make a dent in some of those things I got behind on last year. The quarterly report is due again, and I don’t have everything checked. But, since the billing is done and out of the way a day early, that gives me that window of time that I need to make some progress on it. And don’t foresee any reasons to have to leave early or not be there. I really really do hope I can get all those little things that have been getting done actually done this week. I do see light at the end of the tunnel for a change.

Ethan doesn’t have to work Saturday — he worked a 4 hour shift for someone on Sunday, and then another 2 hours for her today because she is still sick. She is taking his shift for Saturday. So. Maybe. Just Maybe. We can make some headway here at home as well. I’m still having these “wanting to nap” episode; but before I get to that point, I do see to be coping a little bit better, and making some progress. Don’t know if its the cobwebs clearing though, or just the timing of things, and the mentality that its a new year, with a new slate, and I’m grabbing ahead of that and forging ahead. Whatever it is though, I’m not letting go, and I will continue to forge ahead.

On Account Of Rain

We were very fortunate today. We went to bed last night, expecting the worst. We expected to wake up to winter wonderland kind of world — roads and trees covered with ice, no power …. and for people to the north and east of us, thats exactly what they experienced. But, we were right on the fringe of it, and continue to get rain throughout the day. The superintendent is going to have a hard time living this one down. This school district is known for not closing school very often, even on days everyone else really thought school should have been dismissed or canceled. But. He canceled school last night for today, based on what was predicted. Only, it missed us. So, he canceled school. On account of rain.

I was just getting to write that I’m sure he will be waiting until tomorrow morning to make a decision for tomorrow…. but we just turned the 10:00 news on, and our school is included in the cancelations. Ethan will be happy. Even though he didn’t have school, when we were at the grocery store last night, he did go talk to the manager to let them know that since there was no school today, that he was available to work today. He knows there are people who work there that live out in the country or out of town, and could possibly call in that they couldn’t make it in. While he was waiting to talk to the manager, one of the owners of the store stopped and asked what he needed. She was very happy to hear he was willing to work, and took him to the office to give him a schedule time. He worked from 8:30 this morning until 5:30….actually, until 6:30. He was scheduled to get off work at 5:30; but they asked him if he could work another hour, to get them through the 5:00 rush, which he did. He is already scheduled to work tomorrow, so even though he doesn’t have school, he can stay home until his scheduled time. Unless they call him. I would say if they call him, he need to go in; but he doesn’t need to volunteer to work extra hours tomorrow.

I worked at the church, but didn’t go out to the trucking company. Because I was already at the church, and not working the hours I should at the trucking company, I went ahead and worked until 4:00 this afternoon. I worked on getting the newsletter ready — it needs to be mailed out by Thursday of this week. By doing that, if the road conditions are less than favorable tomorrow, I can stay home without worrying what needs to get done at the church. And, if the roads are good, and I can go to work there, then I may go ahead and get the newsletters out a day early. Won’t hurt anything to do that. And since alot of the details of things in the newsletter are for this weekend’s activities, the sooner they get out, the better.

It’s Not Getting Any Better

This Afternoon
Cloudy With A 20 Percent Chance Of Light Freezing Drizzle And Sleet. Highs Around 25. North Winds 5 To 10 Mph.

Even though my family is out and about, I’m not venturing out. It was “traumatic” enough for me just attending church. David did call and told me to go in the circle drive the wrong way, which would put the driver’s side towards the building, and he’d be watching for me. Once I got there, he came out, I got out of my Explorer, and made my way the few short feet to the inside of the building. It had been scraped and salted, but it was still sleeting, and, it was still a bit icy. Granted, I think part of it was just my own fear, being afraid to fall (I’ve been there and done that, and me falling would not be a good deal). My heart was pounding, and I just felt real fear, as I made my way to the building. And of course, we have the same scenerio once church was over. That was enough getting out for me.

With the weather the way it, David may have to rework all the loads he had scheduled for his drivers. One or two of them have said they would just as soon not drive in weather conditions like this, so he needs to refigure everything. So, he went out to the office.

And Ethan, sadly, is at a funeral. He had to work today, but they have been really flexible with the kids the weekend, and their schedules. I’ve really gone back and forth about whether or not I should be there. I didn’t know Andrew, but I did know his mom. More in passing, even though she is like, a third generation cousin to David. So, I left it up to Ethan to what I should do. I felt like I should be there for him, if for no other reason, but he said he would probably be sitting with his friends. The funeral is being held at the school. Visitation was from 4:00 - 6:00 last night. But, it was at least after 8:00 before the family was able to leave. Ethan called at 7:15 (he went up there at 5:00), and said he just left the funeral home. Literally hundreds of people there. Selfishly, I am glad Ethan said he didn’t need me there. A funeral is hard enough to deal with under the “best” of circumstances (and there are never any good circumstances). But a funeral for a child just a year older than your own, with hundreds of youth at this funeral … I’m at a place emotionally right now … its not something I really wanted to go through. My mom died December 14 (2003) … thats just a few day from now, and, that has me at “a place” emotionally, that is making me having to deal with my emotions and feelings. However, if Ethan had told me he really wanted me there — I would have put my own emotions and feelings aside and I would have been there for him. Ethan has should be a side of maturity this week through this whole ordeal; and so I trust him when he tells me that it was ok for me not to be there.