As you can probably tell by the last entry, THE WINTER BLAST has officially hit, and I am hating life right now. The snow is awful, and the ice is worse.
This morning's commute was TERRIBLE. I didn't even realize it was snowing when I looked out my window at 5:30 this morning, so I went back to bed and got up at my normal time. Yes, I have to check every morning at 5:30 to see if it dumped on us during the night, because it can take me an hour and a half to get to work. Or even more, but if it does then I just come in late because that is just ridiculous. So anyway, I checked at 5:30 like normal, but either I was so tired I didn't notice, or it had just started snowing and nothing had accumulated yet. There was only ever 1 or maybe 2 inches of snow, so it's not like there was 8 inches that I didn't notice.
The problem was the wind. It was blowing everything around, and blowing the car around, and it made it feel very nerve-wracking. But I made it almost all the way to work with no issues, and by the time I got to Route 2 it was just two ruts of dry pavement. You know, when your wheels are straddling a band of snow? And there was snow when you tried to change lanes, of course. But the roads were fine, especially if you just planted yourself in one lane and didn't change.
That is, until I hit Sandusky. And then all hell broke loose. It was like World War III! I didn't even know the conditions had changed because everything looked the same, but then when I was passing a big semi that was just CREEPING along, his backwash started me rocking and then I felt like I was going to lose control. The car sashayed back and forth and the adrenaline just dumped into my system. My thighs went numb, and my shoulders got all tingly. And then I saw a car in the ditch.
It was the first of many cars in the ditches. I probably saw 10 cars on the side of the road in the four mile stretch between the first of the Sandusky exits and the last Sandusky exit that is the one I take. And the cars weren't just "in the ditch." Some were down in a gully, or backwards facing the wrong way, and some had obviously come from the other side of the freeway because you could see their tracks through the 20-yard-wide center median.
This did not help my adrenaline situation. I still feel shaky!
But I made it to work without further incident, which was good. I didn't have any voluntary panic reactions (i.e., adrenaline is non-voluntary. I didn't stomp on my breaks or jerk the wheel, I mean to say). And although I could feel the car sliding around, as soon as I slowed down everything felt much better. I hope it was skill, and not just me getting lucky, that got me here in one piece.
When I got to work (15 minutes late, but who's counting?) everyone was so nice! They were concerned with my drive, and sympathetic to the fact that I'm not used to it. They even admitted it was pretty scary today, which was a relief (sometimes I'm not sure if I'm being a baby). Although they were all laughing about the cars in the ditches, and I was still throroughly spooked about feeling like I was almost one of them.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Alliterations
Scummy sleazy skuzzy skidding snow
Icky icy igloos
Crappy cold conditions
Big blizzards become a blast of badness
Slippery slick squally storms suck
Terrifying tempests trample toes
Frost frozen frigidly FOREVER
Icky icy igloos
Crappy cold conditions
Big blizzards become a blast of badness
Slippery slick squally storms suck
Terrifying tempests trample toes
Frost frozen frigidly FOREVER
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Can you believe it?
66 Degrees yesterday! I went out and rode Gazelle last night, and I was too HOT! I was only wearing one pair of pants, too. It was amazing! I am loving this weather right now, but it's supposed to cool off by Friday, boo hoo.
It's super windy now though, so I'm worried we're going to get a tornado. Ha ha, hopefully that was a joke. Seriously, we're just supposed to get thunderstorms. But it was so windy and gusty -- I felt like Dorothy Gale when I was on my way to work this morning!
It's super windy now though, so I'm worried we're going to get a tornado. Ha ha, hopefully that was a joke. Seriously, we're just supposed to get thunderstorms. But it was so windy and gusty -- I felt like Dorothy Gale when I was on my way to work this morning!
Sunday, January 06, 2008
An Oregon Day
Today was a very Oregon Day.
The temperature was in the 50's, it was overcast . . . a very welcome change from the freezing-butt cold of the past few weeks. It was a one-coat day (rather than my usual 3 coats!). And a one-pair-of-pants day, too.
It really made me miss home though. And I'm not looking forward to the storm that is undoubtedly on its way (probably as I type). You know, the whole "Calm before the storm" idea. It's probably because I wrote that entry where I was all excited about the impending spring.
So it got all nice and warm and then it will hit me just when I least expect it.
Not that it's really that warm. I just mean, in comparison to how it's been: in the single digits! Guess it wouldn't hurt to check the forecast . . . Hmmm. They're forecasting 62 tomorrow. But snow by the weekend. It's coming, I know it is.
Did I already say I can't wait until spring?
The temperature was in the 50's, it was overcast . . . a very welcome change from the freezing-butt cold of the past few weeks. It was a one-coat day (rather than my usual 3 coats!). And a one-pair-of-pants day, too.
It really made me miss home though. And I'm not looking forward to the storm that is undoubtedly on its way (probably as I type). You know, the whole "Calm before the storm" idea. It's probably because I wrote that entry where I was all excited about the impending spring.
So it got all nice and warm and then it will hit me just when I least expect it.
Not that it's really that warm. I just mean, in comparison to how it's been: in the single digits! Guess it wouldn't hurt to check the forecast . . . Hmmm. They're forecasting 62 tomorrow. But snow by the weekend. It's coming, I know it is.
Did I already say I can't wait until spring?
Friday, January 04, 2008
Spring is coming!
This morning, when I left for work, I noticed the sun was already starting to come up!! That means the days are getting longer . . . which of course means Spring is just around the corner! Okay, okay . . . I know that's wishful thinking. But a gal can dream, can't she?
We'll probably get hit by a huge WINTER BLAST 2008 now that I said that, but I can't help it. I'm so excited for winter to be over, and for spring and summer to come. It's just so cold! So I'm excited about this very small sign that winter will not last forever . . . it will make way for warmer weather and pretty flowers and trees and riding without bundling up like snowperson.
I can't wait!
Thursday, January 03, 2008
9 Degrees Fahrenheit
Yup. That was the temperature when I left the house this morning. NINE DEGREES.
I just wanted to point that out to everyone. The windchill in some places that I've heard is -2 degrees. That is to say, NEGATIVE TWO. Two degrees less than zero. At home, the windchill is a whopping 7 degrees.
Why does it have to get this cold? It's miserable! I'm shocking everything because it's so dry and there's so much static in the air. Every time I stand up at work and then touch something metal, I get shocked. It hurts!
I'm ready for the mugginess that is an Ohio summer. I would even go so far as to say I prefer it. I hate being cold. Everyone says my blood will thicken up, but I'm not sure I see that happening ever. One gal said it took her two winters for her blood to thicken after she moved here. That, to all us laypeople, means TWO YEARS. Two years of being freezing cold, and then the third winter apparently I magically become thick-skinned.
Great. Lookin' forward to it.
I just wanted to point that out to everyone. The windchill in some places that I've heard is -2 degrees. That is to say, NEGATIVE TWO. Two degrees less than zero. At home, the windchill is a whopping 7 degrees.
Why does it have to get this cold? It's miserable! I'm shocking everything because it's so dry and there's so much static in the air. Every time I stand up at work and then touch something metal, I get shocked. It hurts!
I'm ready for the mugginess that is an Ohio summer. I would even go so far as to say I prefer it. I hate being cold. Everyone says my blood will thicken up, but I'm not sure I see that happening ever. One gal said it took her two winters for her blood to thicken after she moved here. That, to all us laypeople, means TWO YEARS. Two years of being freezing cold, and then the third winter apparently I magically become thick-skinned.
Great. Lookin' forward to it.
Home Sweet Home
I think I will buy one of the cheesy Home Sweet Home signs when I am finally in my house.
Someday.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Archived Posts of the Month
My favorite posts
These are some of my favorite posts. I select these myself, because I feel I deserve kudos or I'm proud of myself for capturing a moment particularly well. I might choose the post because it's a milestone of some sort, or maybe because it sparked a lot of comments. There really isn't any rhyme, reason, or hidden meaning . . . I would advise that you not look for one!
2010
I was still a pretty sporatic blogger in 2008; as you can see, some months I didn't post anything at all. A few of these won by default as they were the only post for the month.
These are some of my favorite posts. I select these myself, because I feel I deserve kudos or I'm proud of myself for capturing a moment particularly well. I might choose the post because it's a milestone of some sort, or maybe because it sparked a lot of comments. There really isn't any rhyme, reason, or hidden meaning . . . I would advise that you not look for one!
2010
- August: It's starting
- July: Gone fishin'
- June: I am so NOT country
- May: I need!
- April: An encounter with a spider (part 2)
- March: It ain't over until . . .
- February: Hey big spender
- January: Georgie's Snoopy Face
- December: Brr, it's cold outside
- November: Ernie of the man boobs
- October: You don't mess with cat karma
- September: I figured it out
- August: Profound thoughts on a skibob
- July: Another tool on the radio
- June: "Jackson dies, almost takes internet with him (CNN)"
- May: Ridonkulous
- April: Is there a voice in my head? Is it Jiminy?
- March: Can a person will away FEAR?
- February: I'll always remember: shopping for Danny's wedding ring
- January: Do I have to let it go?
I was still a pretty sporatic blogger in 2008; as you can see, some months I didn't post anything at all. A few of these won by default as they were the only post for the month.
- December: Rooster in the kitchen?
- November:
- October:
- September: Fun in the sun
- August: August 17, 2008
- July: Meat is meat?
- June: Kelley's Island
- May: Why the long face?
- April: Wedding dreams
- March: I'll always remember: sledding ...
- February: NEW CAR!
- January: Variety
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