The Weekend

I barely had my eyes open Saturday morning when the phone rang--it was Dar.

I looked out the window and noticed snow was falling--giant, soft, pretty flakes--I wondered if she was scared of it.

Dar says, "I hate to bother you.  Were you awake?"

"Yes--barely."

"I wondered if you could help me."

"Sure--what's up?"

"Can  you go on-line and see if I am scheduled to work today?"

"Huh?"

"Can you go on-line, on the Meijer website thingie and see if my name is on there to work today."

"If I go on the Meijer website, all it is going to tell me is what is on sale."

"No.  After you get there, you have to go into the employee section."

So I went on the Meijer website.  "Wow!  They've got Diet Pepsi--ten for ten and the eleventh one is free."

"Yes...I know, but I need for you to see if I am scheduled to work today."

"Why don't you know that.  Didn't you work yesterday?  Didn't you look at your schedule?"

"Yes.  But...I forgot."

"Well...I can't get into the employee section.  You need a user ID, a password...and I can't access it."

"I will tell you how!"

"Okay.  What do I do?"

"You type in FMS, then when the employee section comes up, you type in my name and stuff."

"Is your new computer broken?"

'OH MY GOD!  WHAT'S HAPPENING OUTSIDE?"

I look outside, the wind has come up, it is blowing and we are in a heavy snow band which is causing a white-out.

"I CAN HARDLY SEE YOUR HOUSE! IT SOUNDS LIKE A TORNADO!"

"We are just having a lot of snow right now, the wind is blowing hard, but it's okay.  It will calm down in a minute."

"I hate Michigan winters!!"

"You've lived here all your life."

"I know, but...I've never been this old and it scares me.  What if I get trapped?"

"We aren't going to get trapped!  Okay--what do you want me to do on this Meijer website?"

"Okay.  Never mind.  I'm so upset, I can't remember my user ID or password right now.  I am going to have to run up to the store and check."

"Can't you just call the office and have someone tell you your schedule?"

"No!  I have to see for myself.  They might not tell me the right thing.  Besides....I have to drive my car in and out of my driveway to keep a path open...just in case."

"Well, it's only going to snow a couple inches...we aren't going to get snowed in."

"Oh...I can't shovel.  I've got to get out there and back out and in to pack down a path!"

"Okay.  Are you going to be all right?"

"Yes.  I will just drive on up to the store."

"Well, be careful, the road might be slippery and it is hard to drive in this white-out.  Why don't you wait a half hour and see if the snow lets up."

"No!  I gotta do it now.  Bye!"

I watched as she came flying out of her house and jumped into her car.  She didn't clean off the windows or anything.  Just jumped in and took off.

Less than ten minutes later...I looked out.

The snow had stopped, the sun was shining and it was a lovely 25 degree day.  She should have waited just a bit.

That poor woman!!!

=======================

Sunday morning.

7 degrees and snowing again--

3 inches expected

No milk in the refrigerator.

Half a jug of Diet Pepsi.

No Jimmy Dean croissant for breakfast.

Half a can of cat food.

I need to go to the store.

coming down hard out there.....

...But it's going to get worse--right?

Out to start up the car.

Brush snow off the car.

Damn!  It's cold!

Off I go in the blizzard.  My car the only one out of the park apparently, as there are no other tracks.

Get on the main road--wow--stay in right lane--creep along at 30 miles an hour

Blowing so hard it is difficult to see.

Windshield wipers want to freeze up.

Made it up to the Midway grocery store.

When I bust through the door, the clerk looks up at me in surprise.

Got supplies--no one else in the store.

I say to the clerk, "Only a fool would be out in this kind of weather!"

She nods in agreement.

Back home--thank you, God for protecting this fool.

Ten minutes after I got home.  Snow has stopped.

I have no business denigrating Dar.  End result--I am just as weird/foolish/impulsive as Dar!!!!!

================================

I watched The Waltons marathon on INSP.  I love the older stories, when the Walton kids were all little.  

The snow continued on and off all day and is ramping up again tonight.

This coming week--colder than last week--the Polar Vortex riding south on the jet stream that is dipping down into the southern states.  Snow of 6 inches predicted at the Outer Banks--EGAD!!!