Snow Day

Early Wednesday morning the wind picked up and we couldn't sleep with the noise. By morning they were reporting at least 50 mph winds, closed schools, and then the snow started flying. Outside our street window it looked horrible. The snow blew like a wind tunnel down the street. I was excited about the snow day at first, BUT it didn't turn out to be much of a day off.

The Bishop informed me at 9 a.m. that we would be calling the entire ward to check on them. Power outages were reported all over the city along with freezing temps. I didn't get up from the spot I had been sitting in when the bishop called until about 1:30. Then the phone calls back started.

One call was from a Br. in the ward that needed his kids picked up from the hospital. The rest of the afternooon I endured off tune Karaoke, scattered art projects, and dress up, as a total of 6 little girls ran wild. I did calm them down for a while and we watched, "Ghandi". I love that about girls Vs. boys. They have the ability to chill and watch family movies for a while. I have never had any luck getting boys I tend to participate in chilling.

About 4 p.m. one of the dozen ward members I had invited over to our heated home actually came. Radisha, a Floridian, and new student this semester at Buff state. She is brand new here and was a little frightened about a power outage all alone. It wasn't long before our power started shutting off, though . It scared us twice for a half hour but luckily always came back on. About 7 p.m. I noticed that the heat was no longer coming on, though and we were down below 60. No problem for us. We always keep it about there, but with our guests I was setting it at a very generous 68.

I figured the pilot light had gone out. I had no idea what that meant but had heard lots of other people here mention pilot lights going out. Brent was home by now from school, but suffering with the flu in bed, his notes for a big test tommorow, scattered around him. I tried to rouse him, without luck. He kept saying, "I have no idea, I have no clue".

Finally when the girl's father came back from the hospital to pick them up I asked HIM to help me figure it out. We couldn't. So finally, desperate, I roused my man from his sick bed again saying "Please go to the basement and work on the heater." He got it going, of course. I knew he had an idea.

Radisha crashed on our couch. Brent got up at 3 a.m. feverish looking for more Ibuprofen. He found our guest coughing and shivering in a freezing living room. What is up with our heater? I had told Radisha to sleep in Savannah's bed upstairs and had all the blankets up there. I guess she got tired studying on the couch and never made it, falling asleep with one little blanket.

Once again Brent lit the pilot but by morning it was out again. He went down again at 6 and lit it one last time. He said he insulated it with rag to keep it warm so it wouldn't go out again???? That makes no sense to me but so far our heat has been working. (Still have my fingers crossed though)

Poor Brent had a horrible night for the second night in a row, got very minimal studying done, and is currently taking a test that he is sure to fail. He would rather take it sick and flunk I guess than make it up later. It is hard enough keeping up, and no one wants to get behind.

The DAMAGE: Minimal- I have seen a couple of neighbors trees that snapped in the wind, a couple strips of new siding on the house across the street blew off, and our back fence was flapping in the wind, half the day. This fence keeps the neighbors pit bull out of our yard, so I was very grateful to see it repaired before the day was over.

Overall we fared very well for our latest Buffalo storm. I made a new friend, Radisha, who is now Caroline's best friend. She is volunteering to stay here with them when we go to have the baby. She is wonderful and we had fun hanging out last night while Brent lay sick in bed.

I just didn't get the relaxing snow day I was looking forward to when I first turned on the morning news. Boo Hoo!