February 11, 2013
Okay. First of all, I'm not listening to WTNH for weather in the morning. They pooh poohed the whole storm thing. But I listened to Channel 3. They predicted a BIG storm. So thankfully this time I was prepared. Except for the fact that I left the big shovel in the shed which I couldn't open so I had to use the teeny shovel I keep in my car. I'll add that to the list of storm preparedness for next time!
I had gas in my car, cash, food and lanterns. So when the power went out Friday night at 7PM I was under control. I reached for the Coleman lantern I had charging (thanks to Annemarie) and all the other flashlights I strategically placed in each room (thanks to Annie) and I promptly went to bed. And instructed Hilary to get under the covers also because it was going to get cold. But....I couldn't read because I was worried about running out of batteries and I couldn't sleep because it was too early. So I took an Ambien, something I haven't done in months. But "what the heck," I thought. If there was ever a time for Ambien it's when you have no heat. I guess it worked because when the lights went back on again at 10:30 I thought it was the middle of the night. And when my iPhone alarmed and vibrated off the nightstand to give me a blizzard warning at 4AM I nearly hit the ceiling. Why 4AM? They surely knew long before then.
Anyway I was so glad to have power. It made being snowbound so much easier to bear. My street wasn't plowed for three days. Hamden, it seems, got the most snow, 40 inches. So I was understanding about the roads not being plowed. Even after my driveway was plowed I could not drive down my street. I actually got tired of cooking, doing laundry and cleaning. One day I just sat around reading, watching Dexter and sleeping in front of the fire. Oh, and did I mention eating nonstop and starting cocktails way sooner than an ordinary day? Why did I do that? Because of the snow or the fact that I couldn't leave my house? Whatever the reason, it will be good to get back to a normal routine.
And to everyone who worked and stayed at work because they couldn't be relieved (nurses, doctors and first responders) as well as all the public works crews and utility employees and my neighbor Dom, who plowed my driveway, thank-you. You have made it possible to survive another storm as a single woman! The only thing that didn't go well was getting Hilary to work. And all you nurses out there know how guilty she felt about that.
