Tuesday, January 16, 2007

More snow - a surprise this time

My mother always said, "Be careful what you wish for because your wish just might come true."

Today I certainly got my wish for more snow. This storm was somewhat unexpected, and certainly a lot bigger than anyone expected. I didn't even look outside when I got up at 5:00 a.m because I didn't realize there was a possibility of snow. My husband said something about it having snowed a little during the night. I ran to the window but it wasn't doing anything at the moment.

Within 5-10 minutes it started again. Just as Fred was heading out the door at 5:55 the phone rang - the phone tree telling him - school was cancelled. At least this time they called before he left - unlike last week when they cancelled it just as he got there. He was NOT a happy camper as he hates having to make up days in June. I had a class to teach at 8:00 so I left home at 6:30. I slid just a little going out of the neighborhood, but the snow was so dry that it was blowing off the freeway and my 10 mile commute wasn't a problem at all.

Move forward to about 8:00. Snow has been falling hard now since before 6:00 a.m. I've heard from two of my students, who are having a lot of trouble driving. The others apparently don't know who to call because I don't hear from them. One of them actually gets there about 30 minutes late, so I tell her to head home or to her branch. In the meantime I'm the only person in the building besides the drive-up teller who got there about 5 minutes after she was to open.

We get an email asking about branch coverage. All over town our branches are short because most staff can't make it out of their neighborhoods. So I stay in the branch to help as well as I can - I've tellered only 1 day in the last 12 years! I told them not to give me a cash drawer except as a last resort, so I'm doing transfers, taking check deposits, and anything else that doesn't involve cash. Another suppport department person showed up about 10:00 - she couldn't get to our Operations Center but lived fairly close to us. Only two people who actually work in the branch got in. It was a very interesting day!

Management decided to close at 4:00 - I don't know what took them so long! Though we'd been busy most of the day we'd slowed way down, so I felt OK about leaving about 2:30. I went outside, walking very carefully, and did fine until I stepped onto the parking lot to get into the CRV. I was about 2 steps from the door when my feet went totally out from under me on the ice beneath the snow. I fell flat on my back and knocked the back of my head on the pavement. Lucky for me I guess I've got a hard head. I didn't black out and was able to drive home just fine - at a top speed of 20 mph. At least everyone on the roads seemed to be driving with good sense.

So tonight I'm home with a bad headache from the fall. Tangled Threads is cancelled because with temperatures dropping now no one should be on the road. I just hope my headache doesn't keep me from quilting tonight and is gone when I get up tomorrow. I don't think I'm setting my alarm. This time I'm prepared - I cancelled the class I'm supposed to be teaching tomorrow - just in case.

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Gratitudes:
1. A safe commute home for my kids and myself
2. A beautiful white winter wonderland outside
3. Not hurting myself badly when I fell
4. Leftover pizza so I didn't have to cook dinner
5. A snug, warm house

************

18 comments:

Linda C said...

Patti, I've been chatting with Cher and Pam directed me to video from your area I suppose Channel 8. It looks bad at least on the Portland side--you have to be in the same boat.

What a day at work! Too bad they couldn't just cancel everything and let people stay home. I sure hope you did not hurt your back again after your recent spell of problems with it. Clunking your head was bad enough, of course, but I immediately thought of your back as well.

Juliann in WA said...

Sounds like you did get hit - I heard that they were requiring folks to have chains in the Portland area. The icy roads are the worst. It melted a bit here today but we had a snow day too. I found a UFO I had forgotten about and spent a bit of time working on that and more string blocks but to be honest, I am really ready to go back to work.
Juliann

Pam said...

good grief girl....watch your back!!!

so glad you were not hurt any more than a bonk on the bean!

We have solid ice roads, good thing I am only half a mile from the office and if need be I can walk. last wk I cancelled appts.

quiltpixie said...

hope your head recovers quickly

Unknown said...

My goodness, girl! I'm glad that you are okay...hope the headache goes away quickly and doesn't keep you from quilting. Enjoy your snowbound time tomorrow.

Mary Johnson said...

Patti, I fell flat on my A** today too. I was taking Chesty out for a walk and was carrying him thru an icy area and before I knew what happened I was on my back too. Luckily he wasn't hurt but dang that ice is slippery!

Cynthia said...

thank goodness you're okay and didn't have any real serious injury.

Carol said...

Oh my Patti...thank heavens you are OK...snow is so wonderful and ice is awful...take care.
Carol

The Calico Cat said...

OOO I hope you get to feeling 100% soon... Take it easy.

Gail said...

Keep a careful watch on yourself for that knocked noggin, and rest up a bit before trying any more escapades on ice.

Cher said...

yikes! sorry to hear about your fall, I hope that headache went away-good you will be home today-quilting I imagine! I am home working...oh the joys of being able to bring work home :-) stay warm!

The Chicken Lady said...

Be careful out there...most of the time it's not YOU who you have to worry about, it's the other idiots on the road! Enjoy the snow, tho. It's so much fun!!! :) I'm loving ours.

Judy said...

Yikes that was even bad to read!! All the thought was back and hips! Not head! Hopefully the headaches gone and you can get some quilting done today. My husbands says I always wish for snow because I don't have to go OUT in it. He's right of course! STay safe!

sewprimitive karen said...

Oh, Patti, I can't bear to think of you knocking the back of your head on the pavement! Hope your head feels better by morning.

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

Goodness! I hope your head heals - I don't want anything wonky coming out in your quilts because of it! ;-) Take care of you!
Alycia

Sweet P said...

Ouch! I hope your headache is gone today.

What nice surprises in the mail. Isn't it fun to "shop" other quilters fabric? I'm not a fan of plaids either so you can keep my share of them. The Civil War prints are cute.

MARCIE said...

So sorry to hear that you fell-ouch! Glad you are OK. I have seen Portland on the news and it looks bad. I hope you are not without power. My friend in Seattle lost theirs for 5 days before Christmas. Stay warm!

Anonymous said...

Take care ! I hope that all is OK for you now.

Here, in Switzerland, it is like spring.... 15°C and no snow, even in the mountains !