A Long Day

It all began this morning, as days often do.

But I suppose I should actually back up to yesterday.

It snowed. And it iced. I began the morning by uncovering my car of its cold snow, all the while pelted by frozen raindrops. As I drove to school, it sounded like driving through piles of crinkling plastic wrappers. Also, no plows had come through anywhere, which seemed unusual. So everyone was driving very slowly and very carefully. I experienced a couple very small, inconsequential fishtails, but I made it to school unscathed.

The freezing stuff continued throughout the day. When I left school, the streets were covered in four inches of snow the consistency of sand (or margaritas, as one witty shoveler was quoted in the NY Times today), and the sidewalks had a couple inches of icy snow.

My car was filmed with almost a half-inch of pure ice, and another inch or so of snow on top of that. I chipped, hacked, and hacked for twenty full minutes to clean off the car.

And then my wheels did not want to get me forward. Oh boy. But I backed up and turned the wheel, and they finally found purchase. And I drove home, again very slowly and very carefully. Happily, I lucked out with a parking spot not requiring parallel parking.

This morning, I got out of bed a few minutes earlier than usual, in anticipation of more weather fun. The car was still clean of snow and ice, which was a pleasant sight.

After shoveling some plowed ice/snow out of the way, I turned the wheel and hit the gas. The wheels spun and whirred, to no avail. The car rocked a little, stuck in the nefarious grasp of the icy street. Shit.

I'd been thinking about bus routes last night, because three buses stop at my corner. So I hopped on the one that went toward school (it pulled up right as I was coming up, how awesome!). I was pretty sure that it met up with another bus I was familiar with, but I didn't know what stop to take. So I guessed.

Out in the cold, walking entirely around the block, seeing plenty of buses and signs for buses, but not mine, I finally went into the train station. Intending just for a map, but seeing no helpful attendant attending me, I just got on the damn train. One stop. The bus I wanted was right there, which was again pleasant.

I rode that bus for probably forty minutes, disembarking as near my school as possible. There is another bus that goes almost right past school, but I didn't want to wait. So I walked, ten to twelve minutes in the cold. My toes were long numb, along with the front of my legs.

I arrived at school five minutes before first period ended. An hour and a half after I left my cozy apartment. Sigh.

I should have stayed home and gone back to bed.

Once I dethawed my lower extremities, I had to jump immediately into Teacher land, which was a bit abrupt for my taste, but not difficult, interestingly.

After school, I was trapped, because of conferences later on. So I sat in my classroom for two and a half hours, reading. I could have re-marked some old tests, but I didn't want to.

Happily, the conferences went well, and I didn't get too busy. The two parents I was most desperate to see both showed up, and listened and agreed with what I had to say, so that was excellent. No crazies gave me attitude, and I saw plenty of good kids and got to tell their parents positive things.

It took an hour to get back home, with walking, bus, train, and more walking, but this time I took the route I already knew from my pre-car days.

I hopped in the shower and then jumped on the computer to pay bills. My throat hurts, my stomach will not be sated with the bowl of cheerios and cheese and crackers, but too bad. And now it's already ten-thirty, dangit.

Thank god our impending departure was changed to Saturday. I'm nowhere near ready to go. Think good, warm thoughts for me and my wheels tomorrow morning!