About The Weather

I wouldn't say I've lead a charmed life -- but every once in awhile, I have a charmed day.

A few days ago, news outlets all over Chicago started talking up a snowstorm, about a snowstorm. It would be the "worst of the season so far," they said (which actually wouldn't be much of a feat, since it's only snowed once, and only about a quarter inch -- it's only the beginning of December, after all). It was predicted to begin around noon yesterday and end around noon today, with a total accumulation of several inches.

Great, I thought, as I listened to the reports. That will ruin my Tuesday commute home from work and my Wednesday commute to work. I desperately need new tires for my car, and they've been ordered, but since they're an odd size (and therefore, a special order), it could be another week before they come in, leaving me with no traction in the snow. So I was very concerned about this storm and what it might mean, driving-wise.

But I was lucky, very lucky.

As noon approached yesterday, I checked the weather report, and it now said the snow would begin late in the afternoon. When it got to be late in the afternoon, the reports said it would now begin at 6 p.m. I drove home from work seeing a few flurries, and just after I got home, the snow started coming in full force. By 7:30, the ground was completely covered.

Just before I went to bed, as it was still coming down, I checked the weather report again. The full-on snowfall would end in the early hours and turn to light snow showers, and the whole thing would be over by mid-morning, it said. And it was, which meant that road crews had plenty of time to clean up before the morning commute. When I left for work today, the roads were pretty much clear, except for one small stretch that was almost solid ice. Even so, I was able to find the small patches of road peeking out from underneath, so even that wasn't all that bad.

My shoes, socks and pants are soaked through to the knee from trudging around brushing snow off my car, and my butt is wet because I stupidly opened the driver's side door and a bunch of snow fell in...but it's a small price to pay for deliverance from commuting on treacherous roads. And actually, the cold, wet feet and bum make me feel a little nostalgic; I feel like I just came in from sledding. If I had my Crayola crayon sleeping bag and a mug of cocoa, I'd be set.