We shut down the office early in order to get everyone home safely--because no one in Texas actually knows how to drive in this weather. S.G. left even earlier since the school district shut down and she had to go grab the kids. Unfortunately, she did not make it home easily--she got shoved off the road by a semi and rolled her pickup down a slope into the front yard of a home. Thankfully it all happened at extremely slow speed and she is unhurt. It's quite possible her truck is unharmed, even if it is lying on its side, but it's still where she left it. She called me at the office to ask me to call her neighbor and ask her to go meet the school bus, and then she started out walking to get home, despite the thick snow falling and carrying her 4-year-old. A good samaritan stopped and picked her up. Hats off to him for being so kind and taking care of my friend and godson.
After cleaning several inches of snow off my car, I left the office and crawled my way home. My route takes me uphill pretty much all the way, so I prepared myself for a few spins and slides. I didn't encounter any problems until I got to the university and came upon a bit of a traffic jam. One of the students had spun out and two guys were helping her get her truck straightened up and on its way. I could have gone around, but felt it best to stay put and not get in the way--and possibly slide right into them. She headed on her way, the two guys got back in their own truck and I followed them on up the road. These two stopped twice more to help one person nudge their car up into their drive and to help the driver of a Lincoln get traction. Neither of them were dressed for the weather, but they never paused in their decision to stop and help. Days like this really make you believe the world can be saved. My car thankfully never slid once (and I have been a nervous wreck driving in bad weather since I wrecked on the ice a few years ago) and I made it home without any problems. However, the 2-mile distance I drove took me 30 minutes.
I got home, changed out of my wet shoes and into my snow boots and went back out. Some of the kids in the complex were out building snowmen and having a good time. I took my camera out to get a few shots. Here's a few in a short photo essay:
Close-up of the tree on the front sidewalk. Not two minutes after I was beneath it, I heard a loud "crack" and saw that one of the big limbs had split off.
This is a view of the church across the street. Can't really see the church, but the trees are pretty.
A view from the back door. Notice the buildup of snow on the top of the fence.
I realized I really wasn't prepared for bad weather, food-wise, so I decided to walk the two blocks to the grocery store and stock up on what I could carry. I bundled up and headed out, made it down the hill on which our complex sits without slipping and and tumbling into the street, crossed the street, and headed on my way.
Things were going well, no slipping, no falling, just the tired sensation I was getting from walking through snow and wearing heavy snow boots. It felt like I was walking with ankle weights on. I was almost to the store when a truck comes flying along trailing a wake of slush and mud that flew about 12 feet high. I tried to turn my back to it, but wasn't quick enough. I was covered from head to toe in wet, freezing muck. Great. Another scene to add to the movie of my life.
Made it to the store, grabbed a few things, warmed up a bit, and then headed back out. As soon as I got to the sidewalk, along comes a tow truck that splashed me with another coating of muck. I think he managed to cover the two spots the other one missed.
Deciding to avoid the street as much as possible, I cut through the empty lot behind the church and then through the church parking lot. If it hadn't been for the sound of traffic, I would have been able to pretend I was on a nature walk in the woods. It was beautiful walking through the trees with the snow falling.
The snow has stopped for now, and the snow advisory has been canceled. We're now just under a winter storm warning until 6 am. Hopefully the sand trucks can get a good coating on the streets before I have to get out there at 5 am tomorrow morning. That's going to be a fun commute!
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Yuck, sorry you had to get covered in all that muck. I left work at 3:15 (after getting 6" of snow cleared off my car) and finally made it home at 4:45. It is usually a 12-15 minute journey home.
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