Feb
So I’m not sure if you heard but the world has been going crazy lately.
Like, for instance, when the entire US Continent got hit by the biggest blizzard in the whole entire world.
Ok. Maybe not the biggest, but the third biggest in the history of Chicago blizzards…so I think that is pretty big.
When it hit I was thinking: “This is going to be a great first winter in Chicago for us Marshall’s.“
Then I thought: “Wow, I’m so lucky, I get to go home in this!”
Then the next day on my way to work I said out loud to anyone who would listen: “Why didn’t we choose Chicago?”
I know you’re still wondering what all this has to do with why my butt is looking so darn good. And it is. Naph told me so. And he never lies.
And as the other millions of Chicagoans, I have a great story about my experience with the Snowmaggedon 2011:
Tuesday I had to work until 6pm.
The storm hit about halfway through my work day and it was pretty awesome to see how fast the wind picked up. It was swirling around, people were loosing their hats and scarfs and coming into our Starbucks for a quick reprieve.
Then 6pm came around.
The night shift supervisor came it after her 2-1/2 hr commute to work, which normally takes her 30 minutes. We got our business out of the way and I left just in time to catch a bus the 3 blocks to the train station so I didn’t have to walk. I got to the train station with no problem and just as I was stepping onto the train the store called and said that I didn’t leave the store keys behind. So I quickly stepped off the train and headed back to the store. I waited in the station for a bus to come and take me so I wouldn’t have to walk, but it never came.
So I took off into the blizzard with near zero visibility. I had to walk in the street in order to even make my way. As I was crossing one street a transistor box (is that the right word? I’m blonde…forgive me) blew and the whole neighborhood lost power. it was pretty ominous. I finally got back to the store and gave them the keys. Just in time, another bus was making its way down the street so I caught that.
Finally got to the station and the train was delayed….for 1/2 an hour.
Here is a little film I shot while waiting…with all the other freeze pops like me:
It was not as bad as it could have been though. Every one was sharing there stories about how it was such an adventure just getting to the train station. They all talked about how they had the next day off…I couldn’t simpathize…I had to work.
I finally got home an hour and a half later. Bahumbug.
WHen I was walking there was a sidewalk that hadn’t been plowed yet and the traffic was coming at me so I stepped into it….it went up to my knees.
Forgive the terrible coloring of the picture. It’s from my phone and I didn’t fee like fixing it…terrible photographer I know.
Anyhhhhways.
I got home and was starvin marvin. So we got to work on some tacos. I had to be to work early the next day so we usually do something quick. Just when the meat was done cooking and Hubs was about to heat up the tortillas, we saw this huge SPARK out side our window. Then a big ‘ol KABLAM! (I could have written cartoons I tell ya.) We looked out our window just in time to see the light across the street pop and go out taking our light and that of our block with it.
But alas, I did not fear because I married an Eagle Scout and they can make fire out of ice so I’m told. So he created fire for us and we ate by candle light. Granted it took us a good 10 minutes to even figure out if we had candles. But it worked out.
So we ate and watched a little Andy Griffith on my computer and enjoyed cuddling up together. Then as it got colder and colder we realized that the electrcity also took with it our heat. Hubs didn’t mind this. He said we could cuddle up. ehe.
But the lights came on just in time to interfere with our romance. We blew the candles out and celebrated. Then they blew up again and we were out for the rest of the night. We laughed ferociously.
We hit the hay early since there wasn’t much else to do and I knew it would take me a bit longer to get to work on Wednesday.
6:00am came way to early. And with it came a 50 degree apartment. No heat sucks.
I splashed my face with ice cold water, grabbed my clothes, makeup and camera (I knew I’d want to catalog these tender moments) and ran out the door. I was thankful to be going to work at a coffee shop!
I got downstairs with ice in my bones and opened the door to this:
And no sidewalk.
So I got to jump into 3 feet of snow. That was the first thrill of my 6:30am saunter outside.
Move your eyes to the right side of the picture. Do you see that car. It’s mixed in with a little snow.
Here is a car outside our place.
This is our street
That place on the right where the lamps and stuff are…yeah that is the sidewalk I normally walk down to get to the bus. Not happenin…no sirree. When I reached the station a homeboy was waiting for the bus and said “Hello Brave Soul!” haha. So sweet.
So normally I take the bus to work, but this time decided I would just take the train so that I didn’t have to be out in the cold for as long. The transfer station I hit downtown to take me up north is all heated and I was just so very very cold.
The train station by our place has an awesome walkway where you can see the city. Usually it’s nice and visible like this:
(btw’s I took this on my birthday which I still haven’t told you about but it was awesome.This just hurts, seeing that sunny sky, summer why did you leave me?)
Wednesday it looked like this:
It was completely madness.
But I got to work. It went pretty smoothly other being incredibly BUSY! Which was completely unexpected.
There were people skiing down the street and then coming into our Starbucks, kids were every where, people were laughing, it was awesome.
Natural disasters really bring people together.
The snow picked up again once I got to work and when I got home it was even crazier. The church at the end of our street actually had it’s roof cave in at parts!
The biggest challenge has been walking in all this snow. It’s not really melting because the weather is still so cold and it’s actually snowing again right now. So with all the walking in this snow, my butt is getting a good little workout. Walking in icey snow is like walking in heavy wet sand…just plum difficult.
But my hiney doesn’t mind and neither does my Honey. So I shouldn’t complain I guess.
So that is my story on Snowmaggedon 2011.
There are more pics on my flickr account. You can just go to the Pics tab here on the blog to see them. There are too many to continue posting on here.
Hope you enjoyed my story!
Lovies
