Thank you, KU

I came home from work tonight during an ice storm to a dark house, but Kentucky Utilities had my power back on within an hour after I got there. Some others are not so lucky, including my hometown of Danville:

Danville, Berea expect to run out of water

Hustonville, another city in Boyle County, is already without water. The problem with Boyle cities is that they get their water from Herrington Lake, and the pumping station is without power and KU can't find the power lines that were down. But generators are on their way. In Danville, downed power lines and trees led the city to ban any traffic on the roads except emergency vehicles. Berea is in similar shape.

This morning it took me a half hour to chip out my car, twice as long as normal to get to work, and about 5-10 minutes to get in the building, because even with two groundskeepers and all the efforts to clear things, the parking lot and sidewalks were a solid sheet of ice. I got in and realised I'd left my badge, with which I clock in and out, back in the car. Needless to say, I didn't go back. My boss can put in my time, thankfully.

It was even worse when I came back out. The snow had settled to a perfectly flat surface covered with ice. You know how if ice is on the pavement you can walk in the snow to avoid falling down? Not today--it not only bore my substantial weight, it was slick as anything and nearly impossible to walk in without digging in your heels and praying. Then it was time to chip out the car again.

Then it was to the gas station for work and icing the sidewalks and wishing the people who'd come out for cigarettes, beer, and milk (oddly enough, no bread) well and to be careful in the craziness of the weather. My co-worker was nice enough to 1) take out the trash and crates I had left over from doing the cooler, since the dumpster area was icy and I am a complete klutz and 2) chipped out my car whilst on a smoke break.

After I came home I lit some candles and sat in the comfy chair. I wasn't cold yet or anything. The power eventually came on and I turned the computer back on and primed the aquarium filter. Then it was out again to pick A up from work. There were a lot of limbs down, and he was freaking as we went down Cooper Drive with all its low-hanging branches and old trees. The main roads weren't bad but the turn lanes and secondary roads were pure slush. I didn't dare pull into his driveway for fear of getting stuck. Then he climbed on all fours up the hill to his house, which was hilarious, but given the slickness, pretty smart. I thought the big maple tree he was under was going to get him. It's hard to bend down and keep your balance on ice, and I think that's about the time he dropped to all fours. But he got in safely, and so did I, and I'm glad to be in for the night. It seems to be raining now (rather than freezing rain), but it's supposed to change back to sleet and snow. We're supposed to get at least another couple of inches of snow by sometime tomorrow. Then the temperatures plunge. They've been steadily around freezing, but tomorrow night they'll be in the teens, so all the slush will turn to ice and the salt won't be as effective.

I would say it's time for a snow day. We'll see what it's like tomorrow. I'm not essential personnel at the hospital. But regardless, I have to work at the station, and A is essential personnel (I think) at his job, so I'll get him again around midnight, so I might as well go into work in the morning. I think if it's really bad someone from the hospital can come and get him, but I'm not sure if you're not just trapped there if that happens. :)

My ear is doing much better after days of pain and pressure. This evening the sense of pressure and fluid finally went away, and I can finally hear normally out of the ear. Not to be gross, but stuff that looks like crusty earwax is coming out of it, which hopefully means the infection is nearly over. (And no, I'm not digging in my ear, which is itching a lot...just occasionally cleaning the outside of the ear). I now have a great deal of sympathy with little kids who scream with earaches. It was terrible, probably the most painful illness I've ever had. I'm going to be much more careful about how I treat my ears and try to keep water out of them, too.

Well, that's enough. I'm catching up, as I obviously got my connexion back tonight. If you're in the winter storm area, I hope you stay safe and warm, and you have electricity and water. Be careful on those roads, too.