Monday, January 26, 2009

Weather in Oklahoma

OK, I really should be working, but just have to tell this story. I will start with some background for non-Okies. When there are weather events here, people fall into one of a couple categories. You have the "Must go buy milk, TP, and bread" people that flock to the stories and prepare to hunker down - my Dad is the case in point. You have the over-reacting to the weather itself people who immediately are convinced that all must come to a stop even before the weather has started as this is the worst weather ever people--- as I think about it the schools in VA might be the best example, so maybe these aren't Oklahoma specific issues. Third, you people acknowledge there is weather and carry on about their day whatever it might be completely regardless of any weather event and are convinced they will proceed on regardless-- Brent is definitely in that group.

I try to create my own - reamain calm, we have milk, this is probably going to be fine, lets see how it goes group ---perhaps with a hint of the sceptism from Brent's group. This group also really likes to be snuggled up in their house so should the event occur they do try to return there and proceed snuggling if possible.

So, today Bill ( my FIL) calls around 11 to warn me that the ice building up outside is horrible and very very dangerous. I need to stay home the roads are a disaster and if I go out I will fall on my rear because everything looks fine, but it really is horrible. He volunteers to help pick up B and suggests that alternatively I have Brent do it when he leaves early (*Assumption by someone in a different weather group). I was instructed to call Brent and deliver similar warnings.

I did call Brent, and deliver proper warnings, but was skeptical and thinking that Bill was in the group two (aka VA schools group). Brent had been out and said the roads were pretty bad. He, as per his usual self, declined to change his day in any way feeling safest with the masses in the evening commute. This meant, I would probably need to go get B at some point.

I remained a bit skeptical about the weather as I hadn't seen any precipitation all day and OK weather is spotty. It can be quite horrible in one place and perfectly fine a few miles away. (Should possibly have started by mentioning OK weather really is pretty dramatic as we're at the intersection of several climate zones, you may have heard of the tornadoes?).

So, I decided to investigate as that was more fun than studying criminal law. I took my Netflix envelop and headed to the mailbox. I opened the door, looked around and sure enough everything looked fine. My first tentative step was stable and dry (probably sheltered by the rain gutters). With the next, yep, you guessed it, flat on my rump as predicted. (Hurts more that I was so very wrong and am otherwise perfectly fine). I preceeded to get the mail, call Brent and confess and discuss salting the driveway.

I preceded to salt the driveway in this very puffy black coat Bill had given us recently as of course the weather skeptic that I am I'd taken my regular long coat to the cleaners this morning......Possibly not the safest thing in my condition ,but no more spills and a lovely melting driveway so I can pick B up later and drive very very slowly to avoid all the crazy people out there that are still being skeptical or are rushing to get home or buy milk whatever.

In any case, this might be entitled weather skeptic learns a lesson or OK weather strikes again or for those legal folks out there..... a slippery slope! (Back to the books, I promise).

5 comments:

r said...

Ah, yes, Oklahoma weather. While I miss the tornado chasing, I definitely do NOT miss the crazy ice storms! I'll take the snowstorm we had last night over ice any day. I'm glad you were able to safely salt the driveway, and I hope you get everybody home safely before long.

Debra Dotter Blakley said...

Side comment from the mother of the mother-to-be: Pregnant women should not walk around on the ice!! Are you out of your mind? I wasn't even worried about you, thinking you were of the 'stay inside and read' group. oh my.

Summer said...

This is hilarious, b/c I know all of your groups intimately! But your mom is right, stay inside with your butt on the couch, not the sidewalk. ;-)

Jamie said...

I think all of Texas fits into the 2nd group. If there is even the threat of ice or more than a snow flurry prime time TV is interuptted all evening long to talk about how the commute may or may not be in the morning. And then in the morning, everyone has cancelled school and stays home from work. when 90% of the time, it is all fine by 10:00am.

Tracie said...

Ohhh Abbey!!! You even have a slope down to the mail box! Pregnant women should definitely stay inside. I can't believe after falling you went back out and salted the driveway. Hope you are feeling better today.

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