Yesterday, the temperature dipped into the low 30s by 4 p.m., while I was still at work (my paying "day" job), and the sprinkling of rain began. By 10 till 5, it was 30 degrees and ice was accumulating on vehicles in the parking lot. I called to let Angel know I was braving the weather to get home.
I figured the normal 30 minute cross-town commute would take about 45 minutes instead, if I took the highway feeder roads. Then the sleet mixed with snow starting falling, at times quite hard.
Two hours later, I was still stuck in traffic and laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. You see, Austin never gets snow, rarely gets ice. And in February??? The last time we got any accumulations in February in Austin was 1985!
I had to drive between 5 and 15 mph, tapping on the brakes every few feet to give myself the impression I had some traction on the road. When every other tap produced a slight sliding effect, I was not comforted. By the time I got off the highway and onto back roads, where it was really icy, I was in full praying mode. Eventually, I made it home.
So Angel and I are watching the weather at every opportunity, wondering whether our oldest son would be attending school the next day (today). There was no doubt when we woke up. Ice was still everywhere...and now it was in the 20s!
No school and no work, nothing that had been planned occurred today.
Tomorrow is supposed to creep above the freezing mark, so life should get back to something resembling "normal" -- at least by late morning!
That's all for now...
Best Wishes,
Allen
