Winter Wonder

Snow Detail 128, originally uploaded by mylilpip.

I have been threatening to leave Chicago for LA for more than six years now. Last night is one of the reasons why.

The After School program that I have been teaching for the last ten weeks ended yesterday. I was excited for the final day because I will no longer have to drive down to the south side.

It was about 2:00 pm when the snow began. I left my house around 2:45 pm. It was full on snow storm when I left. My trip that would normally take 30-40 minutes took 1 hour and 15 minutes. I didn't need to stay for the whole time since the students were having a celebratory party. I just needed to turn in their hours and say my goodbyes. That took about ten minutes.

Knowing that the weather wasn't going to get better soon, I took off immediately. It was slow going the whole way home. I traveled towards Lake Shore Drive only to find that the snow coming off the lake was fierce and interminable. Due to the back-up of traffic, I found myself reaching downtown at 5:00 pm...Rush hour(LOL).

If you can believe it, there were people that were actually in a major hurry. People were trying to cut over to faster lanes, driving too fast for the weather, and not signaling (a major Orpheus pet peeve).

We seasoned midwesterners and Great Lakers know that when the storms come, the traffic slows. And there ain't nothing you can do about it.

I finally made it home after a 2 hour and 20 minute journey (remember it took me 1 hour 15 minutes to get down to the south side).

It continued to snow despite my cursing and wishing. Steve and I had to go out and shovel. This was followed by more cursing. It was around ten pm that my cursing stopped when I saw that a plane at Midway skid off the runway into traffic and hit a car causing the death of a six year old.

It just goes to show you, things could always be worse.

P.S. The above photo was taken this morning at 6:30 am when I finished shoveling...Again.