Snow day...

OK - remember, if I there was a Santa, I was going to get a "snow day" because it was exactly what I wanted for Christmas???? Here is the story of how yesterday played out...

When I found out about out our "snow policy" on Monday - I called my two Tuesday testers and let them know if Appleton schools closed, we would be closed. No problem.

We also had a "room rental" for the first time since I was here. Basically a local business was renting out our facility so I checked on how to handle it. Was told they had been contacted, to post a sign on the door when I left on Monday saying "closed due to weather" and if I came in, take it down. Cool. Easy. I can do that.

Left work - TOTALLY ANTICIPATING A DAY TO LAZE AND GET STUFF DONE! Lisa and Danielle came over and we had a couple of drinks and watched the snow fall and planned what we would do on our "snow day" the next day!

Tuesday, 6:00 a.m. - Heard Appleton Schools were closed on radio!
Tuesday, 6:10 a.m. - Brittany plopped into my room to announce that there was no school and she was going back to bed.
Tuesday, 6:12 a.m. - Got a text from a friend about "playing" on our snow day... lunch... some decorating... starting to make plans
Tuesday, 6:15 a.m. - Get a call from my plow buddy, Travis... knows I usually need to be plowed by 7:15 to make it to work but if I didn't need him, he was swamped. Told him no worries, he had all day!
Tuesday, 6:16 a.m. - Back to dreamland!
Tuesday, 6:33 a.m. - Phone call... uh oh... (608) are code. Madison. Not Good, Corporate. It was my HR guy saying that "someone" needed to open the office for the room rental, they had not been contacted and had people here from out of state. I needed to be there by 8 a.m. Told him OK, nicely. Hung up and moaned loudly!!! uggggggghhhhhh Darn snow!! How can the word SNOW sound so lovely in "Snow Day" and so annoying in "Snow Removal"???
Tuesday, 6:35 a.m. - Texted friends that snow day plans were off... sad thing.
Tuesday, 6:38 a.m. - Looked out front window and realized that there was about 3 1/2 feet of snow at the end of my driveway and that there was no way I was backing over it to get to work and letting Travis clean up the mess later... double uggggghhhhh
Tuesday, 6:45 a.m. - started shoveling, got a nice section done (note: very heavy wet snow, not the fluffy white stuff) where I could just ease the car through after about 20 minutes. Stood back to rest and contemplate my work and think that the positive side was I just got some excercise. No lie... the snow plow comes down the street again and I look right in his eyes as he completely fills in what I had just shovelled. (I know that he got some preverse pleasure out of that, I could just tell!) At this point, I told myself, "Colleen, when are you gonna learn - there is no Santa Claus!)
Tuesday, 7:10 a.m. - start shovelling again!! My neighbor, Al happened down with his snowblower - thank god! He did the heavy stuff and I did the front walk. Aaron (precious child) got up to help and first thing commented that he had seen the snow plow incident and the look on my face said that I wanted to kill the driver... (I was slightly embarrassed about this, but just slightly!) Al finished the driveway (saved me $15 for the plow job, still looking for the good in this) and Aaron and I headed over to help the older neighbor lady shovel hers.
Tuesday, 7:30 a.m. - Hit the shower...
Tuesday, 7:58 a.m. - Made it to work on roads that had hardly been plowed - 2 minutes ahead of time to find out that our snow removal service knows that if Appleton Schools are closed, we are closed and they had delayed out snow removal til later in the day assuming there was not hurry. Suffice to say that no one was happy to walk in 6 inches of snow and I had more than my fair share of shovelling AGAIN!!

I did miss the day lazing in my jammies and hanging out with the kids...The plus side is - it was an exceptionally slow day other than locating a business that would deliver them lunch! I was told I could leave but a tester had been really disappointed that they could not test so I rescheduled and figured as long as I was there, what the heck? My boss recommended I spend the day getting my online Christmas shopping done and gave me a half day to take at my discretion yet before Christmas - (score!! ok, so maybe there is a Santa?) I had thought to throw mom's quilt in, got a ton done on it while listening to Christmas music and watching the snow fall, my neighbors came again and removed the second batch of snow and plow droppings, Brittany made Christmas cookies and did laundry and baked chicken, Aaron shovelled the deck and around the hot tub... hmmmmm... maybe being at work wasn't so bad??

The best news... I have been worried to death about renting the long arm to finish mom's quilt - it has been booked for moths with everyone completing Christmas projects...
Called the quilt store... last minute cancellation!!! With my bonus day, I will be able to rent the long arm machine 12/22, mom is going to meet me there and watch and assist with the completion, we are going to have Christmas girls dinner together to catch up and enjoy each other before the busy holiday! I am so excited - mom's quilted portion should be done on Dec. 22!!! There will only be the binding to do and am hoping to complete it on the 23rd on my planned, leisurely day off before Christmas and (knock on wood) it should be wrapped and ready for delivery on Christmas morning!! Just like I planned - ha!!!

There is NO planning... is there? But the unexpected surprise of a 1/2 day when I want it and someone else taking care of the snow, Christmas cookies?? Not a bad trade off, all things considered!! AND the snow sure is pretty today... when I don't have to think about moving it!!

Sure is good for a laught today! I can just hear the snow plow driver telling his story about me also! :D

Have a great day!!