First Snow Storm of the Year!

Current Tune: Tere Bina – Guru

The last few days have gone by like a whirlwind. There is a lot that has happened with us, and its amazing how quickly it has flew by.

Midwest Gets Hit with the 1st Snow Storm of the Year!
There was a feeling since the beginning of the week that there would be a snowstorm on Thursday/Friday, but I don’t think anyone was really aware that it was going to hit this hard:!: Neeraj and I smartly completed all of our major grocery shopping on Wednesday night, thinking that if there this level of murmur going around about a storm, its better to be prepared than to be wishing that we should have been. It rained throughout the night on Wednesday turning into freezing rain and ice on Thursday morning. As we reached the office, the talk was just about the weather.

Then there was a bulletin: office is closing at 2 pm due to the winter weather warning. That doesn’t happen that often in the Midwest in any company. Neeraj and I knew that this was serious so we headed out just like the rest of the people at 2. There was a huge pile of ice on our Sonata, and it took us a good half hour to scrape and use the de-icer to get rid of it. The temperature was around freezing, and my hands could feel it. Our commute back to our home isn’t as bad as our colleagues, so we reached home in a mere 5 minutes.

That afternoon and night it remained with freezing rain pouring down turning into snow after midnight. It was becoming a bit worrisome on how it was going to be on the first day of December (Friday). Neeraj had gotten the Employee Hotline number so that we could call in the morning to find out if the office is open. Friday morning we had about 6 inches of snow, and it was still coming down:!: We called to find out what was happening in the office, and there was a delay in opening. The building would open at 10am, and it was up to the discretion of the manager on whether his/her staff should come in. Soon after my manager called and said that he was stuck, and he didn’t expect me to come in. Neeraj’s manager was also working from home, so we both ended up just doing the same.

My brother Suraj ended up not going into the office either. In Morton there was 10 inches of snow:!: This is an unusual case, it never snows that much there. After trying to shovel the driveway, he is regretting not taking that snow blower when I told him to.

Family News
Wednesday morning, we received the news that my eldest thoujee, Bade Papa, passed away. Mumma had called me while I was at the office, and then when I got a chance to call her back her and Papa were already headed to Chicago. Bade Papa is my Papa’s eldest brother, and he did have quite a few health problems, but in recent days he seemed in good health. Bade Papa lived with his son. daughter-in-law, and their two kids in Chicago. As Mumma and Papa headed to Chicago to be with the family, they knew that the weather was going to get pretty bad the next day.

Bade Papa may you rest in peace.

Granted, my father doesn’t have the best car to drive, but at this time we haven’t had the chance to get him another one. There was one good thing that was done due to my cousins pushing which was that Papa got the front tires, which I hear was in pretty bad condition, changed at my chacha’s gas station. After the funeral in the afternoon on Thursday, the parents began to make the supposedly three hour trek back to Springfield. But the weather changed into ice just about an hour and half into the drive. That three hour drive became a driving nightmare as they reached home in six hours instead of three:!: Their car spun 360 degrees twice on the three way highway just 25 miles from Springfield. It was a very scary time for my parents, and even for us as we sat worried just praying to Mata Rani that they reach safely home.

Thank goodness that they did – but the level of ice and snow was tremendous in Springfield as well. They came home to no electricity, and it took a good 15 hours before it was restored.

But all is well. The main important thing is that they are safe and healthy. Only Mata Rani is to thank for that.

Next Post: Move Reviews: Dhoom 2 and Vivah

Alvida. Jai Mata Di.