It Was A Dark and Stormy Night...

No really it was... but I'm going to start at the beginning, before the night and before the storm.

I went to my first Mary Kay workshop on Saturday. The day was filled with great inspiration (there were like 6 pink Cadillacs in the parking lot) and fun girlie time (everyone seemed genuinely nice).  It was also wonderful to get out of the house for something other than grocery shopping and minus the kiddies. Any way I decided to go even with the looming winter fall storm.  How bad could it be?  It's October for goodness sakes!  When I left early that morning I ran out with out an umbrella or a coat and of course wearing a cute dress and heals... Have an idea where this is going?

Around 1 or so the heavy wet snow started.  I didn't worry much, I've driven in snow before and around 3 it seemed to be tapering off. Well around 4:30 when I was ready take the hour drive home it had started up again.  I wasn't worried about walking through the parking lot with no coat, or sloshing through slush in my heals. It was trying to dig out my car with no coat and heals that really... You know! Once I got my car out of the parking lot I figured I was home free... Not so much.

After driving very slowly for about 2 hours I was starting to breath easier knowing I was just fifteen minutes away from home. Closer to home... Great news! Except for the fact that I live in a heavily wooded area.  Beautiful in the fall, dangerous when heavy snow is causing trees to fall down. I was driving carefully, literally watching huge branches break away from their trunks. I thought I was in the clear, now only ten minutes from home, until I came to a fallen tree blocking my path. A careful u-turn and directions from my navigation sent me down a narrower and less plowed street. I drove along this road for a good twenty minutes until I came to another fallen tree. So as you're probably guessing, I'm now scared.  The tree branches are hanging so low the leaves are brushing the windshield as I drive, and I must have passed at least two trees leaning on power lines.

One more u-turn and more directions from my navigation send me down a street I had no business driving on. You know how your gut tells you turn back... Well, I should have listened. I was praying hard as I have drove and half slid down this tiny steep street. Then I saw the trees (yes trees in the plural sense) lying across the street.  On a dry day or even just a rainy day I'd have had time to stop, but on this day all I did was slide. I summoned all my knowledge way back from drivers-Ed about not slamming on breaks and I suppose this stopped me from spinning and sliding into or over the guard rail. Luckily I didn't slam hard, and wasn't injured at all, just really shaken.   I don't think I've actually ever shaken uncontrollably like that before.

Anyway a very nice tow truck driver came to my aide.   We had to leave my car due to a combination of more fallen trees, narrow streets, and snow.  I didn't care, I was just glad to not be alone anymore.  After a few hours at a gas station, and countless phone calls to cab companies (one who actually laughed when I told them I needed a ride) my mommy came to rescue me for the second time that night.  Hubby wasn't able to come get me because A. We share a car, the same car stuck in the fallen tree on the road and B. he had our babies and there is no way I'd have let him bring them out in that weather to come get me. So my mommy came... She drove a good 1 1/2 hours to get to me. (side bar, mommies always come to the rescue... Don't they?)

I stayed with my mom that night and in the morning she drove me to retrieve my car (she deserves a metal right?).  The closer we got to my house the more we saw just what the storm had left. There were so many power lines down, and trees and branches were scattered everywhere.   I couldn't help but notice how blue and peaceful the sky was.  Isn't it always like that after a storm?

My car, some how survived with only a few scratches (they fit in well with the other scratches that already live on my car).  Just after I got my, hubby called to see how I was making out and to inform me that we and no power.   Wonderful!  When I got home I was just so happy to be back with my family that my cold house didn't matter.

We decided to try and find a room since for us no power not only means no heat, but no water as well. Has anyone out there ever tried to find a room when there is a power outage?   It's nearly impossible.  We finally found a room at a B&B near us. We stayed until Monday and even got home in time to do some late trick or treating.

Crazy weekend right? Now, this blog isn't named Rosey Glasses for nothing. I like to try and find the good in things, and it's helpful to me, when I'm going through a stressful time to remember that it could always be worse.

So on the bright side:

1. Munchkin got to take a "trip" (something he's been asking for ever since hubby went away on business)
2. I didn't have my babies with me on that snowy slippery night (I am and will continue to be thankful for this).

4.  I was able to give some glamour goodies to the nice ladies who worked at the Inn.
5. Our power is already back on... Some won't have power till the end of the week.

Thanks for reading my vent... I'll continue the Home Tour on Thursday, and add an update on our Tot School too! Today I need to rest and reclaim the mess that is taking over my house.

Oh yeah.. Little Bear is now a walking boy! We are so excited, first steps warm my heart on even the coldest day.