Spooked

I'm not one who gets all worked up when the meteorologists begin flipping out about winter storms. I've lived in Oklahoma long enough to know that the weather around here is too unpredictable to panic about 5 days out. BUT one thing that does get me a little wiggy is ice storms. I grew up in Kansas and I remember one, maybe two, ice storms. In Kansas you get snow. And I mean SNOW. I remember making intricate tunnel systems in the snow drifts.

Anyway...back to the ice. Two years ago we got a devastating ice storm that knocked out power to our city (those of you who read here, just follow along, you remember this event...well). Ever since that terrible ice storm, I get a little spooked about ice storms. Here's why. The 2007 ice storm knocked out our power for 10 days. TEN days. Ten. I won't give you the day-to-day run down of how awful those 10 days were. But here are a few highlights.

Had a 3 month old, 2 year old and 4 year old.

Had returned from maternity leave the week before and now was asking for time off (in the midst of a crisis at work--hospitals losing power is considered a crisis in the PR world).

The first two days the stomach bug made it's way around our family.

Felt completely guilty for invading my sister's home for 10 days.

Did I mention the 3 month old that wanted to nurse 24/7.

We were without power for so long that the news reports weren't even reporting on it anymore and the electric company had disconnected the "emergency outage line." We were on the "well, we'll get to you when we get to you." Oh--and did I mention that we live right smack in the middle of town. We weren't out in the country--but there were rural areas that had power before we did.

Anyway, this storm that is rolling in today may be bad, but even if we lose power, I still don't think it would be as bad the one two years ago. For one, I don't work anymore and secondly, the kids are older--that will help. But still--when they say "Ice Storm" I get a little spooked.

Spooked like a cat in a yard full of dogs.