Snowed In...

I wasn't planning on this.  Yeah, I know - Nor'easter.  What was supposed to be 1-3 inches of snow on ground that wouldn't be cold enough to cover has turned to 4-8 inches (give or take, the numbers vary).

I'm in a Dunkin Donuts in Hopewell Jct, NY (or East Fishkill, or whatever).

The story has to start somewhere.  Let's got back a few hours.

With the storm a-coming, I checked the website for Sean's school to see if he had an early dismissal.  Tonight was our usual Wednesday dinner night, but I check anytime.  Just want to know what's going on with him.

So it turns out that his school was going to have a full day, but would have no after school activities.  So that meant no "aftercare", which is what kids go to after school.  They do their homework, have a snack, and play.  It's not my favorite way for him to go, but it does give him somebody to play with.  It's a reality of having parents who both work, or other circumstances.

I left home around 2:45 to get to him around 3:30.  That should have been enough time, even with some snow on the roads.  Streets near me were OK, and the Taconic Parkway wasn't bad as I started going north.

I entered the higher elevations on the Taconic, through Clarence Fahnestock State Park, and approached the exit for NY Route 301, when I saw the tail lights.  Sure, I thought, we have to slow down for the first of two hills - one that goes past the old ski slopes, and the other down past Hortontown Hill Road.  Initially, all went well...and then, as we prepared for the descent past Hortontown Hill Road, things...got...

Icy.

I saw cars sliding off onto the side road (it meets the TSP at an at-grade crossing) before returning.  A snow plow passed me in the left lane, which at least gave those of us in the right lane some hope (that included me).  I jumped into the left lane and, though I was doing only about five MPH and my right foot was shaking, I moved along and was at Sean's school at 3:45.

Poor Sean.  He was waiting for me to show up, and the school office made him call me to find out just where the heck I was.  Fortunately, I had just pulled into the parking lot.  It, of course, begs the question: what if I couldn't get to him (or his mother, or anybody else, for that matter)?  I mean - it's a nor'easter.  Stuff happens.

As for his mother, Sandi was leaving her job near Pleasantville around 4:00.  Sean and I drove to a local pizza place, not too far from their house.  We stayed there until about 5:45, when we walked through the same plaza to a Dunkin Donuts.

It is now 8:00.  Sandi is still stuck on the TSP.  Sean and I are still in the Dunkin Donuts.

I still have more driving to do tonight.  At least writing this post has given me something to do, after I wrigged up some wireless connectivity thanks to my cell phone.

But we're listening to radio station K-104 (top 40) blasting away, which is fine.  It's upbeat, and I very nearly had my first radio job there over 20 years ago.  But...I've heard the same couple of songs about three times now (including some dreadful auto-tune thing).

Ugh.