No calm before the storm

 

Quite a day, yesterday was.

But I knew that going into it.

I committed to teaching at CSB, which meant being up and out early to make the drive to Stratford.

Of course, construction on I-84 in Connecticut was the order of the morning, causing me to be late, but I still beat a few of the students so I'll take it as a push.

I also committed to another overnight depo job, as well as "Doubleheader."

So it was get up, get ready, drive to Stratford, teach for 3.5 hours, find some food, and get home in time for the radio show.

Google was misbehaving so the way I normally connect to WGCH wasn't working.

Still, the show went off with minimal issues, despite someone trying to call me on my cell during it for literally no reason.

Finally, at 5:15 p.m., after converting and editing the show for WON 920 The Apple, I chilled out for a few minutes.

No complaints. I hadn't slept much at all the night before, and I know Paul wanted to grab coffee, but beyond that, it was a hectic day that I had kept up with. I worried I would collapse but I really hadn't.

I was ready for the overnight gig to begin at 6 p.m. It's a little bit of a high wire act but it's fine when running smoothly. Despite thinking we'd be at it until two in the morning, I was told we'd be done much earlier.

The estimate was 9 p.m. The reality was 10.

In the end, it wasn't a day from hell after all. I got ready for bed. Because I'm trying to manage the use of heating oil in the house, let's just say I keep things cool most of the time and either pile on blankets or sweatshirts.

A small space heater ran nearby, set to turn off at a particular temperature.

It turned off, supposedly on cue.

But so did my Bose Wave Radio (a product of the 90s that Mr. Imus convinced me to get) and a power strip with the TV, as well as my nearby Alexa.

A fuse had blown.

No panic, I thought, as I heard the battery backup on the work computer setup beeping, meaning it, too, had lost power.

I went to the basement. Fifteen amp, Type S fuse. Slot number eight on the panel, according to the notes my mother wrote up.

I love the fact that she noted one as being near "Daddy's chair," keeping in mind it hasn't been his chair since 1989. But, as I've always said, it really was his.

But I reached a very unfortunate conclusion: we were, shockingly, out of that type of fuse.

"Shockingly." See what I did there? This is the content you come here for.

Welp. There was no way I was going to Home Depot or Lowe's at that time. Nothing was open.

And the latest edition of Snowmageddon was on the way.

I plotted. I "MacGyver'd." I just wanted to get through the night.

Lowe's -- down the Taconic Parkway in Yorktown Heights -- had plenty of fuses in stock and they open at 6 a.m. We've got this.

So, let's grab an extension cord and run the work computer to a working outlet. That will keep it running overnight. 

A portion of the house will just have to stay dark, but it's a few lights. We'll be OK.

I slept. Not great, so I was ready when Alexa told me to get up. I threw some clothes on, wiped the sleep out of my eyes ("Daydream Believer"), and got on the dark and slightly busy southbound parkway.

Lowe's was a success. I got a couple of packages to have backups. I even stopped and grabbed breakfast, with a nice big cup of coffee.

I felt OK but still nervous.

And, with good reason. At first, the fuse wouldn't...er...light.

Now I worried. I could text Mick. Maybe I'd email him. I don't want to worry him. I also don't want him to worry me with a potentially hefty bill to fix this!*

*EDITOR'S NOTE, the cost would have been for materials, not Mick's labor. The author was not clear -- Ed.

I went back to the fuse box. I tightened the fuse again, hearing my father's voice about not overtightening.

Voila. The garage lit up. A pre-Christmas miracle! Or I'm just a 365-day-per year idiot who didn't tighten a ******* fuse!

Oh, did I mention that I had to have this all done by 10 a.m. so that I could work again?

The snowblower will hopefully work later. I brought the garbage cans inside. The car, thankfully, is also safe and dry, for once. The driveway awaits the SNOWPOCALYPSE!

Snow puns for the win, amiright, Susan?

Along with pictures of snow-covered patio furniture!

Also, I hate snow.

But I'm home safe and sound, so I guess, let it snow.