Old Man Winter is a Bitch

I couldn’t resist doing the prompt this morning but I also want to catch up on my complaining.

Last time I wrote, the propane company was giving me the run-around. They showed up on Wednesday just moments after my niece dropped off my grandnephew for a visit while she went to the dentist. He’s 2 1/2 and loves trucks so it was pretty exciting to stand on the couch and watch this huge truck back in, beeping. I was very happy: not only playing with my grandnephew but getting the delivery, too.

My niece picked him up at 3:20. I went into work an hour later and worked until 9:00. The next morning I was supposed to be in at 10:00 on cash.

It started out sunny but lake effect squalls blew up. These don’t show up on the radar as intense as they are, so I started out for work figuring they would die down In a few hours.

When I got out to the highway I was in a total white-out. You could not see a thing; up, down or sideways. It was as if a white blanket was thrown over the windshield.  I started the “ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod……”  mantra, gripped the steering wheel and strained to see anything that would give a clue to where the road was. I saw the headlights of a transport truck only when it was very close. As it went by, my little car was blasted by it’s wake.  I was almost in tears looking for next road so I could turn around and go home. Peering into swirling whiteness and then..  yikes! I’m right beside it!  I did a quick turn and skidded into the snow bank but quickly recovered, (Thank God I bought this car with snow tires!)   I was still praying as I turned back on to the highway hoping a transport wouldn’t be coming up behind me.

I was shaking when I got home but so, so happy to be there.  Called into work; they were good. Turned on my heat, stoked up my fire and had a very relaxing afternoon. Lake Effect Streamers like this come in bands with sunshine in between. There were moments I was sitting in the sun going “YAY!”, so happy I did get the white -out to make me turn back and not forge on. At the time I would’ve been coming home it was just as bad or worse.

Today I’m working 2:45 to 7:45 (the cash shifts run like clockwork). It’s so cold……. record-breaking cold. It’s supposed to start snowing tonight and more tomorrow. Yep, I’m really, really sick of it.

I want to take the rest of the month off, please.

The Answering Machine!

Yes, the answering machine. The greatest thing since; “Sliced Bread.”

I hate to talk on the phone. I dislike chit-chat of any kind; “flapping your lips in the breeze” an old teacher used to say.  Say what you have to say and then say good-bye.  None of this, “What are you doing?” (stop and talk to me)

The telemarketers never reach me. Now there is ‘call display’ which is worth every penny. If I don’t recognize the name, I don’t pick it up. (And it gives me a moment to prepare if it’s from work or the ex.)

It was a very happy day when I found out I could turn off the chat on Facebook.  I would only go on very early in the morning for fear I’d get the pop-up. “HI! what are you doing?”  Seriously? I’m on the computer on Facebook, obviously.  Then try to have a conversation by typing; oh, yeah, drag it out long and slow. It’s not on for my dearest friends because they know I hate to chit-chat. If something is going on, I’ll post it.

It’s not so bad these days with cordless phones but back in the day when you where tethered to the phone by a 3 foot cord, it was torture. I guess that’s the roots of my phone phobia. We had a business so people called us all the time; when the answering machine came into being, it was such a blessing!  ‘Just leave a message and we’ll get back to you’….. YES!

Now I rarely answer the phone. With e-mail and Facebook I can keep in touch with my friends easily.

Just say what you have to say and keep it succinct. The answering machine whittles down all the B.S. and just gets to the point.

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Sliced Bread.”