Before I tell you about the weather conditions here, I have to tell you a bit about Western Washingtonians and extreme weather. As everyone knows, we get a lot of rain here and not much else. We have a short-and-not-so-hot summer, a short-and-not-so-cold winter and about 10 months of moderate, rainy days. However, last summer was quite a bit warmer than usual for quite a bit longer. And this winter, well, it’s turning out to be a bit more like a winter than we usually experience.
The thing is, we really don’t do well with actual seasons here in Western Washington. And snow is just not something we deal with at all. So when the pile-up on my porch railing reached a foot a couple of days ago, you can imagine the state of chaos around me.
For the most part, no one is going anywhere. This is especially true in my neighborhood where the small hill leading to the main road suddenly seems like a 45 degree ice rink. From my porch, I can watch (and hear) folks trying to make it to the top. They put the accellerator to the floor and slip, slide and screech, just praying to get up those extra twenty feet or so that means they have made it out.
Personally, I’m mostly happy being snowed in. Between painting, reading (currently: There’s No Place Like Here
For my first ride (my car is a late 80s VW Rabbit so even if the axle wasn’t shot I wouldn’t be trying to drive it in a foot of snow), I called my usual taxi guy. He said he had studs on his car (as usual he had to make a pun, something about charging a stud fee) and could pick me up at 9 AM for my 9:30 AM appointment. Excellent. And that part of the journey was fine. I got to the doctor safely. But when I called him to pick me up, he was stuck two towns over and said it would be after noon before he could come get me.
I am not much for patience, so I decided to call around. The first cab company I called is – I learned later – a one-woman company. And this woman is a complete you-know-what. According to the cabbie I ended up riding with, she has some sort of local following of folks who enjoy being talked to like pieces of dirt. Here’s how my conversation with her went:
Me: Hi. Are you running in Silverdale today?
Her (shortly): Yeah. Maybe. Where are you and where do you need to go?
Me: From the hospital to Walgreens.
Her with a sigh: There is a $20 minimum out of town fee.
Me: Those are in the same town.
Her with irritation and another sigh: But I am in Bremerton.
Me: Oh. Well that’s no problem.
Her: BIG sigh and raising her voice a bit: Okay. Well it’s going to be at least 12:30 before I can pick you up because there are EIGHT people ahead of you.
Me: Nevermind. I’ll try someone else.
She seemed extremely pissed that I was okay with the out of town fee and I realized that I had no desire to give her any money – even if she had a car and I did not. I don’t understand. I thought maybe she was simply stressed because of the weather, but the guy I ended up riding with said that’s how she always is. I don’t expect someone to be my best friend, but if you own a small business like that you think you’d want to at least provide polite customer service. Oh well.
The cabbie I ended up with was great. He was driving the family 4 wheel drive instead of his usual cab because of the weather. Also, when we stopped at Walgreens on the way to my house, the battery died. Because he didn’t have his normal cab, he didn’t have jumper cables. Of all the twenty or so people inside the store with their own cars, only one had jumper cables. I thought that was very strange. One of the first things my dad taught me when I started driving was to never be without jumper cables. Thank God for that one woman.
I did end up getting home safely, albeit quite a bit poorer due to three stops and two cab rides. I should be with my family tonight for Christmas Eve, but I’m still stranded. My dad offered to come get me, but I have a menagerie of cats and don’t want to get stuck there overnight. Why the menagerie? That’s another good story.
My best friend was supposed to fly to Winnipeg with her son this morning. Due to this ridiculous weather, her flight was cancelled. She only got as far as her mom’s house three miles away. Now her flight is scheduled for tomorrow and it’s a fingers-crossed situation. It’s warming up, but the weather report says that it is supposed to start snowing again and not stop until tomorrow night. I just hope she gets out of here and over there safely.
I generally love snow, but after a week full of it I’m definitely done. I want it to clear up so I can go see my family. I called them today, but it’s just not the same. Right now they are probably all gathered around the tree at my dad’s, listening to Christmas music and eating our usual Christmas Eve smorgasboard of dinner and snacks. I always welcome a white Christmas, but this will be the first time in my life I have spent Christmas Eve or Christmas alone. I decided this morning that it is enough to know that I have so many people out there who love me. Even if I can’t be with them, I know they are there and I will see them soon.
Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it and Happy Holidays to everyone else. I hope that – wherever you are – you are counting your blessings and loving those who love you. Even if you can’t be with them.
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