Omaha Blizzard

[Jim Redelfs]

So much for my "invincible" 4x4 pickup. <sigh>

It's intact and probably undamaged but I just spent the last 1-1/2 hours
digging it out at the end of my driveway.

I am off work today (work Saturday) and my Qwest van is in the shop in
downtown Elkhorn (Elkhorn until 2pm, anyway). I went there to see if I could
help pick up parts. The shop is closed.

I drove off the beaten path simply trying to leave their parking lot. That
was enough to convince me that, if I got the truck unstuck, I would head back
home. I finally got out of the two holes in the mud that the pickup's front
wheels had dug and headed back to Chapel Hill.

Backing into my driveway (common approach, long story) the pickup became
stuck, halfway into the street. A bunch of snowblower and shovel work,
combined with a bucket of sand spread under the tires and their intended path,
got me/my truck safely back into the driveway and well off the street. It's
now slowing being buried by the accumulating snow.

I hope this finds you in a warm, dry and safe place. Stay there.

[johnkool]

I am wondering if I still have a job after today.

The company I work for has a policy of "behavior modification points"
for absences and failure to call within 2 hours of scheduled start time.
Each late arrival over 6 minutes is 2 points. Unplanned absence for any
reason is 4 points. (so I had a practice of "if 10 minutes cost me 2
points, I may as well take the day for 4")

24 points is automatic termination.

Failure to call at all or failure to call within 2 hours of scheduled
start time is 12 points.


I was scheduled to work at 8 am. Left home at 6:30. Made it to within
about 6 blocks by 8:10 and spent over 50 minutes behind a semi that
could not make it up a hill.

Police directed traffic to turn around and drive the wrong way on the
divided street. By then, conditions had deteriorated to the point that
it was hard to see the road and a blizzard warning had been extended to
include Omaha until 6pm.

I drove towards home in Plattsmouth. Hwy 75 was especially bad after
entering Sarpy County. If it weren't for some reflector fence posts on
either side of the road, I may not have known where I was driving.

I drove to a gas station and got a ride home in their 4 wheel drive
service truck.

Did not get home until 12:30 pm. If they don't "forgive" the late call
at work, I will have accumulated enough points to lose my job.

I guess, in hindsight, I should have invested in a usually unneeded cell
phone.