Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Everything Will be All Right, Tonight

Here is a bench next to a tree and behind some flood water.

First of all, I need to name the next Saturday Scavenger Hunt word maker upper. I think I'll choose Laura B. at My Boring Life blog. 'Kay?

Next, I think I should warn you that I'm in kind of a weird space. Things have been so bizarre the last week, that it's hard to process. Our town feels like a ghost town too. On Friday there was this mass exodus out of town on Governor Street and now it's quieter than I've ever seen it. You can even find a parking space downtown. No, really. I'm not kidding.

Another thing that feels odd, is the fact that the University shut down for a week. It rarely ever closes. I think before this year, it may have closed for bad weather once in like twenty years. When people call us during an ice or snow storm to see if we're holding classes, the guy who works behind me always tells them that we would only close at the threat of nuclear war. Now, we have a paid week off and it feels surreal.

Of course, it's wonderful that the waters are receding and we're not the first article on every news website anymore. At this point, I'm not so worried about the creek overflowing its banks either. It's not supposed to rain until Friday and the weather pattern we have right now is for non-humid temps in the seventies and eighties - in other words, perfect. The thing I didn't count on, is how kind of lost I feel after waiting for a worst case scenario that never happened.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. It's just that I'm used to the worst case scenario. I expect it. In my world, when my daughter gets sick, she has meningitis, when I take a quaint Sunday buggy ride, there is a horrible accident and my baby ends up in a cast, if there is a nasty storm, it turns into a tornado and takes the roof off of my house. This whole pretty good case scenario is uncharted territory for me. I find myself waiting for the next shoe to drop. What am I going to do with my gallons and gallons of bottled water? What will it be like to go to a grocery store that's actually stocked with food? Incidentally, did you know that peanut butter is the first thing to sell out when there's a flood? I didn't. It makes sense because you don't have to refrigerate or cook it, but it was still news to me. What is the etiquette when there's no need for them, after calling all your friends with trucks and asking them to be on stand-by in case you have to evacuate? Do I call them back and give them the all-clear?

Anyway, today was just a strange day for me. The town felt lonely and quiet...Too quiet. I kept waiting for the Indian warriors to come riding over the plains, ready to attack. Just like it always happened in all the bad Westerns I used to watch. Is it possible that sometimes things turn out just fine after all? Weird.

17 comments:

rel said...

Churlita,
It seems your luck it is a-changin! :)
As the waters recede and your neighbors return, the proper etiquette is to invite all your truckr friends over for a thanks-for-bein'-there party.
Knowing you were there gave me a reason to watch the news everyday....which I rarely do.
rel

Anonymous said...

Seems like maybe you were due for a pass. This is good. You deserve the break from the sounds of it..bad luck seems to ride next to you.

The guy at work will now have to change his line during the next ice storm to include nuclear war and/or mass flooding. Glad to hear things might get better finally.

fringes said...

Thank God you never lost Internet connection!

Mrs. Hairy Woman said...

Yup it's okay to think happy thoughts... it's good to know your friends are there for you when you need them.. I agree with Remiman invite them over for a thanks for being there party.. Now nothing could go wrong there....

NoRegrets said...

Have you read, oh crap, the movie about the marines who were stationed in Iraq I think but never got pulled into combat? You should read it. Jarhead, that's it. The book was great. I'm not sure I'd want to see the movie, except of course for Jake running around in just a santa's hat...

DJSassafrass said...

I hear you--I was having a very rough time with everything and I am not even there anymore...still, that is HOME and I really want to be there. I'll email you soon. I've been thinking about you!

Tara said...

That sunny photo is optimistic, even with the flood water nearby. Our school doesn't usually shut down for weather either. The last snow day we had was last year for that Valentine's Day storm. Oh and the one we had this year around the same time they closed the school on Saturday.

I do hope that the stupid weather behaves for you. At least you won't dehydrate with all of the bottled water you've got! :)

Susan said...

This is slightly off topic but I've never understood the "shoe drop" thing. In my head it's been about Cinderella losing one of her shoes and having to limp/walk home but things turned out well for her.

Yes, I realize how silly this is but it's how it goes inside my mind.

Minyo said...

Happy Dance! for the flood not kicking you out of your home. You could freeze all that water and use it to chill the beer that you are going to have at the party for all your friends with trucks :)

Try and relax and enjoy the "ghost town" experience...and stock up on some peanut butter for next time (if there is a next time).

Poptart said...

I can think of times living in IC when I wished it was a ghost town. You are doing fine. It is weird to drop all the the things that occupied your thoughts for the past week - don't sweat it and enjoy your time off. Yeah, have that party and drink all the water!

Also, are all your running routes under water?

Mr Atrocity said...

I'm so happy you seem to have escaped scot-free this time. You've earned it; when you've adjusted to the novelty of it all try to have some fun with your free bonus holiday.

MrManuel said...

Takes a while to get back on track after something like that. No worries. It is normal.

Nate said...

That ole *fight or flight* syndrome can wear ya out, especially when the fight or flight never happens.

And since you're a good mom looking out for your kids, I'm sure it was extra stressful.

Gotta ride the adrenaline low after the adrenaline high.

I'm glad this worked out as ok as it did for you. The power has been off in my place since 5 yesterday, but after seeing what's been going on in your neck of the woods, I'm not even sweating it.

laura b. said...

I am so glad you are dealing with how to handle the calm after the storm, rather than dealing with a disaster. Yay for good news!

Margaret said...

the fates always know how to bring the suprise

i'm glad you and your girls came out alright

booda baby said...

Oh, but it's a good weird! I have a friend who had to stay in NYC because he couldn't get back from CR to IC.
That was pretty weird, too.

Keep that water - you never know when an earthquake's going to happen.

So so SOOOOO glad you're safe and happy! Are the rains gone now?

TLB said...

Glad the river is going down and the creek is holding. You deserve a break. I'm sure when you get back to work it's going to be a big ol' mess, but for now, relax and enjoy the time off.