Snow and Driving....New England style

I heard at my staff meeting Tuesday that there was some winter weather headed our way. 8-14 inches supposed to start Wednesday morning at like 3am and last until Thursday at 1 am. So I considered packing a bag for work in case I wanted to stay over because I was working wednesday night and thursday morning. I decided against it as I was late running out the door. At about 2 pm I went outside brushed the five or so inches of snow off my car and headed out. I made it to work ok, the roads were a little rough there was no left lane driving on the highway, but the right lane was fine so no big deal. At 930 when it was time to go home I went out to start my car and brush another 6 inches of snow off my car. When I headed out to go home there were MANY times I should've paid attention to the red flags and turned around. When it took me 5 minutes to get down the street (which is two houses long) or when it took me 15 minutes to get up a quarter mile hill. But no, I made it all the way to the bottom of my own street in about 90 minutes and found out about 30 seconds later that I didn't have a chance in hell of making it up the road to my apartment. My little car gave it a valiant effort but 30 minutes later I quit, backed down a curvy snow covered dirt road and went back to work, where I slept. The best part is I woke up in the morning fully expecting an easy day with no school and found out the girls only had a 2 hour DELAY! Over a foot of snow and they get a delay, while I'm watching Cincinnati schools get closed for the third day in a row. So, I wore the same clothes all day, and just made it home to a hot shower and toothbrush about an hour ago. The roads this time were almost completely clear, craziness!!

Family time

I have definitely started getting into a routine, as much as possible anyway with my weird work schedule, and it's far more responsible then I thought I would be. I get my coffee ready to go the night before so I just have to press a button, have my lunch made and ready to grab out of the fridge and my clothes are usually laid out and if not at least picked out. I've really been enjoying my space and being on my own for the past couple weeks. On Friday I started getting a little antsy, and thought maybe I would hit up a local place get a beer, perhaps make a friend :). However, my cousin Brian and I decided an even better idea would be for me to immediately get into my car and make the three hour drive to maine for the night. With the next day off I thought sure, why not. We had a really good time, five minutes after we got to the bar, I got to surprise another cousin who lives in the area and happened to be at the same place that night. It was fun to be out someplace else, except that apparently people do not hate the steelers in every city. I thought it was just good common sense to hate them, but most of new england seems to want to route for them in the superbowl. Dumb!! But like I said we had a blast anyway, and i woke up on my cousins couch snuggled up to laila his big english bulldog and pretty much the coolest dog ever. The problem with impulsive is, i had to make that same three hour drive dog tired and kind of hung over the next day, and then work all day today. So right now I am going to put my pajamas and slippers on, pour a big glass of wine and watch the fresh snow fall because I don't have anything to do tomorrow.

quotes

I saw these quotes in the guidance office today and really liked them:

1. Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect. It means you decide to see past the imperfections.

2. Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.

The more time I spend at the school the more I think I would have really liked being a teacher, maybe someday

Loves it!!

What a day...

I kinda feel like today was one of those days that was supposed to happen on multiple days, know what I mean? I woke up in New Hampshire, after spending saturday cozy and comfy with movies playing and laundry getting done at my Aunt Erin's. Now I knew I had to work tonight, so waking up to snow was not a bonus moment. After a quick breakfast of oatmeal (made on the stove top), with real maple syrup in it and coffee I got on the road. Now remember how I mentioned that people thought I was nuts for not having snow tires, today I get it. Mom stop reading....I totally fishtailed on the highway, luckily most people heeded the forecasters advice to stay indoors so I was at that time completely alone on the road. I made it home in nowhere near record time, and only had time to grab a diet coke and a shower before I headed out the door for work. Five minutes down the road I saw a pickup truck coming the opposite direction go off the side of the road and flip their truck upside down. I immediately pulled over and was getting ready to get out when I noticed that, literally, everyone else had stopped too, so I was one of the few who got back in my car and continued down the road. I've been wondering all day if that makes me a bad person, but I had people depending on me on the other end, and me not showing up could have gone badly as well, so it probably works out. Then to top it off I spent most of the evening at a high school dance. WOW!! one more time WOW!! I actually saw a high school girl rocking a dress with BUTT CLEAVAGE!! I was constantly torn between staring at the hot chaperone, totally hot, and waiting for one of these girls to have their worst nightmare come true at any moment. I also saw a girl dressed to the nines, sit at a table and get out a book, loved that girl! I'm exhausted, gonna go sleep now! Maybe dream a little about the chaperone....

First week down

So it was a week ago today that I crossed the border into Vermont and my new life. With subzero temperatures outside, that are still dropping, I am cozy and warm in my apartment with sweatpants on, glass of wine in hand and the tv murmering in the background. So looking back at this past week I have learned that while many things are drastically different here, there are some things that will be the same no matter where I am. Some moments that stood out for me...Walking out of the post office, where the post man was amazingly friendly and helpful and showed lots of personal attention, turning around to see the tiny one room post office with a backdrop of huge dark mountains and realizing I am definitely not in Kansas anymore. The first time I went to the grocery store and checked out and realized that this state is WAY more expensive and that I need to learn to bargain shop. Hanging out in a high school where students call their teachers by their first name and listen to ipods while taking exams (not kidding). Having three seperate people go slack jawed in shock when I told them that no I did not have snow tires on my car. The living room dance party, which did in fact include flo rida and runway walking, that I participated in tonight in preperation for the high school dance I am attending on Sunday night (once again, not kidding). So I will leave you with that, the thought of me surrounded by kids in formal wear, wish me luck.

Back to school....

So on this chilly Vermont morning (-5 on my way to work, fyi) I went back to school. Rest assured it's exactly like you remember it. The junior high boys still wear coats that are way too big, and the girls wear clothes that make them look tougher then they feel. The high schoolers speak more loudly then they will ever again in their life in an effort to be heard. The part that is also the same but appreciated more now is the faculty. Every teacher I saw I instantly put a name from my high school to them. I saw Mr. Klinefelter, Mr Hubbard, Ms. Merrill and the ENTIRE secretarial gang. I also saw something we didn't have in the form of an extermely cute foreign language teacher. My situation also allows me to see the extra effort many of these people put in everyday to help kids out (good job teachers!!). On the flip side, this high school is so much cooler then mine ever was. The cafeteria is open all day so kids can run in and out for late breakfast snacks or just a cup of coffee or tea. There is a huge atrium where kids can hang out during free time that seems to be the center of the action in this school. The biggest difference which probably has a whole lot less to do with the actual high school and more to do with general location is that same sex couples can walk down the hall obviously together without any of the insults or laughing or even bullying that I am POSITIVE would have happened at my high school. It was a very cool thing to see. P.S. I know people want to hear about my job, but it won't happen on here. It's a danger to the people I work with as well as illegal to talk about it, sorry.

Moving in..

The drive itself wasn't too bad, although I did run into some serious weather up by lake Erie in Ohio (pictured below, and yes I know it's dangerous to take pictures while driving).

I will tell you this though, driving 14 hours by yourself will make your mind wander in ridiculous ways. I had to stop and reconsider all my bright ideas the next day when I was well rested and thinking straight. I spent the first night in Peru, NY with my aunt Sarah where she fed me a yummy dinner and a glass of wine by the fire before I knocked out. The next day I crossed lake Champlain on a ferry into Vermont, my new home state. After a quick meeting with my new boss I headed to my new apartment, which I had only seen pictures of. I unloaded my HEAVILY packed car and made myself at home, before I headed to the post office and grocery store. Since that little trip I haven't left my cozy little place, I have spent my time watching football, reading and setting up my new life, all by internet of course. I promise, however, after I start my new job tomorrow morning I will head off to explore this new world I have entered and will share whatever I find. Until then, everytime I feel a little sad or wonder at my decision I look out the sliding glass doors at the back of my apartment and see the vision below (only much better in person, I promise you). Wish me luck!!