Stormy weather and family function
Jan. 5th, 2008 12:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
avanta7Spouse and I got on the road shortly after 4:00 AM Thursday for the long drive to Bakersfield, arriving at the church about twenty minutes before the service began. My uncle's funeral service was well-attended and very well done. The Catholic liturgy is not that far different from Methodist; most of the Mass felt comfortable and familiar like an old friend. After Mass and a beautiful eulogy delivered by Uncle George's oldest son, Jerry, we followed the limousines and the hearse to the cemetery for a short graveside service, then returned to the church for luncheon and visiting with family. I introduced spouse to all my cousins and aunts and uncles, and spent just a few minutes with each one in an effort to at least say hello to everyone. But with such a lengthy road trip still ahead, we had barely enough time to hug all the necks that needed hugging before we had to get back on the highway. We left shortly before 2:00 PM.
The storm caught us around 6ish; we were passing through either Merced or Stockton, I'm not sure which. Spouse and I had traded off driving, and I had been sleeping. By the time we reached Sacramento, the rain had eased off enough that we could stop in Roseville to have dinner and do a little shopping. We got home shortly after 9:00 PM. I took a couple of aspirin and went to bed. It had been a very long day. Unfortunately, it was not a restful night: the wind howled and the rain pounded against the windows; between the storm outside and spouse's snoring next to me, I got little sleep. Around 4:00 AM I found a set of earplugs in the bathroom. At last, a little quiet could be had; I slept until about 7:00 AM, then got up to get ready for work.
Manager called as I was about to head out the door to the office; the electricity was out and she didn't know when it would be restored. I was instructed to call back about 11:30 to find out if we were even going to open. Cool! I had the morning off. The wind and rain were still violently attempting to find their way inside; I told spouse I was grateful to be in this cozy and warm new house with good double-paned windows and heavy insulation instead of our previous cold and damp residence with its drafts and poorly sealed windows.
We lost our electricity about 9:00 AM. At 11:30, I called the office and was told to enjoy the rest of my day at home. We weren't opening. Spouse didn't have to work either -- no electricity at the mall -- so we spent a quiet day together, puttering: I knitted, he organized his office. The wind was fantastic: it pushed the gas grill across the patio and dumped it in the flower bed. Yesterday was trash day; garbage bins were tipped over and trash strewn everywhere all up and down the street in front of the house. At one point I ventured out to mailbox in rainboots and overcoat; as this is a daily ritual for the two of us, Phoebe insisted on going with me, at least until she got out of the sheltered courtyard and into the driveway where she was confronted with the full blast of the wind. She was quite happy to forgo our usual trek and return to the safety of the house where she was in no danger of being snatched up into the sky like Toto.
We were lucky. The power came back on about 2:30 or so and we didn't have to spend the evening under candlelight.
The rain is back today, but so far without the wind. Spouse is at work; I'm enjoying a little solitude. There's laundry to be done (when isn't there laundry to be done?) and floors to sweep. Pillars of the Earth is calling my name; and I believe there's a can of Progresso New England Clam Chowder in the cupboard with my name on it.
The storm caught us around 6ish; we were passing through either Merced or Stockton, I'm not sure which. Spouse and I had traded off driving, and I had been sleeping. By the time we reached Sacramento, the rain had eased off enough that we could stop in Roseville to have dinner and do a little shopping. We got home shortly after 9:00 PM. I took a couple of aspirin and went to bed. It had been a very long day. Unfortunately, it was not a restful night: the wind howled and the rain pounded against the windows; between the storm outside and spouse's snoring next to me, I got little sleep. Around 4:00 AM I found a set of earplugs in the bathroom. At last, a little quiet could be had; I slept until about 7:00 AM, then got up to get ready for work.
Manager called as I was about to head out the door to the office; the electricity was out and she didn't know when it would be restored. I was instructed to call back about 11:30 to find out if we were even going to open. Cool! I had the morning off. The wind and rain were still violently attempting to find their way inside; I told spouse I was grateful to be in this cozy and warm new house with good double-paned windows and heavy insulation instead of our previous cold and damp residence with its drafts and poorly sealed windows.
We lost our electricity about 9:00 AM. At 11:30, I called the office and was told to enjoy the rest of my day at home. We weren't opening. Spouse didn't have to work either -- no electricity at the mall -- so we spent a quiet day together, puttering: I knitted, he organized his office. The wind was fantastic: it pushed the gas grill across the patio and dumped it in the flower bed. Yesterday was trash day; garbage bins were tipped over and trash strewn everywhere all up and down the street in front of the house. At one point I ventured out to mailbox in rainboots and overcoat; as this is a daily ritual for the two of us, Phoebe insisted on going with me, at least until she got out of the sheltered courtyard and into the driveway where she was confronted with the full blast of the wind. She was quite happy to forgo our usual trek and return to the safety of the house where she was in no danger of being snatched up into the sky like Toto.
We were lucky. The power came back on about 2:30 or so and we didn't have to spend the evening under candlelight.
The rain is back today, but so far without the wind. Spouse is at work; I'm enjoying a little solitude. There's laundry to be done (when isn't there laundry to be done?) and floors to sweep. Pillars of the Earth is calling my name; and I believe there's a can of Progresso New England Clam Chowder in the cupboard with my name on it.
