Today Not What I Hoped

Allow me to digress first, and get it out of the way so I can get on with what I wanted to write about today. I often wonder why people listen to weather forecasts. I’m sure forecasting the weather is easier and more reliable in some places, but here it seems a futile effort to me. We have an old saying here: “If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes!” It is easy to see how that got started and why it is so popular. I have nothing against meteorologists. They are people like the rest of us. Most seem quite personable. They have no doubt paid a lot for their education and I’m sure at least the vast majority of them are well qualified. It’s  just that no one can accurately forecast the weather here, or so it would seem. Just before going to bed around 11:00 PM last night, I checked the forecast from several sources, including the NWS. Today was supposed to mostly sunny and warm, high around 50, with a light breeze. I awoke this morning to the sound of wind howling around the northwest corner of the house. It is completely overcast and the air has that raw, biting, bone chilling feel that suggests it could snow at any moment. In fact the forecast now says snow showers today, possible heavy snow at times. What happened to sunny and warm? How did conditions change so much in the six measly hours I was trying to sleep?

I started the day very tired again, slow to get moving, taking far too long to complete my morning routine. I needed to get to the credit union before 9:00 opening to use the ATM. After opening there are too many people around. I get nervous, can’t think, forget how to use the machine, and screw things up. Having finally got organized I left the house at 8:30. Normally it takes fifteen minutes to get to the credit union, ten if I really push myself. This morning, fighting a strong, steady and bitterly cold head wind, it took thirty-five minutes pushing as hard as I could (which admittedly isn’t up to my usual standard these days). Despite being five minutes late, there were no cars in the parking lot. What’s this? Could my luck be this good? But just as I approached, an 18 wheeler pulled over and the driver went inside. I decided to ride around for a bit, trying to keep the place in sight, and hope for a quiet moment with no one around. I desperately needed cash so I could go buy paint for a door sill.

I rode around the area, trying not to look conspicuous or draw attention, but increasingly feeling like people must be wondering what’s this idiot on the bicycle doing? Ten minutes became twenty and still the truck driver had not come out of the credit union. At least six or seven other people had been in and out since he arrived. I have no idea what was taking so long, but based on a lifetime of experience, frustration and aggravation my guess is he was busy chatting with one of the employees. Thirty minutes, forty… finally he emerged and drove off. I was about to give up after another fifteen minutes. People were starting to show up in greater numbers and there were no breaks in the flow. Just as I was about to abandon all hope and head home, the parking lot emptied. I scanned the street and saw no vehicles approaching from either direction. It was the lucky break I had been  hoping for!

I rushed to the ATM. I was very nervous about trying to do this after opening time, with the much greater risk of people coming in. I was trying my best not to hyperventilate. My hands were shaking so much as to make it nearly impossible to insert my debit card into the machine! It’s a good thing it has large buttons and I am very familiar with the routine, because blurred vision made it almost impossible to see the markings. Nevertheless I did succeed in getting cash; no small victory!

By the time all that was over, I was feeling very shaky about even attempting the errand that started it all – that of going to the local building supply store to get paint for my door sill. It is never a comfortable place for me to go. It was on my route home anyway, so I headed off in that direction. Time being critical, I decided to try it and risk possible disaster. With the wind now at my back it took only a couple minutes to get there. I stumbled in the parking lot, on the edge of total panic. This would have been a fool’s errand had I not previously scoped out possible products for this, since reading anything less than letters an inch tall would now be completely out of the question! I somehow managed to purchase the paint. I fell at the edge of the parking lot. I heard someone yell from across the street asking if I was OK, but I just got on my bike and got out of there as quickly as possible.

Having arrived home I cannot honestly provide myself with any reason all this had to happen today. I had wanted to work today, and this errand was mission critical for that. But now I am chilled through, shivering as I type, even though I have the heat turned up to 75. I am so cold I cannot bear the thought of being outside in the wind. It was a simple trip to town, not more than five miles in total. Yet I am tired to the point of nearly being off my feet. I despise this! I am an active person! I must confess to having my suspicions about bronchitis at this point. I am still congested and coughing a lot. Perhaps something of the afternoon can be salvaged, but I am doubtful.

Ugh! I just looked out the window and I cannot see the street some fifty feet away for all the snow in the air! So much for working this day.