<p>I was told, by a man who drives a big SUV, that the roads in town were “fine” but I wonder if they really were or if they just weren’t a disaster-- you never can tell with men. 
There was no getting down our street, though, so hopefully someone takes pity on us and plows or we will all be snowed in until this melts. Now I am really glad we got our groceries.</p>
<p>Under the “That was a bad idea” category:</p>
<p>Since it was 55 degrees here this morning (Yes!!) and pouring rain, I figured I’d take my dogs to the beach so they could run around. (They didn’t get out yesterday because the weather was so cold, and tomorrow’s not looking too good either.) Of course it was 10 degrees colder at the beach and the rain was really more like hail. Not to mention the wind!! We stayed for around 10 minutes and scootled back home. Even the dogs didn’t like it!!</p>
<p>hey, on the positive side - I can actually see the sun here in SE MI!</p>
<p>On the negative side - the temps are really plummeting. My outdoor thermometer read 14 degrees when I woke up, and now it’s down to 5 degrees.</p>
<p>My sister at FSU is going to be bummed out tomorrow morning. It’s supposed to be about 18 degrees in Tallahassee, Florida with a ‘realfeel’ temp of 3. She’s got an 8:00 a.m. class and of course she’ll be dragging too in morning after watching late on TV FSU win BCS Championship football game tonight.</p>
<p>Was 54 in CT at 9am, now it’s 44, supposed to drop to single digits. Was going to say that I can’t wait to get back to FL, but will only be 48 tomorrow in St. Pete Beach, but up to 77 over the weekend!</p>
<p>Ema, our old school district closed already for Tuesday and most of the ones around me have as well.</p>
<p>Fwiw, I’ve been following the roads on here (I was up half the night worrying after digging out my car): [url=<a href=“http://compass.waynecounty.com/]wcCompass[/url”>http://compass.waynecounty.com/]wcCompass[/url</a>]
They don’t look terrible but they can be frozen.</p>
<p>-26 with windchill here atm. I’m afraid to go outside and check to see what -26 feels like…</p>
<p>I am hoping that I will notice it when it gets to the coldest part of the day, because I want to go outside for a minute. Only a minute, and all bundled up, but I want to know what it feels like!</p>
<p>(I’m a moron.)</p>
<p>LOL Ema. </p>
<p>My cousin from just outside of Chicago just sent me a snapchat showing himself throwing water into the air and watching it freeze instantly… </p>
<p>Guess what I’m about to do! (For science, of course…)</p>
<p>49 degrees in Maine. Wild, after it was 20 below zero a couple of nights ago. It is pouring rain. My husband just slid our car off the driveway into a tree, it is so icy. We probably won’t get our mail delivered today.</p>
<p>Many Minnesota districts closing school for tomorrow-BHG doing cartwheels in family room.</p>
<p>Have not been out of the house since Saturday night–getting cabin fever–lol. I have no desire to feel what -21 below zero before windchill feels like, and I am sure it feels unrealistically cold. D boiling water to through into the air, but is hunting for food coloring at the moment. She’s doing the “how long it takes an egg to freeze” thingy, too.</p>
<p>Somehow I have gotten both dogs out this morning without complaint. The big fluffy Pyr/St. Bernard mix has been out, at most, about 10 minutes–unusual for her, as she loves cold and snow. I was proud of my little Chihuahua, who had to go out twice before 7:30 am. He was so brave!</p>
<p>Our office (IMO) kind of botched the weather-related notifications. They told some people they would have to take vacation time and others they could work from home with their supervisor’s approval. So a huge number of people are out, but some are working from home and some are not. I am sure the people who went in are resentful of those who didn’t. I was one of the ones who didn’t, because both my kids are sick (right after flu shots…hmmm) and I can work better on the stuff I have to do without distraction at home.</p>
<p>I think I’ll try the boiling water thing too, just for fun. What else to do on a day like this, LOL? What is the freezing egg thingy?</p>
<p>I tried the water trick and it didn’t work! 
Must not be cold enough yet.</p>
<p>I really think my office should have let people know they could work from home if they could not get in safely today, so people did not feel obligated to endanger themselves. But they didn’t, and apparently a couple of people did make it in (my boss NOT included.) Maybe they did send this message to everyone but me since I live close… people who live far away have a false impression that it is easier when you dont have to take the freeway, but the side streets get cleared LAST. If I could take 696 for three miles to get to work I would sooner do that than take the roads I have available to me. Life was MUCH easier when I lived 20 miles away. </p>
<p>Rain is the exception, though, rain isn’t so bad when you live close. Snow, though, completely sucks.</p>
<p>Didn’t work for me either :(. Gonna wait a while and try again. </p>
<p>I guess U of M told employees they could work from home today if it was possible so most of the faculty and support staff are working from home. </p>
<p>I’d take a sick day (well, I don’t have those, so I’d just call in) if I had to work today. I totaled my car in an ice storm almost two years ago exactly and there is NOTHING worth risking your life over… especially a desk job! </p>
<p>Already almost 400 closings for tomorrow.</p>
<p>The Egg Thingy:
You need an egg, cling wrap or piece of aluminum foil, and a timer or watch.</p>
<p>Go outside, place the cling wrap or aluminum foil on a hard surface and crack the egg onto the wrap or foil. Time how long it takes to freeze solid. It took 4 minutes for BHG’s egg to freeze solid.</p>
<p>Son’s school is already closed for tomorrow. I wish I hadn’t told him until after his homework and his last college app were done, but I did. Then I wrote this song (to Party Rock Anthem)</p>
<p>Too Much Snow Anthem:
Everybody’s in the house tonight
All the snow is piling up real high (It’s freezing baby!)
The cold gonna make you lose your mind
We just wanna see you… go ‘way!</p>
<p>Every day I’m shoveling
Shoveling shoveling</p>
<p>-not *****</p>
<p>beer and cheese and snow.</p>
<p>[30</a>? - Lou and Peter Berryman - YouTube](<a href=“30˚ - Lou and Peter Berryman - YouTube”>30˚ - Lou and Peter Berryman - YouTube)</p>
<p>Ugh! D just called and a pipe burst in her building and she has water in her apartment. She wasn’t there (she’s at work, her boyfriend happened to stop by thankfully). She said other than her rugs, not much of hers was damaged. But he thinks her laminate floors will need to be replaced. She was worried that she would be responsible. She will have quite a mess to clean up tonight. </p>
<p>The thing is, she’s in eastern PA, it’s not that cold there yet. Their cold is coming tomorrow. She thinks there is an empty apartment upstairs where the pipe burst.</p>
<p>So sorry Deb9222… Yucky to have to deal with…</p>
<p>Schools are closed tomorrow and my work (university) has cancelled work tomorrow for non-essential - will stay home but will also do work at home as I have done some today - can’t afford to get behind!!!</p>
<p>That was the weird thing at our house, too, my pipe froze the day BEFORE it got really cold.</p>
<p>I am sure your D won’t be responsible for the laminate floors. Her landlord’s insurance is supposed to cover that… likewise, she or her insurance would be responsible for any of her personal belongings. It will be a mess to clean up and an inconvenience to deal with though, that much is for sure. I’d be upset if I were her, what a bummer.</p>
<p>I have read a lot of news articles lately about pipes bursting and everyone is in the comments about what idiots the people would have to be to not run their heat when it’s this cold. I received a quick and thorough education this year in the fact that pipes can freeze no matter what your thermostat is set for and people should not be so quick to judge!</p>