NO School Tomorrow!!!!!!!!!

[Deleted]

Jan 3, 2014 9:41:35 GMT -5 Cass said:

I wish we declared cold days.  -19F with a windchill of -29.2F here, and I have to traipse through it to work in 40 minutes.  We should be able to call in cold

They've already started calling off schools around here for Monday due to the cold (kids are still on winter break this week). 

[swamp]

Jan 3, 2014 9:41:35 GMT -5 Cass said:

I wish we declared cold days.  -19F with a windchill of -29.2F here, and I have to traipse through it to work in 40 minutes.  We should be able to call in cold

we've got the same shit going on.

[teen persuasion]

About half the districts around here went back to school on Thursday, and half go back on Monday.  Our kids' district had school on Thursday, and DH's agency campus had school (but the district it is located in is off til Monday ).  At 5:22 am we got the new robo-call that school was cancelled for the kids.  Yesterday snowed non-stop.  Today is sunny and beautiful, if cold (0F), but not really any colder than yesterday.

DH is not so lucky - he's considered essential personnel, so even if his district closed, he'd have to work, he'd just get an extra hour to dig out.  Since his district is not technically in session, they can't technically close, so he doesn't even get the extra hour.  The odd thing: his on-vacation district transported students to his school yesterday!  Bet those students were not pleased to have class while all their neighbors were still on Xmas break.

Since so many local districts are closed, they won't transport students to DH's school, so he'll likely only have residential students today.  They are the real reason he has to work; there are no cottage staff during school hours to supervise the residents.  DH is playing baby-sitter today.


Snow days are expected in this area; I believe they build ~5 into the school calendar.  However, we don't get them "back" if they declare <5 snow days.  If we used more than 5 days, they will take back some of the future holidays.  I remember that lots of districts lost their Easter break due to more than 2 weeks of closures after the freak October storm - some areas had power outages even longer than 2 weeks.

[Deleted]

DH stayed home with the kiddos and I came in to work since I had work to bring in.

Guess I'll take down all the Christmas decorations tomorrow. 

[geenamercile]

Our district called it at 5am this morning.  Ad DH said last night, we have gotten out for less, so I don't see why they didn't call it at 9 last night.  Oh well it was a pretty easy check DH's phone and roll back over deal.  DD doesn't go back until Monday so it is nice having this last day off with her.  I would rather have a snow day today, then later this month when we have testing.    

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

So, we got maybe 8 inches although other areas of Eastern Massachusetts got slammed with 2 feet or more.  I can see a 2 lane state highway through the bare trees from my front windows, and at 10 a.m. the only vehicles on it were plows.  It's great that people are staying off the roads so the plows can do their jobs safely and efficiently, but then I got to remembering when this was merely common sense and didn't require government decrees and such.  I remember, long before sophisticated weather technology, knowing that it was going to snow by the color of the cloud cover and watching everyone just bunker down until it stopped.  We would get our driveway shoveled or plowed, but sometimes still have to wait for the plows to clear the street beyond.  No one felt this huge urge to go out anyway.  We waited "until the streets were cleared" and word spread through the neighborhood about what the road conditions were through town.  We just waited it out -- no one ever had to order us to do so.  

I blame the invention of SUVs for the loss of that common sense.  Just because you *might* be able to drive through a foot of snow, doesn't mean you should and most often doesn't mean you *need* to.  

[sheilaincali]

DS is in high school. They told the kids yesterday that if the weather is as cold as they are predicting that school will be canceled on Monday. I'm hoping they do cancel it. I always announce at work that I adhere to the school districts weather policy so if they are closed I'm not coming in either. No one cares- it's a quiet time of year.

Monday's forecast is: high of -15 before you factor in windchill or "real feel" they call it now. 

In Minnesota they build in extra school days in anticipation of snow days.  Other schools have had to add days to the end of the school year but we never have. One year it was going to push a lot of schools over the limit and it was super cold out so the governor declared it a state of emergency and closed all schools in Minnesota due to the frigid temps.

[Deleted]

We got the robo call at 5:30 this morning that school was closed today.  I prefer that they wait until the morning, unless we already have so much snow on the ground that it is obvious school is closed. 

Last year they closed school the night before in anticipation of a big storm that completely missed us.  Then they sent them to school even though it was snowing, but it wasn't supposed to be.  That storm was unexpected and the roads were not prepared.  They called school off at 8 AM and had to bus the middle and high schoolers back home.  It was such a mess. 

They didn't use the 2 hour delay at all last year or yet this year.  Today felt like a 2 hours delay day.  We only got about 4 inches and it was finished by 3 AM. 

[geenamercile]

Jan 3, 2014 11:40:40 GMT -5 pooks said:

We got the robo call at 5:30 this morning that school was closed today.  I prefer that they wait until the morning, unless we already have such much snow on the ground that it is obvious school is closed. 

Last year they closed school the night before in anticipation of a big storm that completely missed us.  Then they sent them to school even though it was snowing, but it wasn't supposed to be.  That storm was unexpected and the roads were not prepared.  They called school off at 8 AM and had to bus the middle and high schoolers back home.  It was such a mess. 

They didn't use the 2 hour delay at all last year or yet this year.  Today felt like a 2 hours delay day.  We only got about 4 inches and it was finished by 3 AM. 

This is where we were at last night say about 7pm.  We were looking out side going we have closed for less then this.  We have a lot of back dirt and gravel roads,  some of them have streams that will cover them if the clouds sneeze, so they ice over quickly, it doesn't take much to close the school because of them.  Last night we started with rain, then freezing rain, and then snow on top of it.  


Our districts will use the 2 hour delay if the temperature is suppose to rise.  While it doesn't take much for the roads to ice over, it doesn't take long for it to melt either.  But today the high is suppose to be 29.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

We, too, have had those days when you're left wondering why they heck they closed.  And, on the flip side, we've had plenty of days when we've thought they should have closed schools and they didn't.  Sometimes, the professional weather forecasters get it right, and sometimes they don't.  

[Deleted]

Jan 3, 2014 11:40:29 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

 One year it was going to push a lot of schools over the limit and it was super cold out so the governor declared it a state of emergency and closed all schools in Minnesota due to the frigid temps.

The governor closed all schools in MN for Monday.

[sheilaincali]

as in this Monday? Woot woot- hadn't heard that yet. Thanks for the update

eta- just checked and yup you are 100% correct.  No work for Sheila on Monday (or at least that's my plan)

[Tennesseer]

Back on Monday, February 4, 2008, some of our surrounding counties called off school for the following day because of the high probability of tornadic weather.  The day the weather was expected was also Super Tuesday, the day 24 states had their presidential primaries.  Our county did not cancel classes for Tuesday.  

Mid moring on Tuesday, our city and county announced early closings because the severe weather was expected around normal school dismissal time.  Sure enough, at the schools' normal closing time, a tornado touched down in the city and killed several people.  Later that evening, tornadoes killed another 35 people in Tennessee and another 18 in 4 other states. 

The February 5 and 6 tornado outbreak in Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois and Alabama is called the Super Tuesday tornado outbreak.

[chiver78]

Jan 3, 2014 11:34:42 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

So, we got maybe 8 inches although other areas of Eastern Massachusetts got slammed with 2 feet or more.  I can see a 2 lane state highway through the bare trees from my front windows, and at 10 a.m. the only vehicles on it were plows.  It's great that people are staying off the roads so the plows can do their jobs safely and efficiently, but then I got to remembering when this was merely common sense and didn't require government decrees and such.  I remember, long before sophisticated weather technology, knowing that it was going to snow by the color of the cloud cover and watching everyone just bunker down until it stopped.  We would get our driveway shoveled or plowed, but sometimes still have to wait for the plows to clear the street beyond.  No one felt this huge urge to go out anyway.  We waited "until the streets were cleared" and word spread through the neighborhood about what the road conditions were through town.  We just waited it out -- no one ever had to order us to do so.  

I blame the invention of SUVs for the loss of that common sense.  Just because you *might* be able to drive through a foot of snow, doesn't mean you should and most often doesn't mean you *need* to.  

YES!

I remember a very irate woman who called the store I worked at in college, during a major storm when the mall was closing early - to find out if we were still open. when I told her that we were at that point, but would be closing along with the rest of the mall within the hour, she got all bent out of shape. I still remember her saying "but I have 4-wheel drive!"

um, I'm happy for you....? I don't, and I'd like to make it home in one piece, thank you.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Jan 3, 2014 13:05:22 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Jan 3, 2014 11:34:42 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

So, we got maybe 8 inches although other areas of Eastern Massachusetts got slammed with 2 feet or more.  I can see a 2 lane state highway through the bare trees from my front windows, and at 10 a.m. the only vehicles on it were plows.  It's great that people are staying off the roads so the plows can do their jobs safely and efficiently, but then I got to remembering when this was merely common sense and didn't require government decrees and such.  I remember, long before sophisticated weather technology, knowing that it was going to snow by the color of the cloud cover and watching everyone just bunker down until it stopped.  We would get our driveway shoveled or plowed, but sometimes still have to wait for the plows to clear the street beyond.  No one felt this huge urge to go out anyway.  We waited "until the streets were cleared" and word spread through the neighborhood about what the road conditions were through town.  We just waited it out -- no one ever had to order us to do so.  

I blame the invention of SUVs for the loss of that common sense.  Just because you *might* be able to drive through a foot of snow, doesn't mean you should and most often doesn't mean you *need* to.  

YES!

I remember a very irate woman who called the store I worked at in college, during a major storm when the mall was closing early - to find out if we were still open. when I told her that we were at that point, but would be closing along with the rest of the mall within the hour, she got all bent out of shape. I still remember her saying "but I have 4-wheel drive!"

um, I'm happy for you....? I don't, and I'd like to make it home in one piece, thank you.

"But, but, BUT *I'm* more important than you and *I* WANT <insert some totally-useless-in-a-blizzard item here> NOW!!"

[chiver78]

ya, pretty much. I took great pleasure in hanging up on her.

[Deleted]

Jan 3, 2014 13:28:56 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

ya, pretty much. I took great pleasure in hanging up on her.

You're killing me here. You sure you don't live on the North Shore? Swampscott and Marblehead are LOADED with those kind of people. Used to work at Marshalls and we had a bomb scare called in one time so we had to evacuate the store. We had people get so upset because they were being kicked out so the store could be swept.

I actually moved a little bit down 128 so I'm not on the North Shore anymore but Beverly did get about 18-20 inches. I think we got 14 or so total. Thank God and thank the Lord for awesome neighbors who snowblow you out of your driveway. Having a handicapped hubby can have it's uses.

And my Saturn is an automatic. Nobody would teach me how to drive a stick when they still had one. I'm thinking about an armored truck or a monster truck for the next car. Plastic and styrofoam just isn't really doing it for me. Need room for a motorized wheelchair anyway.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

I learned to drive a stick by buying one and having to drive it off of the dealer lot.  

DH has a stick now.  ODS is about to get his license.  We've had him driving only my minivan for the time being since he has enough to deal with learning to drive and not hit people or things without adding the manual shift in.  But, soon, very soon, he will learn to drive that stick.  

It's a life lesson.  Like learning how to tie your shoes.  

[Deleted]

Jan 3, 2014 13:54:36 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

It's a life lesson.  Like learning how to tie your shoes.  

WHAT?!?!?! I thought everybody had velcro shoes or flip flops! People still tie their shoes! WOW!! I wear DH's velcro close boots from the first snowfall until the snow melts. Then I wear flip flops the rest of the time. I love to look at girly girl shoes but I sure as shit don't want to wear them. I like my toes right where they are.

[chiver78]

my dad was hell bent on making sure both his daughters could drive a stick - in case we were somewhere with someone (a date, maybe?) who'd had too much to drink and we could still drive ourselves home. it took me awhile to get it, partly because the car he tried to teach me on was a PITA to get going. my sis though? lol....she still can't drive a stick.

and no, I'm not on the North Shore.....but the mall I worked in was down wind from Swellesley.

[Opti]

I made into work and back this morning. Roads were slippery and not as
cleared as I thought they would have been by 7:45AM. -4 for the low today.

[Deleted]

Knowing how to drive stick is becoming a lost art! A manual transmission is the best theft prevention device out there. 

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Jan 3, 2014 14:23:49 GMT -5 Opti said:

I made into work and back this morning. Roads were slippery and not as
cleared as I thought they would have been by 7:45AM. -4 for the low today.

Glad to hear you made it to and from work safely, Opti.  Stay warm, girl!!!

[Phoenix84]

GRG,

You never answered my question.  I thought you worked retail, do you have to go into work in the bad weather?

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Jan 3, 2014 15:08:30 GMT -5 Phoenix84 said:

GRG,

You never answered my question.  I thought you worked retail, do you have to go into work in the bad weather?

Sorry, Phoenix.  I must have missed your question the first time.

I have today off, anyway, so it was a non-issue.  I also am at a new really-part-time job within walking distance of my house so, if I had to go in, I could.  Last winter I was working at a large mall and was scheduled to go in at 11 on a day when the Governor ordered everyone off of the roads at noon.  I called and asked my manager whether I should bother making the 20-minutes-on-a-good-day drive for less than an hour shift and she told me she couldn't tell me what to do.     (I didn't bother going in.).  I'm just a sales associate.  I am very, very fortunate in that we live off of DH's income (he is senior management at his employer -- he can call his own shots -- he took yesterday and today off and worked/is working from home).  So, if it came down to it, I'd quit before I'd go to work in really bad weather.  



ETA:  I don't know if my new employer is open today or not.  I am assuming that they opened but perhaps later.  There is no driving ban with this storm, so people are out and about.  Just not sure they need my employer's product line badly enough on a day like to day to shop there today.  

[Deleted]

Jan 3, 2014 12:07:49 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

as in this Monday? Woot woot- hadn't heard that yet. Thanks for the update

eta- just checked and yup you are 100% correct.  No work for Sheila on Monday (or at least that's my plan)

Part of me hopes it's in the 20's on Monday.  I'll find that rather amusing.

(well, actually all of me hopes it's in the 20's on Monday, 15 below for a high sucks even if you get to stay home.)

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Jan 3, 2014 15:36:05 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Jan 3, 2014 12:07:49 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

as in this Monday? Woot woot- hadn't heard that yet. Thanks for the update

eta- just checked and yup you are 100% correct.  No work for Sheila on Monday (or at least that's my plan)

Part of me hopes it's in the 20's on Monday.  I'll find that rather amusing.

(well, actually all of me hopes it's in the 20's on Monday, 15 below for a high sucks even if you get to stay home.)

20s?  You mean Spring for Minnesota?  

[Deleted]

My brother lives in Alaska in a remote (like really remote) cabin outside Fairbanks.  He posts videos on youtube occasionally and last week had one where he was going out to take care of the geese and showed the thermometer at -40.  Then the video camera panned down for a minute and you could see he had shorts and flip flops on. 

He is such a freak.  LOL

[giramomma]

Jan 3, 2014 12:06:09 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Jan 3, 2014 11:40:29 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

 One year it was going to push a lot of schools over the limit and it was super cold out so the governor declared it a state of emergency and closed all schools in Minnesota due to the frigid temps.

The governor closed all schools in MN for Monday.

We haven't heard anything yet...Our private school follows the public schools.

Last year, when we had a blizzard, the public schools canceled school at like 5 am the day of the blizzard.

I just looked at the news, and it looks like our gov may close schools too...It's too bad that's the only way we emulate MN...

[Phoenix84]

Thanks GRG.

I worked retail and food service before, and I know those types of jobs are not always very accomidating when you have to call off.  I was concerned you might get into trouble.

When I was in college, I got in trouble when I called in sick one day.  ONE DAY!  I worked in the dining halls, and I guess dripping snot and coughing in the food was preferable to calling in sick.