Graduation Day

This morning, Megan called to say that she was waiting for Denis to turn in the keys to their apartment in Terre Haute, then were going to a graduation reception before ISU's mid-year Commencement. She apparently messed up her back and was very uncomfortable. It could be a long trip south and then westward!

I got busy cleaning up Robin's bedroom and organizing what used to be my bedroom (then Meg's). I wanted to get the Christmas gifts wrapped and finish painting the bathroom, but those didn't happen. My productivity is somewhat limited by my emotions, I guess. I don't much get moving until noon these days!

At 2:30, I left to run an errand and drive to Terre Haute to meet Meg and Denis for an early supper after Commencement. (I didn't go to the ceremony because they had several things going on, and I was somewhat intimidated by finding the right building and parking, etc.) I was snowing, but the roads were just dampl. We met at Lone Star Steakhouse at 4:00. Had an enjoyable supper. I gave Denis a "Congratulations" card with a couple of food gift cards for their trip. Then, as dark approached, we went our separate ways. I'm proud of myself: I only wept for a few seconds as we pulled out. It could have been a whole lot worse.

Of course, the "check engine" light came on in my car just east of Terre Haute and stayed on for the rest of the trip. It wasn't a battery light and the temperature gauge was fine, so I just came on home. It's a little problematic because I am supposed to meet the grandchildren in Castleton at 1:00 tomorrow afternoon for the kid trade. I do NOT want to be stranded on the road somewhere with my grandchildren in the car! We'll see how it goes.

As I approached Plainfield, I got a call on the radio from a ham who was asking for a Health and Welfare check on someone. It seems that the wife of one of my ham friend's co-workers was on the West Virginia Turnpike (I-64) on her way to North Carolina. At 4:00 AM, she texted her husband that traffic was stopped and she had spent the night in her vehicle...and she was anticipating yet another night stuck there. That was the last he heard from her, and he was frantic. (Poor cell phone coverage in the area.) HF radio reported up to two feet of snow there and that the Interstate was closed, but NOTHING on the Internet road condition sites indicated that there was anything going on. The Weather Channel on TV was focused on the NYC/DC/Boston area. Not much about WV at all. Finally, one of my friends (who is an absolute whiz at Internet searches) came up with a news website that had an article about the situation. Road closed Friday due to heavy snow and a couple of jack-knifed semis. People stranded. The National Guard was on it and the road was "slowly re-opening"...but there were a lot of honked-off motorists who say they weren't warned at the toll gates that there were problems ahead. One fellow abandoned his car and WALKED the eight miles to his home. The WV governor was declaring a state of emergency because over 200,000 were out of power. In any case, all of that took some time and much of my attention, so I didn't have time to think of how bad I feel about things. God provides!

Picking up my grandchildren tomorrow early afternoon. I can have them through the 24th. The Heffelman grandparents and I are planning things, but I try not to over-plan because I want the children to determine what they want to do. Time constraints are the only problem. We do what we can. I do so look forward to having the little skunks here!