All posts by Dona

I’m lucky it’s just low water pressure

Events, ,

Turned on the shower this morning and I got a trickle of water and assumed Dean was showering or running the dishwasher. I felt sorry for myself and wondered why Dean would use water when I needed it.

Turns out he wasn’t doing anything with water. The weather was — there is a massive water main break a couple of miles from us — along a road I’ve often traveled. 18 cars are stranded, according to the news reports. My mom called this morning to say it was on national news. I can hear the helicopters — probably transporting people to and from the hospital up the street.

I think these people have it a little worse than I do.

White Christmas? You Betcha!

Weather,

Depending on your definition of a white Christmas* — it looks like we’ll have one this year.  If we get to Elgin at all, that is. We’re flying to O’Hare and then taking a taxi to Elgin. Wish us luck.

Issued by The National Weather Service
Chicago, IL
5:52 am CST, Tue., Dec. 23, 2008

… WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST WEDNESDAY…

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT.

SNOWFALL OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WILL FALL TODAY WITH AND ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES TONIGHT. PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO MIX WITH SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN OVER ALL BUT FAR NORTHERN ILLINOIS TONIGHT. AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 3 INCHES IS FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY AS THE MIXED PRECIPITATION TURNS BACK TO ALL SNOW.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES… AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

More Information

.ANOTHER WINTER STORM WILL BE AFFECTING THE REGION TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE FIRST PHASE OF THIS STORM SYSTEM IS THE SNOW FALLING ACROSS THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A LULL WITH ONLY ON AND OFF LIGHT SNOW OR FLURRIES BEFORE A STEADY ACCUMULATING SNOW BEGINS AGAIN LATER THIS MORNING. SLEET MAY MIX WITH THE SNOW ALONG ANS SOUTH OF U.S. 24 THIS AFTERNOON. MIXED SNOW… SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN WILL GRADUALLY SPREAD NORTH TONIGHT AND MAY REACH AS FAR NORTH AS THE NORTH CHICAGO SUBURBS AND DEKALB BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. AS THE STORM SYSTEM PASSES THE AREA PRECIPITATION WILL RETURN TO ALL SNOW DURING THE DAY.

*I say a white Christmas is when there is fresh snow on the ground — although when it actually snows on Christmas Day —  that is cool. Then it can all melt away on Boxing Day.

The Sho[u]t Heard ‘Round the House

Technology, , ,

Remember that computer Andrew and I were going to build? We bought the hardware and put most of it together not long after we decided to do it.

Then we put the PSU (that’s power supply unit for you n00bs) in upside down and didn’t exactly know where things should be plugged in. So we took a break.

Clare wasn’t much interested in the computer building process so she checked out the box the computer case came in.

Last night we decided to try it again. We turned the PSU the right way ’round and plugged in various things again. Andrew suggested we try to turn it on. We hooked up my monitor and I envisioned sparks and smoke.

I was wrong — the power turned on and no fire extinguisher was necessary.

Then Andrew turned on the computer (pushed the on button in front) and the monitor lit up with a welcome message and some technical stuff we didn’t quite understand, but we think it was telling us to buy an OS. Either that or it was muttering the 21st century version of Klaatu Barada Nikto.

Whatever — at least it’s telling us something. When we saw the message we both squealed with delight which caused  Clare to come running upstairs scared we’d been murdered.