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| Glowing soft-toy saves the evening |
It rained ALL night Wednesday night, so we kept waiting for an SMS from school to say something like: don't risk flooded streets, stay in your warm beds and we'll see you tomorrow. But no message ever came so we got ready for school as always. The drive to LAS was up to mid-tire for about 25% of the trip. Upon arriving, we were turned away by the guards outside the school with the superintendent and high school principal standing at the front door waving glumly. NO SCHOOL! They promised to let us know by that night about the next day. The message this time: School for our shortened Friday workday (kids leave at 12:20) is on.
And then it starts to rain again during first block the next morning. E-mails begin arriving: After-school professional development has been cancelled but let's meet in the canteen to eat all the potluck food we waded in with. Then a message to scratch that. Ultimately the last message says everyone go to Advisory now, your parents have been sent an SMS to come get you now. Wait until your driver texts you to say he's here.
I grabbed Anastasia and Talula so my all-girls advisory could visit with them (and get them off their teachers' hands). By the time we were ready to go, Khalil (our driver) still hadn't made it. We grabbed a ride with my teaching and coaching partner. Water was up to mid-calf as I tried to put all our bags in her trunk, raising to knee level with the wake of passing cars. A bit insane! When we arrived home 10-15 minutes later, I think all of us released a sigh of relief that we hadn't stalled anywhere along the way.
Once home, electricity went out within a half hour. We were without for about 6-7 hours. Our back-up battery that runs a few lights and fans died shortly after 5 hours just as the sun was fading. Thus all the photos with candles and the battery-powered butterfly from Great-grandma Baker. The girls found it all an adventure but I am quite happy that the various leaks near doors and windows are not demanding my attention anymore!
