Friday, February 16, 2007

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Oh yeah, one more thing I forgot I wanted to write about.

Tuesday night was snowy. We only got about 5 inches I think. South and west of here was worse. But it was COLD and WINDY. I actually thought I'd leave the shop early. Didn't think anyone would come in. Tuesday is my day to be there late. My Tuesday spinning student did come but she was 1.5 hours later than usual so I didn't leave early.

I got home a little after 8PM and sent the babysitter home with instructions to turn around and come back if the roads were too bad.

I thought, before going to be, I should take the dog out.

In about December I broke the door knob and Lou changed it to a more beautiful model. This one can open on the inside even if it is locked.

See where this is going?

I didn't have a coat on.
Lou was in Toronto.

So then there's a bright idea. I'll just go around back and go in through the garage. Unfortunately for me the garage door broke about 2 weeks ago and won't open anymore.
I tried all of the doors and all were locked.

The kids were in their sleeping and ringing the door bell wasn't waking anyone.

By now about 25 minutes has gone by. It is about 2 degrees Fahrenheit and did I mention I wasn't wearing a coat?

I went next door, where a 20 year old guy and his girlfriend live, and I asked to use the phone. This fine young neighbor did the right thing and brought the phone to the door and gave it to me on the porch. Yup, he didn't ask me in.

I called 911. Who else would I call? Luckily the nice young man's girlfriend came by and did the right thing and asked me to come in while I waited for the officers to show up.

Less than 5 minutes later two police cars showed up and back out to the cold I went.

They tried breaking in every door. No luck. Good news I guess. Unless I'm on the wrong side of the door.

One officer got a snow shovel and pounded on the shutter outside Maggie's room while I yelled for her. She didn't wake up.

I rang the doorbell some more. No one budged.

Finally the other officer took out the screens one by one until he found a vulnerable window to go through. That window is no longer vulnerable but I'm glad it wasn't latched on Tuesday.

By the time I got inside I had been out in the freeze for almost an hour. It took a long time to get warm - even under my down comforter.

I'm getting a spare key made to hide.

I now know I should have taken a hot shower. But you live and learn.

7 comments:

textilejunkie said...

Oh my goodness! Good to hear you finally made it in. Thanks so much for the needed chuckle (not that I'm laughing at you), it is just nice to read at times that such ridiculous things happen to others and it's just not a me thing. :)

Knitika said...

Good gracious! What a story! It is good the police didn't manage to break down the door... then what would you have done? Slept all night with a broken door? Funny that they didn't check the windows FIRST. Stay warm!!!

Anonymous said...

I am not laughing. And you can't see me grinning, so let's just say I found your story very moving and quite serious and not funny.

It reminds me of a story about a guy who rented a Vermont ski condo not far from here. Came up on a Friday night, took off all his clothes in preparation for taking a nice soak in the hot tub on the back deck.

If I recall correctly, once he got outside, he discovered there was no water in the hot tub.

In any case, he was locked out, nekkid, in winter, in Vermont. I don't know how he got help, but it made the news.

So really, your story isn't that embarrassing.

Prouty said...

Police are GREAT!!!!! Glad you had a happy ending. We got over 30 inches and the city is still trying to dig out after 3 days-no where to put the snow!!!!!

missing you

Metro Mari said...

OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!! You poor thing! I keep a spare key on the dog chain cause I've been there!

--Deb said...

Talk about being a sound sleeper!! Although, I'm almost as bad . . .

Anonymous said...

I am laughing out loud! So glad you told me to read your blog. Apparently this was the week to lock yourself out of the house. Thankfully I had a coat on when I did it :)