Power Outage & Smart Tornadoes?

There's nothing like a power outage to make you realize just how much you depend on electricity. We've had no rain for weeks, and finally this large weather system came in last night. And we got our rain! We had the usual lightning storm--nothing major. At 12:39 a.m. the lights/power went out after something went BOOM!. We got up, I made sure everything was alright with my computer. I even unplugged it. I still don't trust my surge protector 100%. Anyway, we didn't have power come back on until 8:20 a.m. which means we were out for 8 hours. We even went out in the park and pumped water into pails--not an easy task, believe me! And were about to put the camp stove outside to make ourselves some instant coffee--and TADA!--ELECTRICITY!

We made coffee (OMG! it was so good!), and some breakfast. And we put things back into refrigerator, having packed them into the coolers.

When the ComEd truck came by this morning around 6:00a.m., and we saw that the guy was checking the transformer and things in our yard, we at least knew they were looking for the problem. It wasn't here, but obviously they found the problem. Outages were all over the county. 30 people in our area were affected by it.

The news from the mid-section of the U.S. was much worse. Five people died when a tornado hit the town. The tornado actually hit the tower, which supplies the electricity for the sirens. It was almost as if it aimed for it--I know that's impossible, but the sirens didn't go off to warn people. I sometimes think these storms/tornadoes have become smarter, and more ruthless these days.

Tonight will be our turn as the cold front advances after the warm front that will boost our temperatures to at least 80. Things will get rather "dicey" according to meteorologist.

I actually wanted to bring you something more interesting, and will, once I'm able to work on this (research it), about Nicolas Cage possibly being a vampire from the Civil War era (tell me if you've heard this one). I'll try and get my post set up for later in the week so please keep checking in. Hopefully a tornado won't end my ability to do this for ever. If you are concerned, thanks. And if you see me posting both my Monday Coffee Klatch and Tuesday Teasers, you can rest assured we have been spared. These have been some deadly tornadoes lately.

And I'm joining forces with author Carole Gill on her blog Bloody Good Vampires. Once we get things figured out, my books and links will be on the side bar, and we will both make posts on it, plus we plan on a corresponding group on facebook where people can join up--for both authors and readers of vampire, horror/Gothic horror, and the supernatural. More on that as we get things built up.

Hope to see you tomorrow!

Lorelei Unplugged - "I've Got That Gutter Feeling"

My first day back to driving a bus and even though it was a relatively painless ordeal, and the rain came in to save us from being overly heated while driving (we had 75 as a high today), I'm drained right now. Well, I've also had one beer, and that's my limit.

Weird Stories In The News:
I saw the story on the co-founder of group who was behind that video about the brutal African warlord this morning. Jason Russell is in the hospital for exhaustion. The explanation was that he was suffering from exhaustion, dehydration and malnutrition. Well, I saw the video of him running butt-naked in the street this morning. I can't say he looked like he was exhausted. But I'm thinking there's a lot more to this story and I'll just take a back seat and wait and see what the whole story really is. A lot of times when news breaks they are in such a rush to write it that they don't explore the whole story. But let me just say this when I'm exhausted, like I am now, I'm not about to go outside into the street my butt hanging out there slapping the sidewalk with my hands and yelling something. I think someone would want to examine my brain first.

On to the more placid side of my life.
When I get comments from readers, or those who have given my book to someone as a gift to read and tell me that they are enjoying it, I rejoice. Nothing could make me happier than someone who is reading something I wrote and some how relates this to me. Sales also make me a little giddy too. I had a woman cashier come up to me who'd purchased my latest book for her daughter, she told me she just began reading it and really likes it so far. Good. Love to hear it.

I'm currently working on my edits, but you all know this. I've posted about this in both Muse and Lorelei's Writing Journal, so I won't bore you with more of the same. But just a heads up, I may not be posting very much this week, next week, and the week after that. So, if I post anything at all, it might be ramblings of whatever I can come up with.

Do you feel lucky? Well...do ya?

I do have to do a Lucky 7 post, but not until I find 7 people who have not done this already. I will blame want to thank Christina Rains for choosing me. Thanks Christina...that was really nice of you to think of me, now that you've passed this off on 7 more people... me being one of them--ehem... I feel like I've come down with the seventh deadly virus or something. Yes! So this means I get to pass it on to seven more people, so watch out... don't get too close. I might pass it on to you!!!

Coffee Klatch Monday - Down the Toilet

Hello to all my lovelies out there!

This week begins my back to my regular work and hours--finally no more night driving. And winter has finally come to our area, and will bring us all sorts of crap our way through the week--so, it's all going to go into the crapper from here. Right? I, along with my fellow transit drivers at NIU, will have to avoid the bad drivers, but also the 28,000 students who walk to class, see a bus and have this inexplicable need to walk out in front of us. Fun times.

Anyway, I may not have time to do many posts, but when I do I'll plop something interesting down here.

As of yesterday, I was still having problems with either making comments or bringing in people's blogs (Shelly Arkon and James Garcia Jr.'s blogs are among those I can't even see!) so hopefully any of you who can comment here, do so, so I know you're still out there and still love me. (^;

Thank you to those who are new followers--also I can't see who is following me, so if you're new, please leave a comment so  I know who you are, otherwise I can't visit you--and until this other thing clears up I won't be able to comment either. We may have to resort to facebook--which isn't a bad idea. At least that's working for me.

Have a great week and see you around!

In A Hurry? Think Twice when you drive

Last night was rainy, and when it became dark, it was down right crazy and somewhat surreal.

As some of you may know, I drive a transit bus for NIU, in DeKalb. I don't usually take a second shift (from 1pm-7pm), but because of the fact we need to take the same shift and another driver has seniority, we had to take this later shift--and so the last 2 or so hours we are driving in the dark.

I love what they've done with one street, the white lights wound around the trees makes me think of "It's A Wonderful Life". But last night it felt surreal in the rain. We should be getting snow, here in northern Illinois. I'm not sure which would have been worse.

I suppose snow, since there were so many people in such a hurry. I know of 2 accidents within the last two hours of my shift. It took every fiber of my concentration to make sure I arrived safely at every stop. This is my livelihood. It's how I make money.

Unfortunately, as I do not enjoy it. I get no real breaks. Imagine not having more than 5 minutes to use a bathroom or eat something. Sometimes I can manage to get back to the student center and have 10 minutes, but that's rare. I drive a route that is one hour--but I can do it in about 50 min., if weather is good, and there is no delays (like accidents, etc.).

I also do not like bad, inconsiderate drivers. I hate drivers who are in such a hurry they will put their own lives, as well as other people's lives at risk. I'm also appalled at how many people drive while on the cell phone--or worse, texting, which is illegal. I hope that using all such devices will be banned while driving. It has no place while you are driving.

I see a few drivers coming out of parking lots and do not have their headlights on. PLEASE~! Make sure you have your lights on when you leave a parking area. You are really risking your life when you do not.

So, if I were to give you all who stop by a bit of advice it is this: Please take responsibility when you get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Too many people's lives, holiday plans, family ( and others), are put at risk when you take your mind and eyes off what is happening around you. Drive defensively.

I can happily say I have had only one slide-off-the-road (just my own car), accident when the roads were sheer ice in my own car, but that could happen to anyone. I have never had any accident with a bus.

Have a safe and wonderful holiday, everyone!