We had a fairly severe wind and rain storm yesterday- mostly wind. I'm not sure how windy it got but the predictions were 50-70 mph.

Our department head sent an email letting everyone go home early (just an hour- not THAT early) so the peeps would be safe in getting home. Since I ride the train, there's not a whole lot I can do if I want to go home early. The train doesn't run all day.

Still, I wasn't very worried about it. I mean, the train doesn't have to deal with traffic accidents and the like- and the bearded eye-roller confirmed that we still had power at home.

La-dee-da, no worries here, mate. I ride the train. I'm safe from all of it.

Not so! Right before the second stop (I get off on the fifth stop) the conductor announced that power lines blew down over the tracks and they didn't know when they'd be cleared. He suggested that everyone get off the train and find a new way home.

90% of the people got off the train (we're talking several hundred) and I was one of them. Many optimistic types stayed on the train, hoping that the track would be cleared soon. I called BER after the train left the station and asked him to come pick me up.

Several minutes later, some guy shouts out that he'd heard the track was cleared and the train was able to make it though so I called BER and told him to head back home, that I'd catch the next train home.

The next train arrived and another 1000 people got off the train. This time it was completely emptied. I told the conductor that I'd heard that the track was cleared and a train got through. He said that no such thing had happened. So I called BER again- then tried to find that guy with the phony announcement so I could kick him where the sun doesn't shine.

I heard people saying that there was a bus that could get us closer to my city, so I wandered over there (with the THRONGS of people) and called BER with plan "z". Meet me at a closer city so you don't have to drive so far.

By then, not only was it very windy, but it was raining. Can we say major hair disaster? (yes, that was pretty much my main concern- believe it or not).

Not only that, the train was blocking the intersection so there were cars and buses backed up as far as the eye could see. There was honking and cussing and very impatient people. Eventually, the train backed up so the traffic could get through, and the bus was able to get to the stop. I got on the bus and found out that it was going to make an extra stop to a P&R that would be easier to find, so once again I called BER.

I should mention that ironically, this was the ONE day that I didn't plug my phone in at work to charge the battery. My phone was making that beeping sound it makes when it's just about to go dead.

Go figure.

The bearded eye-roller pulled into the P&R just as the bus arrived and I was SO happy to see him.

Well, I'm always happy to see him, but I was ESPECIALLY happy last night.

Wouldn't you know it, just as we got there, a train pulled up and announced that they were able to make it through to the end of the journey.

I didn't stick around long enough to see if it was true. I just wanted to take my "look what the cat dragged in" body home and into a nice hot bath.

This, peeps, is what I get for being so smug about riding the train.