Foiled by the weather, again?

See: this.

And this.

No, it wasn't a snow day that kept us from working on Friday. But it was the weather.

I was all set to stay until about 5:30, get my desk cleaned off, get some grading done, get my ducks in a row for Monday. The newspaper editor was going over a few last minute pieces, since we ship on Tuesday afternoon.

About 4:30, we heard the ominous words, "Students and staff still in the building..." I thought it would be a warning that the fire alarms were being tested, and not to worry about the alarms. Nope, it was a tornado warning, so we all had to go to the basement locker rooms.

I had no idea the weather was that bad. I have no windows in my room, so once 7:45 a.m. hits, I'm clueless as to weather patterns until I leave in the evening. All I knew what that I was supposed to wait for a call from Adam, who would be picking me up a little after 5 p.m.

I don't know if you've been in any basement locker rooms lately, but the fact that they make such great tornado shelters means there is not one tiny bit of cellular service. I waited down there for a while, and finally went upstairs to call. It was crazy - the volleyball team, the freshman and sophomore football players, coaches, a few other teachers still crazy enough to be there at 5 on a Friday, and the administrators. After about 20 minutes, parents started to trickle in to pick up their kids. That was the only way students got to leave - they had to have a parent pick them up, since we're responsible for their well-being while at school.

My room and computer lab is a tornado shelter - any time we have a drill, a few classes come in to wait it out with my students. I guess it only works that way, though, when the building is full, since you can't fit 1,500 people in the locker rooms. (And you wouldn't want to - they're stinky enough already!)

The other teachers were ribbing me a little bit because as I left my room, I grabbed my keys, water bottle, and one of our point and shoot digital cameras. I knew there'd either be yearbook pictures to be made, or news photos to be made if the weather got really bad.

"Always the journalist!" They said.

As the newspaper editor and I were standing around all the other kids in the locker room, we were talking about how that event would be a perfect candidate for a news update on our website that we hope will be live by the end of the week.

Our first league football game of the season was also cancelled last night - rescheduled for 11 a.m. today. It's still a constant rain outside, so I wonder if it'll get pushed off again.

Adam and I grabbed some dinner and went over to eat with Dad. There's a basement there, but not at our house. This is good and bad - no great shelter, but like Adam said last night, at least we don't have to worry about our basement flooding. I looked at the photos on Kansas.com today, and I can't believe all the water down there. I know that our little house in College Hill wouldn't necessarily be UNDER water, but I'm sure there's some water in the basement right now.

Here's to all my friends in Doodah - I hope you're all dry, and okay, and Turn Around, Don't Drown!