Your link to Northwest Indiana. tm

		Whether the Storm I awoke this morning to ¼ inch of ice glazing everything outdoors.  I was amazed we had electric power given the spectacle.  Simultaneously, my wife’s cell phone, my cell phone and our home phone rang with an automated message that the opening of school would be delayed for 2 hours.  Later the event would be repeated with a message that the delay was transformed into a cancellation.  All that “school gift” baking my wife did last night was for naught.  My daughter, however, was ecstatic – Christmas break started a day earlier than anticipated.  We didn’t even bother waking my high school son.  Of course, we tuned into both the local radio station and our favorite Chicago morning television program to see how others were reacting to the conditions.  Like most Americans, we’re interested in the human condition in crisis (a.k.a. wreck watching). Suffering from 4 days of sleep deprivation (semester final exams), my son returned home from college the day prior and was scheduled to work this morning, but the thick ice coating our vehicles convinced me that even if I could free one of them from their ice coffin, safe navigation of the roads would be impossible.  I spoke with his supervisor explaining the situation and she was surprised the event my son was scheduled to work had not been canceled.  At least I think that’s what she said.  I woke her with my 5:15 a.m. telephone call and both of us were a little groggy despite the excitement. Dawn’s early light revealed the breathtaking beauty associated with the danger of the ice storm.  We still had power, but as a precautionary measure we filled up bottles and bathtubs with water.  We live out in the country.  No power, no well.  No well, no water.  No water, no good.  No good for us, no good for our animals.  Country dwellers think like that.  Or they invest in a generator.  Or both. My wife warmed up the biscuits and gravy once destined for school, but now OUR breakfast.  My wife’s B & G is legendary.  It was among the reason’s I said, “I do” 22 years ago.  She and our youngest then bundled and headed down to our barn with food and water for our animals.  I could hear the crack of our neighbor’s trees snapping as they opened the door.  They’re doing chores for my eldest daughter as she’s is on campus at nearby Valparaiso University taking her final semester final.  Just her luck; an 8:00 a.m. final on the morning of the ice storm.  My daughter is presently a commuter student.  When she discovered that her professor would not accommodate a weather-related absence or tardiness, she wisely traveled to campus last evening and bunked with a fellow co-ed and friend to eliminate any potential weather issues.  A far cry from when I attended VU in the 80’s.  I’ll never forget the storm that shut down campus in the middle of finals.  My Philosophy professor gave us the option of taking the final at home.  Back then, our honor code was enough to ensure the integrity of the process.  No Internet, no faxes – my professor phoned me, read the questions, gave the time limit along with instructions of what to do with the completed exam.  I was never more proud to be a VU student.  The event inspired me to accept an invitation to join the University Honor Council.  Later, I would Chair the Council’s Appeals Board. With the morning’s events behind us, I sat down to work.  After all, we have power and we have internet.  A work-at-home day for Bob.  Then I realized.  Six days until Christmas; the roads are treacherous, the schools are closed, but the power is on.  Everyone’s at home and everyone’s on the Internet.  It’s gonna be a LONG day. As always, I can be reached via e-mail at b@219.com