it has already been a very odd day. I woke up late to find that there had been another snowstorm – another 10 cm or so. Not a big deal really – but I made a quick decision to stay home and work in the comfort of my own office rather that driving to work. So – espresso at the ready, radio on, I fired up Eudora and started to see if anything pressing had come into my work account overnight. And poof – the power went off. So I went to the front of my house to check it out… and there are firefighters everywhere, at least a dozen of them if not more. It seems there was a gas leak across the street.

So I started to get dressed, folded some laundry – I figured if I needed to do anything they’d knock on my door. Finally I just said “OK, I may as well just go to work” as the smell of gas started to permeate my house. But still no word from the fire dep’t. I put on my coat, grabbed my wallet and phone etc. and stepped out the front door.

“Hey! Qu’est-ce que tu fais la?” They’d evacuated the whole block – and thought I was going in, not leaving. “Non non, I’m leaving, not returning. No one knocked on my door!”

So, feeling quite happy not to have blown up, and having called my insurance agent to make sure I’m paid up (just in case), I’m sitting here in the office now wondering how soon I can get home to dig out my car and make sure I don’t get towed.