Waynesburg or the Tip of Florida During a Hurricane?

I have never seen such odd weather in Waynesburg until this week. Who knew that we could go from five degrees to SIXTY EIGHT in one week. I guess the weather, or God really, is unpredictable like that. Last week I was under the impression that we were going to get about five feet of snow, not that I actually believed it, and now this week I am hoping that Spring will come soon. It's not fair for the weather to tease us like this with beautiful days of warm weather and sunshine - in FEBRUARY.

Maybe it was on account of the temperature changing so drastically, but Wednesday night was a night to remember. There I was, sitting in Stover after just recently walking the 30 stairs from the library when it was warm-ish and beautiful outside. I was chatting with a few of my girlfriends, and it was 7:22, time to get up to walk down to the GPAC for musical rehearsal. As I stood up from the table and took two steps towards the hall, the lights went out. This was no 'lights flickered out for just a second and it's okay,' but it was what seemed like an extended momentary blackout, and it was PITCH BLACK in the Bee Hive. I stood there, frozen in my lack of sight, and waited for the lights to come back up. 1...2...3...Phew! They came back on. So I continued on my way down the stairs and towards the front doors, and I hear this loud noise, which at this point I had no idea what it was. Keep in mind that just minutes earlier the weather was beautiful and clear. As I got closer to the door, I realized that the noise was wind and water POUNDING against the double doors! It was blowing so hard that the water was coming through the crack between the door in a frenzied sort of way. Unfortunately, I was getting closer and closer to being late for rehearsal. So what else could I do but take off at full speed into the rain? I walked closer to the door, paused to prepare myself...I hid my script inside of my vest, pulled it tighter around me, and now I was ready. I put my hand on the door and pushed...and pushed...and pushed! It took me probably thirty seconds to get the door opened because the wind was blowing so hard! I got out the door and was immediately drenched. This was no light rainfall, this was buckets of water coming down and being poured directly on top of my head. I took off sprinting towards the GPAC, across the street where I stepped in a river...I hit the stairs in Johnson Commons and by this point I was having such a hard time seeing because my contacts were being smashed about my the water (there was no squinting to protect your eyes, it was all or nothing!) I ended up stumbling, barely making it down the stairs without falling and I heard a crash to my left, and the lights in the commons went out...by this point I was so focused on getting inside that I didn't realize that no matter how fast I got there, I was already soaked to the bone, so it really didn't matter. I finally made it down the elongated concrete steps, and took off sprinting down the last leg of my journey. I was hoping that I was running straight, because I closed my eyes (afraid I was going to lose a contact) and just followed the voices yelling, "RUN! RUN! YOU CAN MAKE IT!" And I did. As I entered the foyer of the GPAC, streams of water were flowing down my legs, my hair was dripping wet, and I had puddles in my shoes. The important thing though is that my script was safe inside my vest, it did not get wet.

It wasn't minutes later that the rain let up to a light sprinkle, and the next people to come in were just a little bit wet - that's okay, my story was more fun than theirs. Following that front was elevated wind that lasted through yesterday as well. If I were a fisherman or a sailor, I might say it was 'so many knots.' But I am not, so I will just say that it wanted to blow me around...I tell you, it was saying to itself, "I am going to throw Emily off of the path she is walking," and it did succeed. Though it was entertaining for a few days, I am happy to report that I am watching the sun rise right now, and the trees are still. The worst part is that it is supposed to get cold again this weekend...bummer. Guess it's six more weeks of winter...too bad.

God Bless!