Snow Day

Last night I was informed that we were on a two hour delay for reporting to work today.  So when I woke up (I got to sleep in by the way) at 0630 I was laughing at how slow the Marine Corps really is sometimes.  There was not a single flake on the ground!  So I go about my morning routine getting ready.  Shave, start the coffee, shower.  While I was getting dressed I moved over to open the blinds.  No, not because I'm an exhibitionist, but because by this time it's light out.  Besides, I live on the fourth floor!  Anyways, to my surprise when I opened the blinds was one of the heaviest snowfalls that I can remember in a long time.  0730 rolls around and it's time to leave.  It took the normal 45 minutes to drive all 8 miles to work as usual.  Minutes before we get there my friend TK gets a text telling him our report time was just changed to 1000.  Having just under two hours to kill we decided to head over and chill out in the PX parking lot.  I thought it'd be funny parking in the general's parking spot, so I did.  While we're there waiting we received further word that the base was going to shut down due to the winter storm that was "dumping" snow on us.  So we start heading back to the hotel, again just 8 miles away.  By this point I had long smashed my large cup of coffee I usually drink in the mornings out here.  Without giving another thought I push north towards the main gate.  About a mile down the road (30 minutes later) I really had to go to the bathroom.  I could not just go on the side of the road.  Once we finally made it off base I couldn't stop somewhere in town because I was in cammies.  It got to the point I had to empty a half full water bottle that was in the back seat just in case I needed to use it.  It was so bad that for the last few minutes of the ride I told TK that there was no talking and that I needed complete concentration or I was going to wet myself.  Being the good friend he is he kept finding things that would make me laugh, making me almost let go.  It took us two hours to get back to the hotel.  Two hours!  Just so I don't keep in suspense any longer, I did indeed make it back to my room in time.

All said and done we received a few inches of snow today.  Keep in mind that here in coastal North Carolina, I think that equates to somewhere around a few feet.  It's amazing how such a little amount of snow shut down an entire Marine Corps base!  Not that I'm complaining.  In fact, I already have a two hour delay tomorrow morning.  Trust me though, I will take it easy on the coffee.