Update: I'm alright

re: Update: I'm alright

Brett Nordquist — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 22:56:03 GMT

It sounds like you had it tougher than we did in Auburn. Our power was out from Thursday evening till about 12:30 am on Saturday. I came back from the Seahawk's game and found that two roads leading to our home on Lea Hill were closed due to large trees in the road. A kind police officer told us about a road we didn't know about and were able to make it home that evening to a very cold house.

It sounds like you have some very cool neighbors.

If you haven't already bought a mattress you're welcome to borrow my Aerobed. It inflates itself in about 2 minutes. If you're at MS, I'd be happy to deliver it to you.

re: Update: I'm alright

Francesco Esposito — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 23:15:24 GMT

Well I am gald to hear you are ok! What a wild windstorm. It seems like some of your fellow Microsofties got hit pretty bad (apparently Major Nelson's Skylight got blown off!). BBQ steaks and wine doesn't sound to bad though, apparently people in Seattle really know how to 'rough it'. Ha :-)

re: Update: I'm alright

JayG26 — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 00:10:19 GMT

Glad to hear that you are ok. I have been reading through the main blog index and it seems that a number of people are sleeping in their offices in Redmond this weekend.

re: Update: I'm alright

Cornelius Puschmann — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 03:00:31 GMT

Microsoft slumber party? ;-)

Seriously though, glad to hear that you're alright, and also glad that we don't get that kind of weather over here in ole' Europe. Though I do remember how my parents balcony was taken out when lightning struck a maple tree in the garden a few years back. Trees can be dangerous things to be around...

re: Update: I'm alright

HeatherLeigh — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 03:09:57 GMT

Brett-that is so nice of you. I just bought a Coleman one. You should have seen me just now blowing it up in the parking lot. Crazy!

Francesco - yeah. mostly because the freezer is defrosting!

JayG26 - that is good to hear. It feels weird to be planning on sleeping here but I don't know what else to do!

Cornelius - I bet it sounds more fun than it is. We don't get this kind of weather here...that is the weird thing. I thikn I am buying a generator and getting my fireplace hooked up to gas.

Man, weather sucks!

re: Update: I'm alright

mrscrooge — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 11:45:49 GMT

Hey I had a feeling you were doing the MSFT slumber party thing too :). I got tired of nomad-ing thru downtown seattle with friends and came back to the eastside , grabbed a bag full of stuff and camped out at one of the main campus buildings which had full power. Felt REALLY fortunate, sleeping in the warmth on a nice comfy couch in the hallway. Good to know you're safe and sound!

re: Update: I'm alright

HeatherLeigh — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 19:08:08 GMT

Aha! I guess I wasn't the only one. There were a couple of cars parked outside my building as well. My office was pretty comfortable...very warm! And now I soooo appreciate the iCup machines.

So despite the fact that I had moved most of my office stuff home (which actually made more space on the floor for my bed), I have a pretty good set-up and think I could stay here for a while if I absolutely needed to. I have a mini fridge (which was defrosting, but I can plug back in). I need to go check out the shower on the third floor.

I started making a list of other things I should bring here if I stay another night. The one good thing is that the buildings are quiet because many are on vacation. We are generally OK with people bringing dogs to work but I am keeping my shades drawn so nobody finds it weird what is going on in my office.

Scrooge - you could also go to the library if you just needed a space to hang out. I have offers to stay with friends but it's complicated by the fact that I have Jonas and he doesn't get along with other animals. Did you see any other people doing the same? I'm bringing a TV tonight if I don't get electricity. Haven't seen TV since Thursday....

I'm just saying that my emergency kit doesn't seem so crazy and paranoid now! Really, the timing was interesting!

re: Update: I'm alright

mrscrooge — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 19:41:51 GMT

Is the library quiet? My second nite in a row at the sql server bldg and I unfortunately picked the floor with some conf room construction which started at 5am. Oops. Saw maybe 1 or 2 other people but its a big bldg. I have to say though, I felt like I was getting *real* work done last nite - amazing how productive you can get when you have uninterrupted time. Hope Jonas is coping well with the changes.

re: Update: I'm alright

eR0CK — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 19:51:36 GMT

Glad to hear you're alright! When I lived out west, we had quite a large fir tree fall behind our house. The tree, only 10' from out house ... luckily fell the other way.

I'll always remember the windstorms. Many people on the east coast asked me if they were common and I always say the PNW gets a good one almost every other year. I remember leaving school early because of a incoming windstorm!

re: Update: I'm alright

HeatherLeigh — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 20:07:19 GMT

mrscrooge- the building was very quiet but there aren't couches in the library, just arm chairs. They have air mattresses at the Fred Meyer on 148th. If you do that, let me know...we can order a pizza or something.

eRock- this was really the first storm of this type that I have seen and I have been here since 99. It may have been bigger than you think. I e-mailed my directore and the leader of our division and neither of them knew it was this bad from the reports. My mom didn't know anything was wrong until i called her yesterday- which I am kind of glad about because without any phone service, I didn't want her to worry about me. I'll get some pics taken so you guys can see some of what is going on.

Some holiday break! So thankful there's electricity at Microsoft and it's pretty darn comfy here. I don't think I've ever worked someplace where I would feel this comfortable sleeping at work.

re: Update: I'm alright

tlamothe — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 22:09:29 GMT

As much as it sucks to lose the food in the freezer, I am glad to hear that the freezer is defrosting and not that the house is frozen. The reason I say this; I was talking with a Microsoft TAM last week after the Vista Launch in Ottawa and we got talking about the ice storm in '98. His sister was in Montreal was without power for 20 days and during that time the house basically froze and all the paint on the walls flaked up and fell off the walls. I guess when they say indoor paint, they really mean it.

Don't worry, the emergency kit isn't paranoid, it is good proactive planning. I am sure that by having the kit, you are not feeling as over run by this then you would have had you not had your kit.

re: Update: I'm alright

HeatherLeigh — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 22:18:52 GMT

tlamothe - I have a fucet running to keep the pipes from freezing. i went by the house this morning to pick up some stuff and it was quite chilly. I just bought a portable DVD player and a bunch of DVDs. I'm going to consider it an early birthday gift to myself.