A called at 3pm.
" I am leaving in 30 mins, baby. The snow is going to get worse and the roads are quite icy already.....everyone is leaving now....my bus is at 3:45...I'll see you soon."

"Oh cool! Be careful when you pick up the car and drive back home......"

Yay! A is coming home early, and the weather is below freezing and there is some potato sabzi left over from Alu Parantha. May be I can whip up some hot and spicy Alu Bonda. That with the hot n sweet Maggi sauce, will be an awesome treat, I thought. So I got out the sabzi from the fridge and warmed it in the microwave. I made up a batter with besan and went back to reading Michael Chrichton. I wouldn't have to get started with it until 4:30 pm or so, right when he would be home.

At 4:25 pm, A calls again.
"Baby, the bus just came....delayed because of the icy roads here....I should be home at least by 6:30pm"
"But it doesn't take more than an hour...."
"Yeah, but the road condition is bad....I must be there by 6:30.....will see ya soon."

Poof! My bubble burst. 6:30 pm is too late for an evening snack.....sigh. I curled up on the couch with my book, again.

At 5:30 pm, A calls again.

" What's wrong with your mobile? I am not able to get through to the land line.....have been trying for quite a while now...."
"Ummmm.....it has turned off.....needs to be charged..."
"Okay....am on I-5 and traffic is barely moving. The bus is so packed and there is no place to sit even. They have blocked the Express Lanes.....these f*@# heads. At this rate I think I won't get home for another 3 hours or so."
"Wh...what?"
"Yeah....don't wait for me...have your dinner."
"I thought you are going to get home early and I got all excited and got everything ready for alu bonda......"
"Oh, that's okay dear....I'll have it after I get home."
"Okay."

I switch on the local news channel on TV and listen intently for any traffic updates. I called A at 6:45 pm.

"Hey, was just listening to the news...looks like some disabled vehicle has blocked three left lanes on I-5. No wonder you are stuck. I looked up the freeway traffic map and it is green all the way from UW....you should be here pretty soon."
"UW? But am no where near it. It will be another 30 mins by the time I get there....."
"Oh....I see some black and red patches before UW....I think you are stuck some where there...."
"Hey, House starts at 8 pm, don't forget to record it for me..."

At 7:30 pm, A calls to say it is all clear and he should be home by 8:00 pm. Ah, at last! I start watching House while having my dinner. At 8:00 pm, A calls again.

"Guess what? The bus is stuck in the snow outside Masala Bar n Grill. I will have to just walk it from here to the car...."
"But, that's too far! What if you slip?"
"There's no other choice, dear....I'll see you in sometime..."

After walking for a mile and slipping and sliding on ice, he finally made it to the car. He got back home safely in one piece. Phew! What a day!

And this morning, when I looked out the window, I saw