home again, home again, jiggity jig

I left here at around 7, planning to head to work. As usual Waltham is lax on plowing/sanding side roads and I slipped all the way to 128. While I listened to the radio I learned that:
-Side roads everywhere were a mess (I fear driving up an icy hospital hill to my office)
-All State Offices are closed (save for essential workers)
-The state police want all people to keep off highways (except for essential drivers)

Also:
-I have a buttload of unused vacation time
-I don't have any meetings today
-I don't have any work that has to get done today

So, I turned around at Winter Street and headed back home. My guess is that the co-workers that all live near work aren't going to kill themselves to get there, so I won't either.

Now, what to do? I have this cute cat curled up next to me, so I think my first item of business will be to snuggle! :)

Its 10:40 am and

I paid my bills. I finally programmed phone #s into my cell phone (so that I can leave my address book out of my purse). AND, I finished my book on http://nhpr.org/view_content/7178/ .

I enjoyed it quite a bit - an easy read, though it kind of jumped around. I think it gives a good picture of what life was like in the early industrial mills, the friction around immigration, the poor conditions of workers, the early efforts of fledgeling labor unions, the impact of WWII on economy, and industry changes resulting in massive loss of jobs. Most of the book focused on the mills in Lawrence in Lowell (where a majority in New England were), though they talked a bit at the beginning of the Waltham Mill (it was the first) and those in other areas such as New Bedford, Fall River, and in NH (Manchester and Nashua).

I loved this final paragraph:
"The rivers of New England long ago ceased to generate power for the mill machines that clothed the world. Now, on warm, sun-filled days the rivers carry people on canoes and kayaks as they explore the old industrial waterways. They are people who work in sleek technology plants and gleaming skyscrapers. They shop at L.L. Bean and in glittering malls and do not worry about bread money. In the distance, they see the deserted mills with weeds reaching up to shattered windows and gloomy interiors. They wonder about the past, about ghosts, about broken dreams. They turn around and drift downstream, searching for scenery more pleasing to the eye."

"The Max" (addendum to the HS survey)

Thanks to La for informing us that:
" 'The Max' (thanks to Bee) was the diner where the Saved by the Bell people hung out. "

Yes! Our version of The Max was Bickfords (where we spent most time when we weren't working or out at a show) or Roy Rogers on Rt. 95 on the Lexington/Bedford line (we'd go there when Bickfords closed and kicked us out and we were still looking for a place to hang). Many a night were spent there with a large group of friends, bottomless coffee that tasted like mud, and plenty of silliness.

Not so bad that I stayed home

From our Director (filling in for my boss, until the new person starts in March):

> that's fine. Chris [co-worker living in NH] did not make it in either.
> I had the 7:30 PHO Board of Director's meeting and the guest did not show
> up either. The roads in Malden, Medford and Melrose are awful.

I guess getting up hospital hill would have been a challenge! Here's hoping they are good about plowing/sanding today.