Five Day Weekend, You Say
Between Hurricane Helene and the Biolab chemical fire, my weekend was pretty interesting, to say the least.
I had a relaxing Thursday waiting on the storm to hit which only produced some rain in my neck of the woods. Friday rolled along and the sun came out, and so I was out and about.
School had been called Thursday and Friday so the kids had settled pleasantly into a long weekend.
Robyn used her time off to prepare for heading back on Monday and being ahead of schedule. She told me Wednesday that she was sleeping in a bit, I said “great” you deserve it. Well I peeped in on her Thursday mid-morning and she was on a Zoom call. I quickly closed the door and thought to myself “who organizes a Zoom call on weather days.”
A few minutes later she emerged from her room so I asked “who called a Zoom meeting and for what on a day off?” She gave me a deadpan look and said “I did.” Things had to be organized for various afterschool activities that couldn’t get done because there was no school, so she organized a few meetings. A few meetings? So I asked how many others joined said meetings. Under half involved for each she said, but work got done or delegated. I told her no one wants to have a “think tank” on their free off day.Her Friday went much the same.
Meanwhile, down the hall in her brother’s room, none of that was going on. He got up earlier than I thought he would but it wasn’t to complete assignments. I heard a lot of laughter and music. I dared not peek in to see a sure mess on the floor which would have raised my blood pressure.
Saturday rolled around and I and my eldest sister had planned an outing to a gospel singing in Jackson. I wondered if the event was still on but with the weather clear we took a chance it would be. I was wrong.
When we arrived at the singing site, it was empty and locked up. In that moment, I was reminded to always listen to my gut. After a few calls, it was discovered that it had indeed been canceled. All was well, my sister and I had a lovely evening together over dinner.
Sunday morning I venture into Conyers and was prepared to return home to remind the kids to review for any upcoming tests and complete any assgnments due this week so they could enter next week’s fall break on top of things. (Well of course Robyn didn’t need that reminder.)
It was about 1 p.m. when someone pointed out a huge cloud of smoke flooding the skies. Some conversation ensued and the words Biolab fire came up and I knew then it was time to head home for sure. After some social media research, it wasn’t looking good for area residents. “No baby that is not God when people lose their lives, homes, and have their health endangered by no fault of their own,” I replied. I advised them to keep the windows closed and that I would be turning off the air condition for awhile.
Jacob hopped around a bit and proceeded to ask if the middle school dance from last week had been rescheduled. “Really son the dance,” was all I could muster.
By this time, real time videos were being posted on social media from the fire and it was bad. I couldn’t help but think about the local air quality and that doesn’t just clear up overnight. A school parent texted me to recount how the last fire at the same company resulted in businesses being closed for a week. A friend sent pictures of the different colored clouds billowing over her neigborhood. I texted back “get out now!”
As I set out for The News office Monday, I reminded them to stay inside, keep the windows closed, and no AC. Once outside on the way to the car, I got a whiff of some toxic air and was thinking this could lead to a six day weekend. I was right. Around 7 p.m. that evening the PR call came again. The kids were less estactic but pleased all the same. Robyn started thinking of the days that were going to be taken away in order to make up for these freebies given. Smart chick.She just hoped it wasn’t Christmas holidays because she needs that.
Rockdale County students must be a little peaved as all this occurs on their fall break, no extra days but then no make ups days either. And if families had already made plans to be away that would be good too—no breathing toxic air. But hopefully it wasn’t a place destroyed by Helene.
And as I sat at my desk Tuesday evening typing these very words, yet another PR call arrived to announce that school would be on a two hour delay Wednesday with the caveat of possibly canceling school by 6 a.m.
I’m ready for fall break already!