The CHA gods align against me

I'm leaving for CHA tomorrow - I think... Well, I'M going, I don't know about Mark, though. Unfortunately, the 6 and 8 year old children are not old enough to stay alone - although our 8 year old SWEARS he could do it. The problem is that my parents (aka FREE BABYSITTERS)live on one side of the Cascade mountains

-------^^^^^------ and I live on the other. And, well, in the last 24 hours, the mountain pass they will have to drive through has gotten over 2 feet of nice, wet snow.

The pass was closed this morning due to avalanches but is open now. But, as you can see, it's not a pretty drive.

Sooooo, I told Mark that he might get to STILL take the days off, but he might be home with the house-monkeys (aka CHILDREN) while I go to CHA. Mom and Dad are on the road right now, but there's always a chance the pass will get closed and they'll have to turn back.

The universe pretty much aligns against me when it comes to CHA. The first year I went, I ended up coming down with Fifth Disease the week before. It's one of those highly contagious but mild child-hood illnesses that everyone should have gotten. Apparently, I didn't. Well, it's mild in children, but in adult females, it causes not only the tell-tale rash, but symptoms not unlike rheumatoid arthritis. I went to CHA with swollen, stiff joints. I could hardly put shoes on and my wrists felt like I had carpal tunnel.

Then, the next time I tried to go to CHA, I came down with Pneumonia. Mark planned a business trip at the same time in the same city and he ended up going without me. My parents came to babysit ME.

So, I half expect something to throw a wrench in my plans. Apparently, the universe using weather this time...