Friday, December 9, 2005

BIG EIGHT INCH

Feeling cocky.

Everyone tells me that this is highly unusual. The temperatures, the snow, the whole dang thing! They are concerned about me, being from the South and not accustomed to a snow fall every single week! According to them, neither are they! I'm going to play this hand to the dire end! Poor little southerner, scared of the snow.

Actually, I was feeling cocky this morning. It took me thirty minutes to dig myself out of the drifts and the accumulated snow on the car. For a few dreadful moments I thought I had burnt up my windshield wiper motor, but alas, only frozen. When I finally began driving I was alright. I took a longer route to work that avoided the expressway, which is the kiss of death in the dark before seven a.m. on snow filled sleety and ice kissed days.

The frozen wiper reminded me of an afternoon long ago when I drove from Ashland Kentucky to home on I-64 in the midst of a blizzard. I had to pull over because my windshield wipers were frozen and ineffective. A family friend was at the gas station I landed in and helped me thaw them out. That afternoon I took the longest drive of my life. I was behind semi's and in a white out snow storm.

I realized that eight inches of snow, powder snow with no ice, was not something to be afraid of.

Hell, I went through a category four hurricane!!!

Like I said, I was feeling cocky. Then I began to skid a little. Reality bites.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

OH man I ll take snow over the ice then snow on top Winchester got that is no control ever to beat it all do you know they did not cancel school in fayette and clark counties GOOD GRIEF!!!!!!!!!!! the others did.

Anonymous said...

ha ha

nice pic and funny entry.

enjoy the snow while it lasts.

niki
journals.aol.com/thinkingoutloud/ThinkingOutLoud/

Anonymous said...

Okay, that is something I don't miss.  Usually. - Karen

Anonymous said...

Wow, you got a lot of snow. We were supposed to get 3 to 6 inches but got nothing. I was hoping for a little. : )
Angela

Anonymous said...

Makes me cold just looking at the picture.  You have all that snow and we have sunshine.  We shiver when it gets in the 40's.  I almost freel pampered.  Pennie

Anonymous said...

Wow!  You guys are really getting dumped on!  Ask around if anyone remembers the winter of '78-'79.  We still lived in Illinois then, and we had something like 200 inches of snow during that winter.  Sounds like you're revving up for exactly that kind of year.  Lisa  :-]

Anonymous said...

Welcome to the North (again). I've slid and slimed my way around the hills of Kentucky enough to know you aren't a snow virgin (ahem). Nevertheless, if driving in this stuff is giving you pause, get thee to a driving school. Pay the $100 or so for a few private lessons in Snow & Ice Control 101. You'll be glad you did. Next time, it will be confidence, not cockiness, that keeps you out of trouble and on time to work.

wil
http://dailysnooze.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Wow!  That's lots of snow!  We've only had one snow storm come through our valley below the mountains, leaving us about 6 inches of snow which has pretty much melted to an inch or two now.  We've had below freezing temps for a week or better now, so I don't think what's left will melt.  It has turned to ice though, a whole 'nother slippery problem!  ;)
http://boiseladie.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

After 62 years of New England winter weather, we didn't want to see 63!    No snow for us, only blue skies,  warm weather and  shorts every day.  Stay warm.
Dawn                  

Anonymous said...

OMG that is a lot of snow - wouldn't fancy walking in that - let alone taking the car out - Ski's I think would be the answer to get me to work...lol....Ally

Anonymous said...

We had a great storm yesterday!  Thunder, lightning, wind and blinding snow.  In the end it totalled 18" of the white fluffy stuff.  Driving?  I went to work, I came home.  Four miles total.  

Anonymous said...

I do not miss that cold, wet, white stuff, nor the tribulations that go with it. I do enjoy reading about other people's pain, however :)

Anonymous said...

Love the snow but do not miss the digging out exercise. Would rather get the aerobic work out by making lots of snow angels.
Tess

Anonymous said...

I only got 6 inches. Not feeling so cocky here.
xxoo

Anonymous said...

Hahaha! Being from Florida, I am deathly afraid of driving on snow covered roads. A few years back, I skidded to a stop and was turned 360 degrees at a busy intersection in Michigan. Needless to say, I do not do snow anymore. Happy Holidays! http://journals.aol.com/dcmeyer420/DearDiary/  

Anonymous said...

Well, I'm trying to be optimistic.  Maybe it's over for the winter?
http://searchthesea.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

People think when you're from Kentucky you don't know what snowstorms are like!  Remember the 24 inches in 1994?  And the blizzards of '78 and '79?
Lori

Anonymous said...

We got 10 inches. But we're used to it. Plows had us dug out in no time. We went to the supermarket that afternoon. Just another day. LOL
http://ryanagi.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

John was just describing an Indiana winter to me...no thank you!  Maybe for a week, but for months?  Good luck, have fun!!!  JAE

Anonymous said...

A can of de-icer would be a good thing to prevent your wiper motor from being unable to move.  Being prepared can go a long way to ensure your car is not going to need replacement parts.  I wrote in my journal about my nephew being hit head-on driving on the Interstate 55, south of Chicago.  At first he had no feeling from his neck down.  Then from his waist down.  MRI showed a small amount of bleeding on one side of his brain.   The Neurologist had said that he showed pinched nerve injury and disk dislocation after being first examined.   My mother told me several days ago that he had returned to work, and that means a 120 mile round trip drive each day.   We are so relieved that he is doing so well.  He was told to expect some future "possible problems" from his injury.   Take extra care to be safe Mary, and you will get through whatever nature brings your way.  Thank you for the compliment on my artwork!   Wishing you and your family a good Holiday Season!    mark

Anonymous said...

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but... "they" are lying. This happens all the time in Indiana.

The good news is, you get used to it. And it's always good for some sympathy when you moan about it to your old Southern pals.
;-)
Vicki

Anonymous said...

Sux, don't it! Rhonda
http://journals.aol.com/rgwindland/Imgivingup/