So if you're from around the Michiana area, or you watch the news...you know that we were blasted with snow this weekend. A lot of snow. Record breaking amounts of snow.
Dave and I have successfully put off snow blowing this season until Saturday morning. And really, the only reason we decided Saturday was the day to start this task was...well...we couldn't really walk in it because the snow was up to our knees. Yes. There was that much snow. We could have lost Reilly out there. It was bad.
So, being the good wife that I am, I volunteered to take the first duty as snow blower girl. Upon looking and looking and looking for the gas tank to fill up the mentioned snow blower, we came up empty handed. So again, being the good wife that I am, I volunteered to brave the "We could lose Reilly out there" amounts of snow, and head to the store to get another.
MISTAKE #1!
This stage of our life has us being as thrifty as possible, so going to the gas station and paying an exorbitant amount for a gas tank was out of the question. Besides, it was 50% off day at Goodwill too, so by going out south to the Hardware Store, (which happens to be next to Goodwill) was going to hit two birds with one stone.
MISTAKE #2
Reilly and I bundled up and got a running start heading out of the garage...I think we hit about 20mph, I wanted to make sure we didn't get stuck early on! We made it out of the garage, driveway and neighborhood just fine. No problems. What was all the fuss about. My minivan can handle this. We headed up to the bypass, which was a bit covered, but still passable. To be safe, we only hit about 35mph, but we were crusin' along. We hit the exit ramp at a speedy 15 mph and were moving right along. I happened to notice there were quite a few cars at the intersection of Ironwood and Ireland, and thought to myself, "Wow, I didn't really think there would be this many people out and about on this snowy Saturday morning." Something should have registered. There should have been an alarm in my head that started buzzing. But there wasn't.
MISTAKE #3
I eased my way into the left turn lane and patiently waited my turn. I noticed that there were several cars stuck at the intersection in various lanes, one being in the lane I was going to turn into on Ireland. Again, the thought of, "Geesh! People who drive small cars should not be out and about on this snowy Saturday morning" rolled through my head. My turn light turned green and I slowly made the left turn. I had to stop just as I got on the other side of the intersection because the car in front of me wasn't making much progress in moving.
After sitting there, rather impatiently for about 7 minutes watching at least 8 other people trying to push their cars, I noticed that a young man, dressed all in his Army fatigues had come over to help push the car in front of me up the slight hill that seemed to be the problem. Adams (that was the name on his fatigues) the Army man was finally able to get the man pushed out and it was my turn to move. Except not.
My wheels were turnin, and we were sittin still. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Luckily, Mr. Adams Army had not left our lane and he was now helping me, ME, try to get unstuck and up the hill. ME-who drives a mini van. I was instantly sorry that I had thought bad thoughts about people in little cars who drive on snowy Saturdays. As the poor man was trying to get me to back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward (for no kidding-20 MINUTES!), I had a chance to chat with him. He said that he had been in this same intersection since around 6am pushing cars out and had just returned from a Tour of Duty on Sunday. It was 9:45 am...he had been out there in the freezing cold, snowing like crazy, "could lose Reilly out there" amounts of snow for nearly 4 hours just because.
Mr. Adams Army was finally able to get me free, (with the help of another person!) and into the Speedway parking lot. Side note-good thing, my gas light had come on in the midst of all this excitement! So, Reilly and I pumped gas, paid an exorbitant amount of money for a gas tank (there was NO WAY I was going to the hardware store!) and bought Mr. Adams Army a hot chocolate.
We carefully made our way out into the intersection-it's not like we had to watch for incoming cars, there were 19 stuck at this point-and delivered a hot cocoa to the hero of the day. He stood there looking at us like we had three heads, but after explaining that I felt the least we could do was buy him a cocoa for spending his day in the middle of an intersection, he reluctantly agreed to take it.
We bundled back up into the van and headed out the opposite direction from which we came in. There was no way I was going to try that hill again.
MISTAKE #4
And we're stuck. AGAIN. Near tears and out of patience, I had just about had it. However, with a little persistence (and a giggle from the backseat that made me smile), I was able to calm down and start the back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward part of the show. AGAIN. This time however, Ms. Mini van came through for me and wiggled herself right out of there. But I still had no place to go. Back to the driveway that I entered from. This time, however, I waited until the three cars in the lane had been pushed out, backed way up, gunned the gas and hit the hill at full speed. A slight fishtail, near collision with a delivery truck and we hit smooth pavement and set sail.
I had to go all the way down to Michigan Street to get back on the bypass. But anything was better than the last hour spent spinning our wheels.
What a day. I'm really glad that Mr. Adams Army didn't have plans on Saturday so he was there to help Reilly and I out. Nice people make me smile.
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