That’s our van during the blizzard we had on Saturday. Lots of snow. I used to be a fan of snow. When I was around 4 or 5 years old, we lived in Canada in my mom’s home town of Edmundston, New Brunswick. During the winter months I’d get up, drink some hot cocoa, and my mom would get me dressed in my snow suit along with multiple pairs of socks and thermal underwear. It’d take about an hour to get me dressed. Then I’d go outside and play for about ten minutes and come back in. Well, I would when I got bored that is. Sometimes I didn’t get bored. One time I made a snow horse and sat on it for about an hour. I had a lot of fun. I had a numb butt, but a lot of fun. After that year though, I’ve lived mostly in the Southern United States. I switched between Georgia and Alabama multiple times and then finally moved to Louisiana for a little over 20 years. I lived near New Orleans. It’s hot there. At least to me it is. And then the humidity is even worse. Some days I swore there was a bucket outside of my door that would pour water on me after I walked outside. Rarely did snow appear there. And since it’s basically a reconstructed swamp, everything is flat.
Less than 2 years ago we moved to where we are now: Kentucky. I remember the long trip in a U-Haul that had a malfunctioning transmission. I was worried if it would even make it. But I truly remember seeing and driving on all of the hills. Hills were not new to me, but seeing them made me nostalgic and happy. One of my favorite sights right now is looking out my door and seeing the wooded mountains in the distance. It’s quite beautiful.
Now, back to the blizzard. That snow you see all over the road next to our van is very pretty. However, it’s hiding something evil. I’ll explain. On Saturday, I decided I needed to go to the grocery store to pick up some road salt. They had a huge display of it near the front door last time I was there and I wanted to get some to melt the snow and ice on our sidewalk as a friendly neighbor should. Now we live 2 blocks from the grocery store, however our street is at the bottom of a hill and the street the grocery store is on is at the top. It’s not a very steep hill. I can walk it without getting winded. But Saturday, I decided to drive because I knew the sidewalks would be frozen and didn’t care to go sledding without a sled or ice skating without skates.
It took me about an hour to get the van ready to go. I had to get the snow off and found a huge layer of ice under it. I used the defrost and an ice scraper and managed to clear the windows so I could see. I pulled out of the parking spot and headed around the block so I could head up the hill. I made it to the stop light at the top of the hill and stopped, waiting for it to turn green. That was when it started.
See, underneath all of that snow on the street was a huge layer of ice, just like on the van. As my van was stopped, it was sinking through the snow layer and onto the ice layer. So when that light turned green, my van did not move forward when I hit the gas. It stayed right where it was. I made sure I was in gear and tried again. The van started moving. I was quite happy because I thought it was stuck. However, I realized it wasn’t moving forward. It was moving backward. I hit the brakes so I could check to make sure I was in the right gear again. The van kept moving though. It was starting to slide down the hill.
At this moment I took back every kind word I’ve ever said about snow and cold weather. I wished for a humid, hot, and flat environment. The back end of the van was moving sideways and heading into a parked car. I started cursing the snow, ice, and hills that up until this point I had loved and missed so dearly. I quickly put the gear shift into reverse and slowly pressed on the gas. This managed to give me control over the movement of the van again so I slowly backed down the hill, avoided the parked cars, and pulled up to the house. Later that night I had a nightmare about red lights and water slides. Go figure.
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By Kelly on Mar 11, 2008 |
I, too, vaguely being delighted with snow. Now… I’d be just as happy if I never saw it again (except in movies or photographs). And Kentucky is getting crossed off my list of possible places to relocate.
And is this global warming? You’re south of me. Shouldn’t it be… you know… NICER there?
Kelly’s last blog post..Online Selling
By Monique on Mar 11, 2008 |
Looks like you guys got what hit us in Texas. Not much fun for me, but I did get to avoid driving in it since my boss gave me the day off.
Monique’s last blog post..What Do You Do When Your Boyfriend Is A Loser? Part 2
By Saphrym on Mar 11, 2008 |
Don’t get me wrong. I still love snow, but it’s more of a love/hate relationship now.
By Kelly on Mar 12, 2008 |
LOL Yes, hubby’s still got the love/hate relationship going on with snow, but I passed into loathing a couple of decades ago. At last three times a week during winter I threaten to move in with my brother in Arizona.
Kelly’s last blog post..Online Selling
By krrey_boo17 on Mar 12, 2008 |
Haven’t really seen or experienced snow here in the Philippines! But I’m still hoping that sometime in my life I could experience it. I guess that’s one of the major drawbacks of snow, getting your car or doorstep covered in layers and layers of snow. Well, I guess it’s better than flash floods which is quite common here. You couldn’t shovel it like you can with snow.
krrey_boo17’s last blog post..Guilty Pleasures aren’t that bad.
By Angie on Mar 12, 2008 |
You must be further south than me. I’m near Louisville and we only got snow, no ice underneath it. We’ve already had 2 ice storms this winter though, so I feel I’ve paid my dues. I’m not a fan of winter, but if it had to snow, at least it was on a weekend. It’s already almost gone now!
Angie’s last blog post..Stressed? Try this!
By Karen on Mar 12, 2008 |
Ah, I remember the old days up in WA. I drove a Pinto in the winter, the rear wheel drive automobile built to explode on rear-impact in a lovely pea green paint job. There was seldom a day when there wasn’t black ice under snow on the road, and many a day I slid sideways into the ditch (luckily the pinto was also light and one strong determined person could push it out). I also got caught on Vashon Island in Puget Sound on year when it rained and slid through approximately 15 intersections. Ah the old days.
Never again. It snowed in TX on Christmas Day a few years ago, but it only lasted a few hours. I like it down here. It’s going to be 80 degrees today! I’ll probably go swimming and we’ll barbecue with fresh herbs, maybe get a little tanning time in, you know…the usual for South Texas in March.
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
Hugs cute little teddy bear man! We’ll be done with Hef’s enclosure soon, and I’ll be sending you a photograph of the wonder your money has wrought! Winning your contest was SO GREAT!!
Karen’s last blog post..Speed Of Life
By Saphrym on Mar 12, 2008 |
@Kelly - Arizona? I’ve never lived West of Louisiana. Haven’t even visited anyone out there yet.
@kkrey - This blizzard came really close to flooding the river right next to me. And I also lived in Louisiana near New Orleans when Katrina hit. So I can understand flooding.
@Angie - Actually, I live East and slightly North of you. I live in Maysville. It’s right on the Ohio river. The snow is finally melting here.
@Karen - I remember the snow in Louisiana. Shut down New Orleans for 2 days with just a dusting. And they put down SAND to try and help the roads. As for the car, I used to have a Datsun B210. It could fit on a golf course track.
By Kelly on Mar 13, 2008 |
Yes, Arizona!
I lived in Denver for 10 years. That was excellent. But they still had some snow (sometimes lots of snow). So… Arizona. When I move, you can come visit.
Kelly’s last blog post..Holy WordPress, Batman!
By Saphrym on Mar 13, 2008 |
@kelly - Thanks. However, I still think I’d rather Denver. ;)But I wouldn’t mind visited the Western side of the country. I’ve got some friends in California too. I really want to visit them and maybe Vegas on the way. I’m a huge fan of magic and would love to see some performed in person.
By Kelly on Mar 14, 2008 |
Yes! Go… travel… visit. Check this one out (it’s the most amazing memory from my childhood)… sunrise over the Grand Canyon. Take the kids, they’ll remember it forever. (Ever though it might take them 40 years to tell you they appreciate it!)
Kelly’s last blog post..Holy WordPress, Batman!
By Nicole on Mar 14, 2008 |
Holy crap!
)
Glad you managed not to hit any cars!
I remember one time having to drive down a ice covered, frozen hill. Backwheel drive with a big cement block in the trunk (old Opel
And one time driving on an Ice covered Highway….we lived in a snowy region.