Yesterday we were without power and telephones. A forceful
snow storm started on Sunday afternoon and it snowed until yesterday afternoon. Being without power means for us, no cooking, no heat, no light, no Internet, but in our case, we do have water. Okay what a wonderful day to iron! Sorry. There was barely enough light to knit.
But snow emboldens my husband for adventure. While I am not drinking much coffee, suddenly with out power, I need coffee. “But do I act on this desire, and go out to get some? No. My husband thinks of snow as an opportunity to drive. Although we have cereal and milk, we need to four wheel drive. Why else own this car?
It is easy to see why the power is out. The phone lines are covered with four inches of snow. I insert here that I am a white knuckle snow rider. One might think that we when we do not see lights for nine miles, we might turn back. We continue. At the 15 mile marker we see that people are going into the QFC. The help stands at the door, and says they are closed because the computers are down, but they do have free coffee. There we meet up with a couple we know, and who are also looking for coffee and somewhere to eat. The man suggests that we take the back road down (because we would not want to get on the highway) to a little café. In theory this allows us the opportunity to drive 12 more miles round trip in the snow. Although we pass trees down, there is no traffic on the road. A good thing. At the five mile marker we are stopped by flashing lights, a tree over the road and cars waiting in line.
Stopped, the men get out and talk. At the side of the road there are tall thin trees that have been have been closely planted for something, I do not know what, and suddenly they start to crack and fall over en mass . Fortunately they are falling away from us. The men casually say, “Maybe it is time to get out of here”. We return the way we came, and try one more area for breakfast. It too is out of power. The other man, says to Michael, “I give up, I am going back home.” But Michael thinks maybe we should get a full tank of gas, you never know what can happen. We feel that it is probably safe to drive the four miles out to the highway. Guess what? The pumps don’t work because they do not have electricity. Now it is near noon and we need food and gasoline. Another 12 miles south and we find gasoline and a dingy diner open.
The sun is out and it is a good day. We start home. Michael needs electricity to work. Because the sun is out, perhaps the electricity will me on. We take our turn off at I-5, and it still is okay, but not sunny. Then four miles west we run into a blizzard. I notice that we are one of very few cars on the road. We can barely see the road. Now the QFC is closed. So much for free coffee. This is just the kind of driving my husband likes. The sky is very dark, and the flakes are huge and many. The power and telephone lines are heavy with snow. Now the road is icy. Our own street is deep in snow. Perfect.
We arrive home. I might add safely. I unwound my knuckles, and I was very proud that I had not pooped in the car.