ICE From Beginning to End

We started our day with freezing rain. "Expect black ice on the roadways." warned our trusty morning news weather man. I was grateful to be spending the entire day at home...and then the phone rang. Melanie's nose began to bleed when she got on the school bus so the driver called to let me know she was coming back home. I got her cleaned up and offered her the option to spend the day at home with us. What kid doesn't jump at an offer like that? Melanie. So we bundled up and headed out so we could get her to school on time.

The roads were slick, but not the worst I'd ever driven on. I often hear my dad's voice when I drive. Things like, "PUMP the brakes!" or "HIT THE DEER, never swerve!" or "When someone's riding your tail, slow down and irritate him even more." I love my dad! But today, as I approached the stop sign that spits me off my little country road onto the US HWY, my brakes locked on the compact snow/ice and there was nothing I could do but pray to hit the snow bank and NOT slide into the 60 mph traffic on the highway.



I was never good at geometry. Mr. Bergstrom tried. But I do think my red lines illustrate the angle we "landed" at when we finally stopped sliding! Right? Down in the bottom left corner...on a good day, those lines would be parallel? Am I using the right words? Probably not. Here's what I told 911: "We've slid up on a snow bank and I think my van is going to roll." So whatever math words translate in to THAT is what I'm trying to say!



It felt like hours but within minutes State Patrol was pulling in. Well, I did have enough time to call Brandon and tell him what was going on. He headed our way immediately. - Then my sister-in-law Mindy, so I could win the "who is having the crappiest day competition" that we always have...THEN WSP showed up!

The patrolman helped us out of our leaning tower of doom. The kids got to sit in the back of his car. Here's a picture we hope to only ever see ONCE in our children's lifetime!!



Now, back to my dad. While we were waiting I wondered if my dad would expect me to suck it up and put my van in reverse and solve my problem. Hmmmmmm? Nah, I'm the girlie sister - Lindsay? Maybe. But me? Nope. He'd tell me to sit still and wait for help. (He'd tell my sister to wait for help too, but she wouldn't have...she'd have just thrown it in reverse. So maybe I'm not the girlie sister, I'm just the obedient sister!)

After the kids and I were safely back by the nice warm, level patrol car, the trooper offered to try to back it off the bank. "Uh, sure - knock yourself out. I'll stand way back here and take pictures." So he gets in the van and puts it in reverse - and it slides. Before I could blink the trooper was standing beside me saying, "Uh, it's gonna roll. We're gonna stay back until help comes." (Good idea - dad would have been right!)


(This is the picture after the van slid. I really didn't get any good angle pictures from outside. I'll use my geometry skills on you again...)


And here's what I love about living in the country...there's always someone close by who is driving a rig bigger than his kitchen who is happy to lend a hand. Today we were blessed with two such neighbors. One pulled from behind (almost sliding into the patrol car) and the other pushed from in front. Woot! One tow bill avoided!



The only way to make up for a day that starts off as cruddy as this one did is to end it watching other people crashing around on the ice!!



I love that my husband will endure hockey for me! The day for sure ended way better than it started!



(However, this morning I'm icing my neck. I think there was more to my "brace for impact" maneuver than I initially realized! *sigh* I'll be here all day for those who would like to bring cookies!!)