by Joyce Menyasz

Created on: December 31, 2008

Props To Mother Nature for Such an Impressive Show

I have never seen so much snow in my life. It was a pretty cool show from the warmth and safety of our house, but because of a previous commitment, I was one of those idiots on the road on Saturday night.

I kept watch all day, hoping the snow would stop. Regular phone calls to the event venue where I was expected assured me all was a go. No cancellation. Okayfine.

I'm in the Caliber and on my road now. The snow is a little slippery and deep, but driveable. The highway is snowy but flat no snow drifts. Okay. Breathe deep. This is no problem at all. I can relax now. All the time my intuition is letting me know that it's staying behind where it's safe and warm.

More than three hours later, as we're trudging back to the car, our arms loaded with stuff, I realize the pathway to the door of the gym is gone. It's now a snow dune, and my car is beyond it. And if that's not intimidating enough, the snow is blowing sideways now as the wind whips it, stinging cold, into our faces.

Then it dawns on me. I have to get my friend Brenda home, and then get home myself.

Okayfine, initiation by snow. I get it.

We make it out of the parking lot, but barely. We just have to keep the wheels spinning long enough to get home. We are the only car on the road. That should tell me something.

We slide and spin our way to Brenda's house.

I make it to the highway. It's really snowed over, and the sideways blowing snow is messing with my head, kind of tricking my vision. I find some tracks and stick with them. I hit the curve on the highway before our road, and am blinded completely by the snow. I take my foot off the gas and gasp in fright. I've never seen this before and don't like it much. I break out in a sweat, praying fervently for my angels to keep up, keep pushing and get me home.

I pay close attention to the tracks in front of me. When I look up again, I realize I am on the wrong side of the highway. I'm only doing 40, and praise the heavens above that I am the only idiot on the road.

I have never been so terrified in my life.

I see my road ahead, but barely. Is that the turn? There's the sign, okay, here goes nothing.

And here I stop. At the mouth of the highway at the bottom of a tiny hill in two feet of snow. Stuck.

I call Peter and tell him the good news. I call our personal snow angel Harvey. Peter is on his way with a flashlight and a shovel. He's walking, because all other vehicles are buried in the driveway. Harvey is coming on the tractor. His daughter Ashley is walking down too, just for the adventure.

The snow is still blowing sideways. It's a surreal, freaky feeling, not being able to see five feet beyond your line of vision.

An hour later, Harvey is ploughing the way home for me, and I almost kiss the floor as I finally make it to the safety of home.

It was just lovely being truly initiated in Canadian winter driving, but next time, no matter what the obligation, I'm staying home with the smart people.

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