Happy New Year Y'all! We finally made it to 2021 and while most of us are happy to say good bye to the shit fest that was 2020... I'm sure most of us are not very optimistic that 2021 will be very different. I, on the other hand, do believe that 2021 will be the beginning of the best times on Earth.
This New Year has been pretty interesting. It's the first one I've spent with absolutely no family around. It's the very first one that I've worked through, and it's the very first one that found me asleep for midnight. Does that mean that I'm getting old? Nah, that just means I'm a rebel and won't conform to what society thinks I should do! HAHA
I was off Tuesday and while the weather has been mild here for this time of year, I think Mother Nature was tired of being so nice to us. She dumped about four inches of snow on us Tuesday. I knew I was going to work Wednesday night and was hoping for the sun to shine and the temperature to raise above freezing for a few hours but no, it snowed a little on Wednesday too and was cloudy and gloomy all day.
It's Wednesday night and I'm going to leave early, and take my time to get there, twenty-one miles away of which about eleven of those miles are on gravel. I go start my car so she can warm up, she's been great so far dealing with these freezing temperatures. I get her turned around so it will be easier getting out of the neighborhood with all these inclines leading to the main highway, the street I'm on seems to be less severe than the others.
I say my good byes to my offspring and my furball and I'm off. I was low on gas and have to add about eighteen miles to get to the gas station. I slowly creep away from the curb, the snow crunching underneath the tires sounded wicked. I don't push the gas, I just let her idle as fast as she will and we manage to get out on the highway with minimal slippage and I've dealt with that quite a few times now and am getting used to keeping it under control.
The main highway was super clear all the way to the little town of Herried. There was a little snow in the gas station lot but still not anything I couldn't handle. I get the gas, and make the right on a gravel road... headed for my destination.
Almost there, I reach the long driveway that leads to the house. I have had no problems up to this point. I'm still taking my time especially now because the snow was built up in the driveway and my worry was getting stuck on an incline and wind up sliding to who knows where. I've seen this in my own head several times now and I don't want to see it become reality. Until I get something a little more suitable for this weather, I will admit that I am a bit terrified, and of course I wasn't thinking about this when I came up here. How would I know this? I've lived in my southern bubble all my life. I'm like a kid in a candy store for the very first time ever!
I get just a few yards away from where I wanted to park and dontcha know ... I get stuck! I didn't give up right away because the snow didn't seem terribly deep, and I was not going to let the snow win. I reversed, I turned the wheel all kinda ways, tried to rock her, put her in reverse again... I spent about twenty minutes trying to will her unstuck. The time was getting close to relieve my co-worker so covered in defeat with my head hung low, I leave my pony running and go inside to tell her I was stuck. So close, yet so very far.
She's lived here most of her life so she gets up, throws on her shoes and tells me, "OK, let's go get this thing moved"... all I could do was salute and follow her outside like the little soldier I am. Teach me captain!!
She tells me, "Ok, get in and give her some gas, and I'll push."
I said, "Wait, You want me to give it gas, while you back there pushing? in the snow?"
Well of course she says yes, and all I could do was salute and follow her order like the little soldier I am. Teach me captain??
She's a very brave soul and I asked our creator for the wisdom to not make a mistake and kill this woman.
It worked, but just a little. I was still somewhere I didn't need to be. She decided to get in and give it a go at trying to free the pony trapped in the snow. She was out there about fifteen minutes trying to rock her, put her in reverse, spinning the tires just like I was... but she did manage to get her about a foot closer to our final resting place. And like me, she gave up. I pushed the button to turn her engine off, gathered my things and went inside again, with my head hung in defeat. The snow made me it's bitch and there wasn't a thing I could do about it.
I have grown close to this couple that I watch over. They're both almost in their Ninety's and they've been married sixty-three years. The gentleman of the house, he's a Korean War Vet. The lady, she's a teacher of over twenty years and mother of five. They're special people and I've grown to love them and I believe they've grown rather fond of me as well.
I tell my little gentleman, that I am stuck, and ask him if thinks my car would be okay where it sat. He gets out of his recliner, looks outside, looks at me and gives my this little smirk and says, "I can get that moved." Of course, all I can say is "Hell yeah! I mean why not?" What could go wrong? This man has lived here his whole life and I knew that if anyone could get my stuck pony unstuck, it would be him.
He get's bundled up, I give him the keys and he got in and started her up. He went forward, spent the tires, went in reverse, spent the tires, and then all of a sudden, he drives forward magically no longer spinning the tires, then throws her in reverse, swings her back end around and and parks her right where I wanted her to be. Like it was nothing. My bottom jaw fell to the snow. He drove my girl like she was his bitch! Snow? What Snow??
I patiently waited for the old timer to open the door, and as soon as he opened it, I put my hand up to give him a high five, I told him he was THE MAN, and I told him how amazing that was and how I wished I had gotten it on video. I was, again, in awe. I got schooled and I loved every minute of it. Of course, he was flattered. I'm sure it's not a regular occurrence to have a southern girl sing his praises for getting her pony unstuck.
How wonderful would it be for the people here to be able to see their world through my eyes and to be filled with such joy and happiness from the sheer beauty of this place they've called home their whole life. To wake up to a foggy morning, and finding the branches of all the trees are covered in a thick beautiful frost making them look like very expensive Christmas decorations, glittery and shining proudly for the whole world to see.
I am so very grateful for all that I have experienced in this crazy year. I have come to love and adore the people I've met and have gotten to know. I'm excited to start a New Year with new challenges and new adventures, and hopefully some more good stories to tell.
Happy New Year My friends. I'm praying the New Year brings each and every one of you much Love and Happiness. Take care of yourselves and remember, it costs you nothing to be kind.
Thanks for Stopping by Y'all!
