One for the Record Books

I took this pic out our back door as the snow was really picking up. No filters.

Girls, what an exciting and scary few days we have just experienced. It is hard to tell now because the horrible wind blew the snow all over the place, but we had in excess of 12 inches of snow. Believe me, the next time the weatherman predicts a blizzard, I will pay more attention.

Predictions for record snows began early in the week after enough ice and snow fell on Wednesday night, closing schools on Thursday and Friday, but we decided to make a quick trip north anyway to see Hannah Grace. It had been almost a month, and I couldn’t stand it a minute longer. I do not want her to forget us!

I took this picture along the way. I just love that barn, don’t you?

Brad is shopping for a new tractor, so we stopped at every John Deere dealership between here and Peoria, and I even spent an hour waiting in a very comfortable breakroom on a farm along the way. Our 3 hour drive actually took over 6, but it was worth it all to see those sweet little baby smiles!

We arrived safely home Saturday night after stopping for bread, milk, and popcorn-I can’t be without my favorite snack. Church had already been canceled and I had our quiet Sunday all planned. Suffice it to say, not much of it happened! My little nest was made on the couch and Season 3 of Downton Abbey was ready to go when our electricity went off.

That is always a bad sign.

Brad spent the rest of the afternoon trying to get our stupid generator to start. I felt so sorry for him-nothing he tried worked. We finally gave up around dark and decided to head to my parents, who had electricity, warm beds, and, always, yummy food. Unfortunately, by then the snow was so deep that the only way to get there was on the tractor.

We loaded up and stopped to pick up Brad’s mom, who also was without electricity. She tromped through thigh-high drifts and pulled her 85 year old self right into the tractor! (She has been doing yoga with me, so I credit that!) I would have taken lots more pics, but one person’s temper was very short by this time and he wasn’t interested in stopping along the way-if you get my drift. (Blizzard humor)

We only had 5 miles to go, but tractors don’t go very fast and it felt like 50. We honestly didn’t think we were going to make it. The snow was coming down so quickly and the wind was blowing so fiercely that we could not see where we were going part of the time. A total white-out.

I totally understand now why the Ingalls had to string ropes from the cabin to the barn during blizzards.

I always like to go home, but I was really glad to get there Sunday night! Monday was unbelievably cold, but my dad was out on his cabless tractor taking care of his livestock. Brad went back back to our house to check on things and help our neighbors. The tractor froze up twice along the way and he ended up having to walk 3/4 of a mile in dangerous wind chills.

at my parents’ farm

I spent the day worrying about both of them and doing a puzzle with my mother-in-law. We drank coffee and ate chili and talked and laughed. Sounds relaxing, doesn’t it? However, all I could think about was what if someone gets hurt or has a heart attack or gets seriously ill? There was no way to make it to a doctor’s office or emergency room. Lots of silent prayers were said, I know.

Fourteen hours later, our electricity came back on and we crawled back in the tractor and headed back home. What a winter wonderland!

There was more excitement when our furnace quit and ladders had to be held and roofs covered in snow and ice had to be climbed. None of that worked, but the repairman arrived late afternoon and got it fixed. One peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a fistful of cookies later, Brad pulled the poor guy out of a snowdrift and he headed to the next emergency. I felt so sorry for him….and those who were desperate for his arrival. Thank goodness for all the people who risked their own lives to make us all more comfortable.

Today, we are warm and toasty and probably a couple of pounds heavier. Cabin fever is beginning to strike, so I am hoping to get out of this house sometime today. Since it has warmed up a little, the tractors will run again, and with any luck, Brad will get our driveway cleared. Only one person has been down our country road, and she had to be pulled out of the drift. The snowplows haven’t made it here yet, so Brad might have to do our whole road.

When things get back to normal, we are going to reflect on the situation and what we need to do differently next time. I have a long list!

One thing will be the same though.

We will make sure we have lots of popcorn.