Friday, January 31, 2014

SNOW DAYS !!!!

 This is how my Tuesday in Alabama started. Pretty and light fluffy flakes blowing across the road. I went to pick up some Hershey candy bars and kisses for the dusting of snow we were to receive that afternoon. It started early, around 10 am. It was already freezing into ice the front doors of Winn Dixie. I almost fell.
This was not just snow. It all turned to ice within 45 minutes. Wild!
It went from Nice to this.... in no time at all. It also did the same time back in 1982.

I know the jokes are going all around about southern people and snow.. Well this was ICE. not snow. Schools started closing but it was to late. Buses could not run. Parents were told they would have to come get their children.. Raeanne got Zoe all suited up and put in the car. She made it to first curve and hill and couldn't get any farther. She called me. Plan B...Had to pick up Josh!  Get Z71 truck out. Yep. Gigi to the rescue. Dropped her in 4wheel high and off I sped to the speed of 10 miles an hour sometimes 5.. lol  It was bad. Now I will let my northern friends know. Our area is not flat.. We are talking mountains and big hills. That picture above is Shades Crest Mountain.. we have a lot of those mountains around. Mountains and valleys everywhere. Like a roller coaster.
I finally made it to his school, after witness to cars and trucks in ditches. I picked him up and away we go in the 4 wheel drive sleigh. Josh thought is was an adventure. We had to stop for a while for a blocked road.. We got to watch the same little car crash 3 times into a ditch, trying to go up a hill. They finally stopped and we got to go around them. They got in a truck with others to leave.


 This is how the homestead looked by afternoon. BK loved the snow!
 This was her first snow. She ran and jumped around. She even threw snow in the air and tried catching it.. Funny to watch her.

 The Boy (Josh) got all settle in with the Chocolate, Netflix and a warm plug in blanket. He would be spending the night with his Gigi. Poppa was trying to get home through all that mess. He didn't make it till Wednesday. This is where I will get on my Soap Box...
Some people do not need to drive during any snow or ice. But at least pull your car to the side of the road, before you get out and walk off. We had babies born on the highways, and a man died of a heart attack with his wife watching in the car with him.. Why? Because people left their cars in the middle of the lanes and walked to a hotel or to eat or home. Just left them... Emergency vehicles couldn't get through. 4 wheel drives couldn't get through to pick up people or to help. There were wrecks, but mostly it was a traffic jam problem. I understand if you were boxed in and couldn't move your car, but there needs to be a lane for rescue and emergency. There was 14 people stuck on the highway that ran out of gas. They had to go in the woods.. find wood and build fires on the side of the road and one lady in the group was pregnant. She went into labor and delivered there in a cold car.  Now that sounds to much like the show The Walking Dead. EMTs couldn't get to her because abandoned cars where in the way. I will say one more thing.... There were a lot of people helping each other and opening their homes to help others in need. There is a lot of kindness stories coming out of this. and as my mother said, violence was down. We didn't hear of any shootings or deaths from crime during this event.  I guest it was to cold....But it picked back up after the ice melted.

 Josh having a great time in the snow. We were able to take him home Thursday. No problem with the roads, except for people who left their cars in the middle of the road and walked to their subdivisions. We had to go around all the abandoned cars..  Sister (Zoe) was glad to see her brother.

This is Zoe Bug.. She is signing up for Ballet today. She has to still get her tights. She is all excited!   She picked out her Leotard. Josh signed up for Spring Baseball. I think Poppa and Gigi will be very busy this spring...
That is all for the ICE Storm post... Hope I did not rant to much... and drive my followers away..
Till later....

7 comments:

Parsley said...

The good thing about weather forecasting is that most of the time people have some warning when these storms are going to hit. Sadly, many people just treat it like any other driving day and get into trouble.

I do hope that MAIL is being delivered though.... hmmm

Glad you got time with the kiddos.

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

You can drive in snow, but there is not driving in ice, I don't care where you live! that sounds horrible April, I'm glad that you survived and was safe.

Robin in Virginia said...

What you wrote/said made perfect sense! Your snow looked very pretty. I am sorry that people didn't use a bit of common sense by leaving their vehicles in the middle of roadways. Stay warm and have a wonderful weekend!

Robin in Virginia

Unknown said...

Hey April! You did not rant at all! Everything you said was right on. As a southerner (born in Alabama) living in MD I know how bad ice and snow can be. Glad you were able to rescue Josh! And your Snooty parrot piece looks great!

Barb said...

I am so glad to hear that you and your family are safe. We were worried about our family in Huntsville.

stitchersanon said...

People are idiots..there is not other way to put it. We had lots of snow here a few years ago: no problem but with the constant thaws, freezes and tractors compacting it, it turned into one feet deep ice. Hubby has a classic rally racing mini which is designed for such conditions so he could get out where the bigger cars couldn't. He went to pick up prescriptions for our villagers who couldnt get out: not a bother. The bother was the idiots in non-agricultural 4 wheel drives who had no experience of driving in such conditions and who thought because of their cars, they would live forever. They were going too fast and slipping and sliding everywhere...twice they nearly slid into my hubby on his journey. People need to realise accidents can be avoided! I hope you get better weather soon.

Catherine said...

Ugh ~ this winter has been crazy!! Glad you all are safe and sound!