Perpetual Ruminations

Monday

I just have a few minutes to write and then it's time to go check the salmon. Yep, a late dinner tonight, but only because of someone driving like an idiot on the way home. Of course, I wasn't much wiser with my solution, and am also equally to blame for the late dinner.

We had a winter storm hit today, and Rhonda had to work. She also has a couple of days off with me tomorrow and the next day, and wants to do some Christmas baking. But, she needed to get a few things, and was going to after work tonight. With the weather being so bad, and the roads very slippery, I decided I would drive her in to work, then pick up the stuff she needs to get, and then come back home and do my thing.

This part worked fine, I drove her in and we got her to work just a little early. The roads were ice covered and it was slow driving, but we did just fine. After I dropped her off at work, I did the shopping and then drove home. On the way home, the weather got even worse, and it was a long slow drive home, but uneventful. But, by the time I got the stuff put away, made a slow cooker full of soup to go with dinner tonight, and did my exercises, it was time to go back in and get Rhonda.

Well, it was a bit early, but I knew the roads had only gotten worse, so I allowed the extra time, and it was needed. I came up on a bad accident, but the emergency crews were already on the scene, and I passed by slow, but did not have to stop. Once past, I was able to speed back up, to about thirty mile per hour. That was it, maximum speed for highway driving. Of course, there were the other idiots out that like to drive way to fast for the road conditions, like the person the emergency crews were assisting.

I was right on time to pick Rhonda up. I went in and walked with her as she picked up the last few items she needed, then I drove her over to HyVee to pick up a few items I seen we needed. I figured we were already right there, we might as well get what we need so we don't have to drive in again tomorrow.

Then it was head for home. We took a different route, so we could drive extra slow and not have anyone ridding on our ass. We did good until we were just about to highway twenty-two, then an idiot began to gain on us. But, then he kind of slid this way, then that, and then he wasn't coming up behind us at all. I don't know if he went off the road or not, but he was slowed way down, and it took a bit for him to get caught back up to us.

By the time he did, we had turned onto highway twenty-two, and he was gaining on us again. Soon enough, he was on my tail, much to close if he needed to stop for anything. I really didn't want someone rear-ending us, and his lights, on bright, where taking a toll on my vision. With the blowing and drifting going on, it was damn hard to see the road anyway, and this idiot with his lights on bright just made it worse.

No visibility, high winds, and a road surface as smooth and slick as an ice rink. Not a good combination at all, and then add an idiot who can't dim his lights and wants to ride right on the back bumper, and it's looking like another serous accident could happen. So, I watched for a side road, signaled early, and began to slow down for the turn. Once we were around the turn, I started looking for a place to tturn around and get back on the highway, now behind this guy.

We found an approach to a field, turned in and backed up. Only, we didnt' move. The ice was so bad, even the dirt approach was too slick, and we weren't moving. No problem, I'll just pull down into the field, turn around and get a little run at the approach. Only, the field was full of frozen clumps of soil, and we got stuck. It took quite a bit to get the van back out of the field, and then up the approach. But, with a ripped open bag of sand we had in the vehicle for weight, we were able to use the sand for traction and eventually got up onto the road, and were able to drive back home... were I'm staying for the next two days.