Weather Adventures

Mike flew back to D.C. for a conference and a brief visit with his family last week. And I took the three wonder kids to my parents in Oregon for the duration. It was a busy time.

Monday, we drove home and after arriving in Washington, encountered a lot of snow. Despite that, it was one of the fastest and easiest drives I have taken with kids. Probably because my mom came home with us. We stopped once for food and the bathroom. And the winter wonderland was beautiful but falling on wet pavements with above freezing temperatures.

The predictions were coming in that a real winter storm was on its way later in the day. I determined that nothing, nothing, would prevent me from getting to the airport to get Mike. Six days apart is a long time and my mom had the kids. I had no food in the house so I ran to the store to get some things. When I walked in, the pavement was wet and snow was falling but not sticking. Twenty-five minutes later, I emerged and it was a very different situation. I hurried home in winter traffic, deposited groceries, and headed back out to get Mike.

I watched a truck in front of me sliding down the road but the 4 X 4 was doing great. On one long stretch a Pathfinder crept up behind me and sat on my tail. I was still making 30mph in a 40mph. It was slick though and I was being cautious. Then I came up over a little rise and in front of me were cars sprawled all over the road and in the ditch. A line of oncoming traffic was stopped, trying to determine if they could maneuver and turn around or get around the sprawled cars without hitting any of them. The car in front of me started to slide and so I carefully slowed. And Mr. Smarty Pants Tail-Gater Pathfinder driver assessed the situation and determined he would pass on the right (on a 2-lane road). I have to admit I cruelly smiled as he slid off the road into the ditch. So I carefully turned around and headed back toward home, planning to go an alternate route to the freeway. Meanwhile, I called a friend on my trusty headset who told me there was a crash at the exit I planned to enter on. I had the radio on and learned a semi had jack-knifed across I-5 north and it was taking over 2 hours to go a mile.

I was not too happy. But we have one vehicle and our children have only one mother, so I came home and sent Mike a text message that we were going to have to fall back on Plan B.

Plan B was the airport shuttle. And the office had closed 40 minutes earlier. So when he got off the plane he headed over to find out about a ride. HA! The line was the first indication that it wasn't happening but he stuck it out and got a decisive NOT A CHANCE tonight.

So he joined a party of stranded travelers and waited for the Super 8 bus and spent the night by the airport.

Yesterday, I waited until 10am and headed up to get him. I encountered some interesting road conditions. I passed through three counties on my way to the airport. One of them had plowed the freeway and the conditions were great. King and Thurston had not plowed I-5 and let the cars do it and there were cars sprawled on the side of the road and ice wherever the sun hadn't shone for long. By the time I arrived at the hotel, I had run out of window washing fluid.

And I was very happy to turn over the wheel to the Buffalo native who thinks Washington snow procedures (or lack thereof) are ridiculous.

We shopped together (just the two of us, what luxury!), and then came home to hug kids. Mike made a fire and headed out to throw snowballs with Ben and Kyrie. Everleigh stood at the sliding glass door and Mike pelted the door with snowballs as she laughed deep belly laughs of joy. Daddy is home and all is right with the world.