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I had a really tough time getting home last night. There had been about 3 or 4 inches of snowfall up our mountain and it had turned into sparkling ice. I couldn't wait to get home. I took the short-cut up the back of the mountain.
Did someone earlier in the day mention, "Do you keep a set of chains in the car?" "Na, I've got a great little car that can take anything!" Little did I know!
So there I was, white-knuckling the steering wheel, sliding backwards, and sideways down the hill! I rocked my steering wheel back and forth, trying to gain some momentum. I cheered for my little car with every incremental movement forward, and in the end, I said a little prayer and God must have thought I deserved not to walk up and down those iced over hills in the pitch dark!
My little car and I were VICTORIOUS! We reached the apex, I was screaming to my little car (Penelope, Phil named her) what a great job!!!! I loved her and I knew she could do it! Thank You God! Thank You God! I was so grateful!
And then a thought struck me as I sat there. Am I going to slide down this thing sideways?!! What lie ahead was a kin to one of those slue things the Olympic Bob Sled teams ride. Up until now, it had taken nearly an hour to achieve the distance I normally travel in minutes. I didn't have my cell phone with me...
I took it nice and easy going down the hairpin turns and slid quite a bit in spots, but using the slid as a method for continuing down this snaky road. All the while, talking to myself, "good job! This is fine, I'm doing well!"
I finally made it to the base of my own driveway! I never realized how long and steep it is until now! "I can do this! After all I've done tonight, this little car and I can do anything!"
I hit the gas! And boy did I get sideways! I got little Penelope car so sideways, I nearly landed her in the ditch!!! After all the work I put into getting home, I'd have some "splaining" to do if I wrecked my own car in my own flippin' driveway!
I couldn't wait to tell Phil about what an amazing driver he's married to!! I sat down next to the fire and began my long braggadocios yarn about how I, like any race-car driver who really knows what they're doing, worked my way out of going into the ditch several steps of the way, pulling my steering column this way then that and hitting the gas at just the right moment.
He listened intently. When I came to the end of my speech, Phil said, "Why on earth would anyone go up the short-cut with all this snow and ice?"
Phil often has a knack for summing up my antics this way. I usually don't have an answer.
Happy New Year to All of You! God's blessings to you and your families!
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