The snow started falling about two pm, and as I looked outside, I decided to leave work four hours early in the hope of getting home before darkness fell.

The interstate was backed up on all sides with people lined up back to back traveling at a rate of ten to fifteen miles per hour on a sixty five mph interstate.

Visibility was terrible; it was a “white out”. I realized it was going to be a long dangerous ride.

We inched along at a snail’s pace, and I kept thinking if only I could make it off the interstate, surely the traffic would be better on the less traveled roads. Wrong–It only got worse once I was off the interstate; now the roads were more treacherous and traffic was not only moving at a snail’s pace, but had actually stopped completely at times for periods of twenty minutes at a time. Traffic was so backed up, I couldn’t tell what the problem was, but as I approached closer, I realized that we were coming upon a hill and people were sliding off. I had already passed several stranded motorists that had given up or hit a ditch.

Sure enough when it was my turn to take the hill, I too started sliding and had a hard time staying on the raod. My car is front wheel drive only, and although I have always managed to get home on bad days, this was proving to be more difficult than usual. I made the hill only to find myself sliding again a little farther on. Once again I made the hill and proceded on.

I thought I was in the clear now, and just as soon found myself sliding uncontrollably toward the edge of the road. I stopped just short of the edge; I couldn’t really tell how much distance I had before falling into a ravine below because of the snow; but I could tell it wasn’t much. I tried to move the car and slid just an inch more, so I tried backing up, and once again I slid just an inch or two more toward the edge. Finally I just sat there, thinking surely someone would see the precarious situation I was in and stop to help, but no, they had plenty of room around me, so they went on around and preceded on their way. By this time it was starting to get dark. I sat there in the car and stared down at that ravine and imagined how many times my car would flip over until it hit the bottom. I decided to try once more, and miraculously, it moved in the right direction this time and I managed to get it out and back on the road again.

Not long once again I slid into a curve; only this time I was on the other side of the road. I saw headlights approching in the distance; I tried desperately to get back on my side of the road. Failing this, I laid down on the horn to warn the approaching car of my dilemma. He approached the curve and I could see the fear on his face as he tried to avoid me. By this time I was getting back to my side of the road, and he manuvered around me. Thankfully no one was hit, and he managed to get control and continue on his way. Once again diaster had been averted.

More cautiously, I made it to the next town, where there were several Bed and Breakfast Inns. I considered getting one, but after thinking the storm would probably last another day or two, I decided to try to make it home instead of being stranded there.

Once I passed the town and the journey became even more dangerous, I regretted my decision to go on. The road was no longer visible, so passing another car was just as much luck as any thing else. I continued on, sliding and running off the road; and getting back on and trying again. It seemed I had been on the road for days and my nerves were feeling the strain. I passed a few cars, but traffic had died down now, and I pretty much had the road to myself now.

I was just three miles from home, so I thought surely I could make it home now. But no, the roads had become even more treacherous, and my little car just spinned it’s wheels and dug and finally started sliding until I hit the ditch. Thinking no one would stop to help, I sat there pondering my predicament when two men stopped and asked if I needed help. They kindly pushed my car out of the ditch and suggested I try the old road into town. So I backed out and started out the old road, but once again my little car had went as far as it was going to go, and I hit the ditch once more. I didn’t sit there long before a kind lady came by and offered to call someone for me. While we were talking two different men stopped to help. They got in front of the car and pushed me out, and as the car hit the road again, it spun completely around and had me facing the way I had just come.

“Well, I guess I am going back the way I came,” I told the men.

“I guess you will have to, Mame,” one of the men said.

I thanked them and headed back to the little store I had just passed. As I drove off, I heard them saying, “Be careful, drive slow.”

I am not one to give up easily, but I realized it was time to “abandon ship” and ask for help.

I made it back to the little store I had just passed, and called my good friend and neighbor to come and get me.

I noticed as I pulled into the parking lot that several cars and trucks  were already abandoned in the parking lot.

He came in a four wheel drive and took me home. It had now been five and a half hours to make what should have been a one hour and fifteen minute drive. I was worried about the electricity being on since I knew people were already losing power; I was fortunate, mine was still on.

I pulled off my wet socks and shoes and took a nice warm shower and put my cozy bath robe on.

I  was stranded at  home for the next two days;  so I drank hot chocolate and watched a marathon of Christmas movies and counted my blessings to still be alive and well.

That, dear friends,  is how I spent the blizzard of 2009.