Friday, May 10, 2013

Most embarassing moment? Try momentS!!

The Story of My Life~Blog everyday in May

I have had so many moments that would be considered embarrassing in my life that I could probably write a novella.
Moving from Arizona to Wisconsin was a major life change and has brought about a lot of embarrassing moments.

My most recent event occurred this winter-we had a lot of snow this year.  A majority of our storms occurred on Sunday nights into Monday morning.  The worst ones seemed to coincide with my husband's trips out of town.  The driveway was not always shoveled in a timely manner and we ended up with a 4+ inch layer of ice. 

Late in the season, on one of these snowy days, the kids had a 2 hour delay.  Again, my husband was out of town.  I wanted to warm up my car while we were waiting for the school bus. My friend Renee taught me when I first got here that if it snowed the night before, just back out of the garage really fast.  I backed out of the garage  (really fast)and turned my car around so it was facing the street, no problem.  This way my 7 year old and I could sit in it and watch for the bus, sheltered from the snowstorm.

The bus was running late due to the weather, but it finally arrived.  I walked with my son to the street, he boarded the bus and headed to school. 

I returned to my car, put it in drive and pressed on the gas.  No forward movement.....I put it in reverse, hit the gas- nothing.  Well, the tires did spin, but there was no forward or backward movement.  My car was warm and while it sat in the driveway running, it had sunk into the ice.  I shoveled out the tires, tried again, nothing.  I put cardboard  in front of the tires, tried again-the cardboard flew into the street.  I put carpet pieces in front of the tires, again they shot out into the street. I repeated the process again, this time putting the cardboard/carpet behind the tires and trying to go in reverse.  No luck.

My neighbors were out shoveling their driveway.  I went over and asked if they could try pushing. Our neighbors are Hmong. We have a wonderful relationship and have helped each other out in different situations.  Here is the catch~this morning it was grandma and grandpa out.  They do not speak any English.  I mimed pushing the car until they understood.  They came over to push, but nothing.  I thanked them.  They returned home.

I called my office to let them know.  My clinical leader, Emily was very understanding. 
Em: "Where are you stuck?" 
Me:"Um...close to home."
Em:"Oh, good"
Me:" In my driveway"
Em:"Oh......"

Emily told me to try pouring salt around the tires.  I did and checked in 30 minutes, nada.  Then 60 minutes and the car finally broke free.

When I got to work there was a lot of razzing from both patients and coworkers.  Not only were they amused that I got stuck so close to home, but that I was facing toward the road.  I reminded them that in the 6 years I have lived here, this was my first time getting stuck in the snow. They weren't impressed.  When I got home from work that evening my dear neighbors had shoveled the fresh snow for me (no one could Shovel up the ice at this point).

I was grateful when the spring thaw finally came because there was 4 deep gouges in the ice where my tires sank in and I poured the salt.  It was cathartic to break up the *Glacier* as we called it.  I was razzed for a long time at work and I am sure that with the first snow next winter, the razzing will come again.

2 comments:

  1. Coming from someone who's never lived someplace where it ever snows, I'm impressed. I'm sure I would get stuck in the snow every day.

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    Replies
    1. I am probably the slowest driver on the road when it snows. Lol!

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