I figured I’d best close up early so to make it home before the sun went down. I couldn’t drive any faster than 20 miles per hour, or that blowing wind would cause my vehicle to begin swerving. Thank goodness we don’t have much for hills in and around Mason City, because coming up over a hill with such wind can cause a driver in less than a second to loose control.
I’ll never forget one of my colleagues years ago having been blown off the road while driving over a windy hill, but luckily only running into a gatepost at a field entrance rather than being thrown headfirst down into a deep ditch. Just thinking about winter driving brings back another memory of vehicle pile-up that took place near an on/off ramp of I35 near Ames. It was weather just like this where it was snowing and blowing, and in spite of the size or make of those vehicles, they were spinning around like bumper cars in a cheap circus. Thank goodness I got off the Interstate just before those vehicles went out of control. That was the night I discovered 4 wheel drives are just as accident prone on ice–and from what I saw, possibly even more. I can still see that handsome BMW SUV in my mind spinning like a top.
One of my appointments today took me out to preview a home owned by a dear lady whom I’ve known for many years. She’s decided it’s time to give up her home and move into senior housing. It always makes me sad knowing that nothing stays the same when people we’ve known for so long reach that stage in their lives. Thank goodness she has immediate family in the area to help her with another life transition.
After visiting with a well known today, we’ve both come to the conclusion that there seems to be more older couples either separating or getting divorced. Over these many years, I’ve seen some very unfortunate men and women getting sucked into toxic relationships after either a divorce or death of a spouse from their first marriage. I personally knew a woman some years who was sucked into one of those by a man whom I could sense had nothing more in mind than to have a built-in cook, maid, and bed companion. That poor soul endured far too many hardships just so to keep peace and/or appearances. I prayed for her all the while she was being preyed upon by him. If Hell really does exist, I believe that wicked codger is now in one its sub-chambers serving an eternal life sentence.
As chance would have it, I had my camera with me when I happened to see a sun dog in our late afternoon sky. That’s the first one I’ve seen this winter. At least there was something beautiful borne out of this beastly weather. I mentioned to a client wintering down South who called earlier, “The weather we’re having outside today isn’t fit for man or beast!”
Stay warm and safe, while my hoping you’ll be spending some well-earned time comfortably seated in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a cup of hot tea, and a wooly warm wrap. Now that’s my idea of a pleasant winter’s evening.
