Thursday Morning, 6:30
I sit in my comfy chair whilst yet another snow storm rages. But my mind is not as comfortable as my body, for Shauna will be navigating the highway in less than two hours.
She will be off to catch the train at Smiths Falls, which is a half hour distant. The weather has me worrying. She does drive a half hour to work in all sorts of weather, but some storms are worse than others, and this one seems to be one of the worser ones. When I look at the major road from our bedroom window, I see that it is still snow-covered., and while the highway will be better, it will not be perfect.
We used to live three hours west of Toronto, but now we are close to three hours east. Sha plans to meet two old buddies in Toronto from the west for a fun weekend. You would think that taking the train would sure beat driving, but she has to get to the station first.
I had agreed to drive her, but when the weather forecast became known, she took pity on me and declared that she would drive herself and park her car at the station. While I am glad to be relieved of the task, I do worry about her safety. I don't think that planning trips in January is the wisest idea,
Twenty five years ago, in January, I drove a U-Haul truck for twelve hours across Ontario. The weather wasn’t too bad west of Toronto, but the last two-thirds of the trip on the eastern side was on the wretched side. Not only was I driving a truck, which I had never done before, but I was pulling a car on a trailer behind the truck. Sue, who was driving behind me, could see the trailer swaying at points as we passed multiple cars in the ditch. What a drive that was!
Now, twenty-five years later, I sit here relieved that I don’t have to make a little, half-hour trip in a car. What has become of me?! Verily, I have become a wimp.
So, I will be anxious for the next two hours until I learn that she has arrived to the station safely. I will post this tomorrow (Friday) and add an update below.
. . .
Sha was confident when she texted us before starting out. "It’s snow. I’ll drive carefully. Many many cars and plows have been on the roads. Trails will be made."
Minute by minute coverage! I'm glad she's ok. You too. I look back in the long trip solo driving I used do, and marvel. Now I feel adventurous going to the next town!
ReplyDeleteIm glad she is ok, we never stop worrying about the ones we love.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's nice she can get away from the work cares and stresses for a week end.
ReplyDeleteNo fun driving in snow as you well know.
If I take the train, which I haven't done since before Covid, city transit gets me to the station. But of course there's no station between Fallowfield and Smiths Falls.
ReplyDeleteYes, but what about the return trip? Hope there's no storm coming home.
ReplyDeleteI think you were wise. I am very confident of my driving abilities in crappy weather. I've done it more times than I can count over my lifetime. But as I get older, I become more concerned about the abilities of others and perhaps even more, should something I can't avoid happens, my ability to get out of the situation. The digging of a car out of a snow drift or crawling on my hands and knees to hook up tow straps do not appeal to me anymore. And thus, I am more content to just stay home and let those younger than me take the risks and deal with unseen repercussions.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad she made it safely! And yes, we never stop worrying about our kids "out there." I was relieved when Greg decided not to come down for Christmas due to the blizzard up north. We missed him -- but we were glad he didn't come!
ReplyDeleteOne never stops worrying about the kids, no matter their age.
ReplyDeleteOur highways are usually pretty good, once the storm has abated. I understand why you'd worry, though. I do, as well.
ReplyDeleteThe older we get, the more cautious we become, so I and in total agreement with your wimping out on driving in a raging snowstorm. But, when a loved one is out there in the elements, the concern is understandable and glad to have read and seen the update that Shaunawas safely on the train. Now, she and you can relax and enjoy the weekend.
ReplyDeleteWe've seen more as we get older so we know too much about scary possibilities. I'm delighted to see her on the train and now hungry for breakfast!
ReplyDeleteThe train serves breakfast? Wow! It stands to reason the older we are, the more we've experienced the good and bad in life, so anxiety about weather is often quite sane. But somehow we need to focus on, "but I got through that anyway!" What a good post today, with a happy ending!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that she made it. I have become unhappy driving in the snow & hate to have definite plans all winter long.
ReplyDeleteAs someone once said, "Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but gets you nowhere." But I get it; glad she's safe.
ReplyDeleteOne never turns off the worry genes as a parent! Glad all is well!
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to predict any weather for any field trip. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteGlad she made it safely. We all do become more wimp-like at this age.
ReplyDeleteWe very rarely drive into town which is about 20-30 minutes away. When I say we, I mean Art. I don't drive at all anymore. It spooks me even though we don't have snow.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we ever stop worrying about our kids. Fingers crossed that the weather cooperates for Shauna.
Ah, parenting! It never ends. Just gets more difficult because you can't fix everything like when they were little. I don't think you have become a wimp, just wiser and accepting you gut intuition
ReplyDelete