Mush!

We got our snow. Although it was expected to have come in Tuesday night into yesterday morning, when I awakened, there was nothing. Even so, I decided to drive to the Skokie Swift (closer to the house, on a larger, well-plowed street etc) and take the El into work. Even though I took the slower red line (what can I say? it was there.) rather than the purple line "express" (express my ass!) the ride was fine and the Lake Street stop lets me out right in front of our new building. Sweet.

So I watched the snow from my warm cozy office and honestly? It didn't look so bad. Then I left for the return El trip (purple line this time). I was on the platform waiting....waiting...waiting... about 50 green line trains rattled by, and brown line trains by the dozen. When the purple train finally clattered to a halt in front of us, it was so packed, I couldn't even get on it. So was left waiting on the platform while another few hundred green and brown line trains passed me by. So to review: I am cold, getting snowed on, hungry, and increasingly irritated by having to wait. Don't you think that they'd figure out that if one purple train is full they'd send a few extra ones out during rush hour?? If I'd been on my beloved Metra, I'd be on a train home by this time. Arrgh, grumble grumble grumble. Snow makes me anxious and cranky (if you couldn't tell).

Finally another purple train appears - since it's rush hour, this one too is packed, and I am left to stand until Fullerton, but hey, at least I am on the train, right? Transfer at Howard to the yellow line, which showed up pretty quickly. Finally! The end of my day is in sight! Off the train to find the car COVERED in snow. Covered. And the lot was not plowed (WTF, village of Skokie?). I turned the car on, got out my snowbrush and my emergency shovel and got to work.

Ready to go. I sat in the car to warm up, put it in gear and... nothing. I went forward a bit and then stopped. No! No! No! Out I climbed to dig myself out some more. After a few more tries, let me tell you all, I totally lost it. Now cold, wet, hungry, anxious, exhaustedly tired, all I wanted to do was get home, and here I was apparently stuck, without any clue how to fix it.

Only ONE good samaritan stopped by to see if I was okay - I mean, there I am, shovel in hand, tears streaming down my face, just drive on by, thanks a bunch! I'm just peachy! What's wrong with people??? Anyway - by the time my one rescuer rolled down her window to offer help, I'd already called my dad. He and his 4Runner appeared and he got me unstuck (my hero!). "You have to rock the car," he told me as if this were obvious. "Don't you know how to do that?"

Ummm, clearly not. What in the past 5 and a half years of my parking in a covered garage at work led him to believe I'd know how to do that? And let me tell you, for a few seconds, I had the image in my mind of me throwing myself violently around in the car, tilt-a-whirl style, trying to get it to "rock."

A few things came out of this experience:
1. A deep, intense, painful realization that we have, what, at least 3 more months of winter?
2. A fierce, burning desire to move somewhere else - I pondered California, but I'd still need to drive (although not in snow) and I am scared of earthquakes and wildfires - then I decided on NYC because while it snows, I at least wouldn't have to drive anywhere in it. Yay, new life plan!
3. A map of different options of getting to and from the train station, including, snowshoes (which can be a totally attractive accessory), a dog sled (cozy!), some cross country skis (hello, weight loss!)
4. My Lenten vow to give up swearing was completely BLOWN pretty much the second that first packed purple line train passed me by. It's back to satan until next year...*


* Only joking!