God bless the cheerful crossing guard at Deerwood Elementary. I don't know her name, but I know her nonetheless, from waving to her each day for the last six years. She is always, always smiling. Yesterday twelve below zero: smiling. Today blowing snow: smiling. God bless Mr. Highum--fifth grade teacher--getting the kids out of their cars: smiling. Cars are backed up and parents are late for work and cutting in line gesticulating. He's smiling. It's a brand new day! So--I'm smiling too.
I was reminiscing about when I was 14 in Iowa and learning to drive on my grandparent's farm. I drove the pickup right through the back of the machine shed when I hit the gas instead of the breaks. I met my grandpa walking half way back to the house with tears in my eyes. He was laughing a big old belly laugh. It took him three days to fix the shed but he didn't have anything better to do anyway. As for the new truck--what are bumpers for anyway--to keep people safe. He was always so cheerful.
Speaking of cheerful--I haven't had a chance to talk to Bill much this week, but I know he reads my blog so I thought I would write him a little note--you don't have to read it if you are busy.
Dear Bill,
Before you get back from New York tonight at midnight I just want to give you a little update. Yesterday it got really cold. As often happens when it gets that cold the tire pressure in my Pacifica car tires went dangerously low. So I stopped at a gas station to fill them up but I had no change for the air machine. Lucky for me, this cute guy was just coming out of the gym next door. He was obviously exhausted from his upper body workout but he was kind enough to stop and loan me the change for the machine. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers.
But, after he left, I couldn't get the cap off the tire tube things. At twelve below they are really tricky and even with freezing cold bare fingers I couldn't budge them. So I drove slowly home.
Now, I know you wouldn't want me driving the kids around with dangerously low tire pressure, so I went ahead and took them to school today in your Challenger. I know you have the insurance turned off for the winter months but I was really careful. In fact, I drove right behind the salt truck just to make sure it was okay. That mixture of sand and salt that those trucks spray way up into the air is very effective. Oh don't worry, I could still see clearly, it comes off the windshield when you run the wipers. By the way. . . your wipers work. You probably never tested them.
The Deerwood circle drop off was a little slick with the blowing snow we're having. I know that practicing a high horsepower car clutch in traffic on ice is probably not the best but all's well that ends well. I mean, pretty well. I didn't hit any KIDS. By the way. . .the antilock breaks work too. . . you probably didn't know that either. Since I was already out I needed to stop at Target. Eight-thirty is a great time to shop because the only folks in the parking lot are moms with little kids. Too bad everybody in Eagan doesn't brainwash their kids to be careful of door dings like our family does.
It didn't take me long and I was loading the groceries into the trunk. I can't believe they aren't more careful these days to make sure the lids are on tight on their gallons of milk. I'm sorry about that. Milk will smell next summer, but at least it won't leave a stain like red wine would have.
A kid in a monster truck was spinning circles in the parking lot on the ice and made a "challenging" gesture for me join him. One little spin out won't hurt--I thought. But then I had to get home and clean up the milk--what I couldn't get with toilet paper-before it froze. I've read a mixture of baking soda and ammonia works well--but that smells a little like cat urine to me. Well.
Since we had the driveway fixed last summer there isn't that little bump to let you know when you are pulling into the garage, and I just brushed the front bumper corner against the utility sink. I've seen those sinks at Home Depot and they are not expensive. I'm not too worried.
Well, have a safe flight. Oh--don't worry, I can still pick up the kids from school--the Challenger still runs. Mary is bringing home all her big glittery art projects today--she's excited. . . . tomorrow you can put air in the Pacifica tires and I'll go back to driving my own car.
Love you,
Sara
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