I was interviewed yesterday by a reporter from the local county paper. I’ve been interviewed quite a few times before, but always about my books. This time, the story was about my blog. And of course, everything was as difficult as possible considering it had been snowing for the past few days and we had agreed to meet out at the new farm. My boonies country road was in freak out condition with mud, snow, and ice. After driving two miles an hour for two and a half miles, I got to the house. And looked up the driveway. Which looked pretty much like the road except, you know, steeper.
But being the determined, competent farmgirl that I am, I put it in 4WD and barrelled right up there.
Okay, so that is not what happened.
I parked, hiked up the driveway, raced into the house and said, “Steve! Quick! Go get my car and drive it up the driveway or the reporter is going to think I’m an idiot who is afraid to drive up my own driveway!”
Used to me by now, Steve-the-Builder didn’t even blink. Took my keys, went down the driveway, got my car and drove it up. He is so handy. I wonder if after the house is done, I can just keep him in the pantry and take him out when I need him????
Then I chilled for a few minutes and checked out the latest progress. Drywalling was going on. Things are looking good! The house should be ready to move into in a few weeks!
Left, Jim Cooper, the reporter. He actually drove up the driveway all by himself. I knew it! MEN! It’s annoying how competent they are all the time.
But ha! I am, like, ALMOST competent. I am pretending to be competent. He has no idea I had to get Steve-the-Builder to drive my car up the driveway. I have competence oozing out my pores. I am drunk with competence.
Then I sat down in this chair and the legs on the left side of the chair bent, twisted under, collapsed.
And yes, me, on my ASS, on the porch.
Competence, how I miss you, let me count the ways……
Then he asked me a bunch of questions and took my picture and I managed to not do anything even more stupid, like fall over the railing or something. Then he drove his car down the driveway on his competent man cloud.
And I ran into the house. “Steve! You have to drive my car down the driveway…..”
Mental P Mama says:
You are a fabulous task manager and snap decision-maker. I don’t know many men who could come up with all those fast solutions, and then go home and make a Valentine’s Day Dinner! :hungry:
On February 15, 2008 at 7:36 am
Kim A. says:
Ah, this cracked me up, Suzanne. :rotfl:
So, does Mr. Jim Cooper Reporter write for a local newspaper? An on-line site? Are we going to find out what he publishes about your blog? Did he have snow tires on his vehicle? Do you? Probably you don’t get enough of the white stuff to warrant that, but if you had them, you’d get up your driveway!
BTW, the interior of your house is coming along very well — so exciting to have just a few more weeks before you get to move in. Hurrah!
-Kim
On February 15, 2008 at 7:40 am
kacey says:
Ha, bet Mr. Competent didn’t go home and make a scrumptious valentine’s dinner!
On February 15, 2008 at 8:28 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
He told me that usually they don’t put their feature stories on their website, but he said he’d see if they could make an exception this time so that I could post a link to it from my blog. I’ll let you know!
On February 15, 2008 at 8:33 am
Robin G. says:
*snork* Men always seem competent, but I’m pretty sure it’s an act. Get ’em naked and all the sudden they’re as nervous as chickens. It’s far better to be competent when naked than competent when on a driveway (though if you do both, wait until spring).
Those lava cakes look like ecstatic death, by the way.
On February 15, 2008 at 9:12 am
Cyndi Lewis says:
Reality really does “bite” sometimes. Competence is all a charade anyway. :rockon:
On February 15, 2008 at 9:15 am
Becky says:
Jim cooper is my next door neighbor! He’s a really cool guy.
Glad you had a happy Valentine’s Day! The dinner looks AWESOME!
:love:
On February 15, 2008 at 10:07 am
Jill says:
Can’t wait to read the article but please . . . you’re afraid of a few inches of snow? LOL, come drive up MY driveway, which is surrounded by twelve foot berms of snow . . .
On February 15, 2008 at 10:39 am
Jen(aside) says:
Good job on sneaking it past that reporter! (Temporarily…)
On February 15, 2008 at 10:47 am
Maria says:
Oh, the house looks neat! My husband is a professional drywaller and wants to know why your guys aren’t using automatic taping tools. It makes things go faster. You know, if you need us to come to West Virginia and finish that we could. But only if you’re serving Lava Cakes. And Crusty French Bread. And keep Steve there for the driveway. And no chairs that will fall out from under one. :no:
OOOOOoooooo, I’m very excited that we got to see 52’s hands. you’re working us up for the big reveal, aren’t you? And just because I don’t add emoticons a lot here’s one for ya: :love:
And don’t underestimate “competence”. Do you think Steve the Builder could write a book??? I don’t think so.
On February 15, 2008 at 11:37 am
Barrie Summy says:
Judging from this website and the online class I’m taking from you, I’d say you’re UBER competent!!! 🙂
On February 15, 2008 at 11:43 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
Maria, re the automatic taping tools, I don’t know, LOL. I’ll ask Steve-the-Builder! This is one of the few jobs he hasn’t done himself but brought an outside crew in to do. Wish we could have brought your hubby in!
On February 15, 2008 at 11:54 am
lintys says:
your readers will be eternally grateful if the newspaper makes an exception and puts the article on their website! :clap:
On February 15, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Ruby55 says:
I really like the new look of your site. When did it change?
I haven’t been to many blogs in the last 2 years. All my links are still on my other computer and I’m still trying to transfer them as well as a lot of programs over to this one.
I’m actually here because I wanted to see what my brother-in-law was talking about when he told me that I had written about him as being “grumpy” on a blog. He had googled the name of his farm, where he raises highland cattle, and found my entry going back close to a year and a half ago.
Anyway, I can relate to your story about bad roads and weather. My brother-in-law’s mother and I went to her granddaughter’s, my niece’s wedding on the same farm, well that was only part of the festivities, last weekend. It’s skiing country where they live and the weather for the 400+ mile round trip was anything but pleasant.
On the way northeast from home we encountered quite a lot of blowing snow but on the return trip, drifting with winds up to 36 mph brought many a whiteout condition. We were about half way home, had seen the remnants of two accidents within a 3-mile stretch, had had to detour because of one closed road when we came to another one where our journey south was blocked.
We were stranded in a town of about 2500. The only places open were two gas stations, a Tim Hortons donut shop and by 3 p.m. the Canadian legion hall. That’s where we landed for the night. Most of the people who came after us had been skiing near Georgian Bay, part of Lake Huron. All in all we ended up being close to 150 people.
The townspeople supplied us with a supper of pizza, hot dogs, donuts, coffee and drinking boxes. Those who cared to imbibe something stronger had a larger choice. They also set up enough cots for all of us in the large room used for Bingo.
To say the very least, it was a most interesting experience. There were games, TV, DVDs, darts, shuffleboard and lots of interesting conversation.
It was an experience that restored spirits with the kindness of man to men, women and children. Even the 50-60 university students who descended on the hall in two buses around 7 p.m. couldn’t thank everybody enough.
Most people took advantage of the cots. I wasn’t one of them. I knew I wouldn’t sleep and tossing and turning, growing constantly stiffer is worse for me than staying up all night.
At 6:30 a.m. a policeman came to advise us that the road south at least was open. That was the one most of us were waiting for. Despite promises of a free breakfast of “eggs and coffee”, a lot of us took off immediately especially since it was beginning to snow quite heavily. We reached my home shortly before 11 a.m. but not before we had to take another detour.
It was certainly a day I will never forget. The country we had to drive through must have resembled your area in a lot of ways, though overall it was probably flatter.
Yes, winter driving can certainly be “interesting”. Besides the accidents, we saw numerous cars in ditches. I’m just glad we didn’t see any serious accidents. My friend preferred the roads less travelled to our super-highways. We had heard of accidents there before we set off and didn’t want to get into any of the pileups that had occurred on some of these highways during January to the tune of 30, 70 and over 100 cars in three accidents on the two highways that we would have taken. Miraculously, :thumbsup: not a single person was killed or even sustained life-threatening injuries in those accidents which totally flattened numerous cars. It’s impossible to comprehend how anyone could have gotten out of them alive.
BTW, I love your new farmhouse. :heart:
On February 15, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Brandy says:
I admit I would like to read the article written about you! Too bad your secret is out that you didn’t drive up the driveway! *G*
On February 15, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Cathy says:
Oh man, I would do the exact same thing. I am curently buying land and I’m terrified to drive up some of the hills. I’m sure my realtor thinks I’m a complete dork. I can’t help it, I grew up with asphalt!
On February 15, 2008 at 2:16 pm
The Dairy Wife says:
Suzanne,
You are “The Woman.” Quick thinker and got it going on. Good thing Steve-the-builder was there. LOL.
Wow … just a few more weeks. I bet you are so excited.
Tanya
On February 15, 2008 at 2:17 pm
catslady says:
You always have me lol. Only a few more weeks – woohoo. Can’t wait to see the article and more of 52
p.s. You still have unread emails although that’s quite understandable since I already don’t know how you do as much as you do :clock:
On February 15, 2008 at 2:41 pm
jan says:
I would love to be able to read the article the reported writes aboutt he blog.
On February 15, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Tori Lennox says:
The house is looking great!!! And, hey, I’d have had to get Steve-the-Builder to fetch my car too!
I hope they do put the article on their website. I want to see it!
On February 15, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Estella says:
Men always give off a competent air even when they’re not.
I bet you could have driven up that driveway!!
On February 15, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Karen Erickson says:
Ah your story cracked me up. I think we all need a Steve the builder in our lives.
:purr: I lurve your smileys.
On February 15, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Sandy Levin says:
Hi Suzanne,
How do you manage to take so many pictures? Love your blog. :heart:
On February 15, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Cyndi Lewis says:
There’s a book in here somewhere! :thumbsup:
On February 16, 2008 at 8:37 am
April says:
How neat! Are you going to link to the article? Or is it one of those dear hometown papers without an internet site? We have one of those…
It’s been a couple weeks since I started stalking your blog every day. I love it.
On February 18, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Suzanne McMinn says:
Hi, April! Thank you! They do have a website, but I don’t know yet whether the article will be available on the website or not. If it is, I’ll link to it!
On February 18, 2008 at 1:19 pm