Another day, another attempt.
The teenagers, valiant, noble, and brave in their determination to reach civilization, education, work at McDonald’s, and basketball practice.
Morgan struggled with the over-heavy bag she packed for the journey. She’s probably got more of my jeans in there. Notice how lightly boys pack.
Down the driveway they trod….
….to the car Ross got halfway down the day before. He found his emergency brake frozen, which almost stopped him. Assured the brake would thaw as the car warmed up, he set out again, and with renewed resolve, got his car the rest of the way down and to the river crossing.
Afraid of the ice, he backed all the way to the farm. Assured the river was low enough and the ice would break up under his wheels, he went back to the ford, steeled himself, and made it across.
I breathed a sigh of relief. They were on the other side, on the hard road, which was still somewhat snow-covered, but school was on (albeit with a two-hour delay, which allowed time to navigate all these difficulties).
My cousin met them at the head of the road where the country road meets the two-lane highway. He picked up Morgan to take her back to our little town, to school. The boys drove on to Spencer, to the high school. Ross will stay in town with friends, close to work. Weston and Morgan will stay with my cousins.
I watched them disappear down the hard road across the river ford, not sure when they could come back. Tomorrow is Morgan’s 13th birthday….
Clover: “I’m gonna just stay here and eat another cookie.”
“Wanna make something of it?”
jean says:
You are the mother of teenagers. God bless you. Letting them go is part of the process. Keep me informed. Good luck!!
On January 21, 2009 at 1:10 am
Patty says:
Awww I hope you get to see Princess on her birthday!! Especially the 13th, she’ll officially be a teenager!
Yesterday I proposed ATV’s but I gotta tell you, that looks like an awesome ski slope, even with the uphill both ways, they could do cross-country skiing. Just a thought 🙂 :snowman:
So, you’re all alone up there?
On January 21, 2009 at 1:11 am
mmHoney says:
WAIT FOR THE “SPRING THAW”….
AT LEAST YOU HAVE WATER. OH WELL!!!!!
On January 21, 2009 at 5:07 am
Bee says:
I really do admire their determination to want to get to school. I would have soooo used that snow and ice as an excuse to stay at home another day! Good kids.
I hope Morgan makes it home to celebrate becoming a teenager with you.
On January 21, 2009 at 5:14 am
Snapper says:
Oh no!
I can’t imagine celebrating the big day without the ‘baby’ there…
Happiest of Happy Days Princess Morgan! :happyflower:
On January 21, 2009 at 5:21 am
Becky says:
Well, atleast you have all the little critters to keep you company.
On January 21, 2009 at 5:45 am
CATRAY44 says:
Did you ever hear the Garrison Keiller ‘Winter’ stories? One of the stories was called ‘Storm Home’… in Minnesota they would assign a home for each farm child to stay in in the event of snow storms. He envisioned a very dramatic homecoming to his “storm home’for himself (and old man and woman who waiting longingly for his appearance)… YOur kids will have great memories and stories to tell!
On January 21, 2009 at 5:52 am
wkf says:
Wow 13!! How are you doing with that? Hope they all make it back home. :hole:
On January 21, 2009 at 6:57 am
Robin G. says:
Ooh. How long before they’ll be able to come back? Snow doesn’t stick for that long out there.
On January 21, 2009 at 7:42 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
It’s been too cold for the snow to melt. The real trouble is with our driveway and the road. Our road doesn’t get much attention from road crews who are busy taking care of the main roads. It’s supposed to be 41 tomorrow so I’m hoping I can get out then!
On January 21, 2009 at 8:07 am
midwestmom says:
They are troopers!!
Happy 13th Birthday Princess!!
On January 21, 2009 at 8:18 am
Sarah in Sanford says:
Hey Suzanne, We got almost eight inches of snow here in Sanford Monday night. Of course it shut the town down. We haven’t been to school or work for the second day in a row. This is the first time my five-year-old has seen snow so he is having a blast. I was so jealous everytime you posted pictures of the snow up there because it is so beautiful when everything is draped in white. Now reality has set in and I am ready to get out of the house!?!
Hope your children make it back home to you safely. Now they can tell their children they walked to school uphill both ways in the snow!LOL Sarah in Sanford
On January 21, 2009 at 8:36 am
Gail says:
I have to comment on the “hard road”. On a trip as an adult to visit the realtives in West Virgina, I was taught the terminology
Of the road system. It had been ages since we had visited, so my
aunt came over to my cousin’s to meet us, and we were to follow her to her home. I remembered vaguely how to get there, but it had been a long time. Anyway, she also gave us directions, which we dutifully wrote down, should we get separated from her. One of the last turns, we had written down, was turn (R) on Rockbase RD.
Well, we couldn’t find that road sign to save our lives. Luckliy, something looked familiar and we finally turned onto the correct road.
When we mentioned to my aunt that there was no sign for Rockbase RD, she looked at us like we were complete imbeciles! That evening, we were schooled in the counry road systems. You have your dirt rd,
your rockbase Rd (gravel), hard road (paved but no lines painted on it), the two lane( one lane each way with lines)and then the big four lane with a median. We still get a good laugh at our ignorance of navigating in West Virginia! Now we live in the country and know all the country terms!
So glad the kids got out. I bet they were going stir crazy. Fording that river makes me nervous!
On January 21, 2009 at 8:42 am
maryann says:
Ummm dog sledding? Another giant puppy perhaps?
On January 21, 2009 at 9:08 am
Pat says:
I check out your blog most days and I love getting a peek into your life. I just started my own blog this morning to share a bit of mine.
On January 21, 2009 at 9:27 am
Kacey says:
So how far a walk would it be to the cousins’?? You know, with your hip waders on to get across the river… 😮
On January 21, 2009 at 9:30 am
ataylor says:
Happy Birthday Morgan!!!
On January 21, 2009 at 9:51 am
Shelly says:
What a great mom those kids must have for them to work so hard to get to school and work. Taught them will. Happy Birthday Morgan. Hope it warms up so you can see her. My baby girl will be 17 tomorrow. Shelly
On January 21, 2009 at 10:49 am
Treasia/TruckersWife says:
Morgan is growing up Momma. Happy Early birthday to her. :happyflower:
On January 21, 2009 at 11:03 am
Shirley T says:
This would be a good time to catch up on your writing or just curl up with a good book and a cup of hot tea. You know you deserve it.
On January 21, 2009 at 11:43 am
Kim W says:
OH MY STARS!!!! Princess is 13?!?!?!?! Where did the last year go? :shocked:
Happy birthday, Princess! :snoopy: :shimmy:
Blessings from Ohio…
On January 21, 2009 at 11:45 am
Linda says:
That took guts to let 3 teens go off like that. Congrats on giving them the chance. I hope you see Morgan tomorrow. Enjoy your time to yourself.
On January 21, 2009 at 11:56 am
JenniferB says:
I hope you are able to get out soon — and especially that Morgan can be with her family for her birthday. My 12 year old will be 13 in a few weeks and I would hate not to be with her for her birthday — I really hope that works out! :yes:
On January 21, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Amy says:
Happy Early Birthday to Morgan! I’d forgotten that our birthdays were only a day apart.
Can you believe she’ll be 13?
::boggle::
On January 21, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Donna says:
Happy Birthday to Morgen tomorrow!!!!!!! :snoopy: :sheepjump: :sun: I hope you get a HUGE chocolate cake Morgen!!!
On January 21, 2009 at 4:56 pm
Ognir says:
Their feet must be cold.
On January 21, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Kay says:
You’ve been able to keep your family all to yourselves for the past day or so due to the inability to get out of the drive. Now you won’t get to see them for at least a day!!! :hissyfit: Poor you!!! You must miss them already! At least you have your pet babies to care for and to keep you company!! :snowman: ! :smilerabbit:
On January 21, 2009 at 5:27 pm
catslady says:
Happy almost birthday, Princess. Sure hope she makes it home.
What would happen if you ever ran out of cookies 😆
On January 21, 2009 at 7:51 pm
M says:
Happy Birthday Princess! :sun:
She needs one of those sleds without runners to haul her stuff. Toting a bag in those conditions has got to be tricky :bugeyed:
M
On January 22, 2009 at 7:14 am
Lisa says:
Happy Birthday, Morgan!
Suzanne, what happens with the river crossing during periods of heavy rain? Are you still able to drive across it? Is there any other way out?
On January 22, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Suzanne McMinn says:
When the river’s too high, we can’t drive across it. The other way out is our rock-based road, about 2 miles through three creeks and over the hill. Which way to go depends on which way you’re headed or which way has the best conditions! If the water is low and there’s snow on the road, it’s better to go across the river.
On January 22, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Liz says:
:snoopy: Well now……..HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS MORGAN!!!!
You need a :sheep: for your B-day present!
I cannot even imagine living in the Boonies w/hills that only go UP UP UP……..then DOWN DOWN DOWN!!!!!!!!
Learning to drive must be a white knuckled affair!
You will have many wonderful outrageous memories to tell your children one day…..about living in the wilds of W VA…….and how totally awesome it is!
Hope you have a truly Fantastic Birthday!
Liz in PA
On January 22, 2009 at 9:00 pm