Catching up: Sunday, March 2, 2008

I noticed a poem that my father wrote down, and taped to the computer cabinet:

Autumn Yard Work (II)
Life passing
Leaves falling
Birds flying
Clouds floating
I'm waiting
Rejoicing

We (#2 daughter) packed the van. It took about an hour and a half. The two of us went into town, and visited with my father. #2 daughter played the violin: she's getting pretty good at that.

Next stop, Moorhead, where #2 daughter changed for church, then Mass at St. Mary's in Fargo, back to college to drop #2 daughter off, and so onto the Interstate, headed back to Sauk Centre.

I got to Fergus Falls about 5:15. By then, I'd seen about a half-dozen vehicles off the road: on its roof, another, by the Fergus Falls exit I used, on its side. The road was slick in spots, with a strong crosswind and blowing snow.

I just about had my own accident, by the Fergus Falls exit. The driver in front of me decided to use the exit too, and slowed down to well under 35 mph. On the Interstate. That's when I discovered that the road was slick. It's never a good sign, when the speedometer shows zero mph, and the landscape is still going by.

That was exciting.

I took a meal break in Fergus: Debbie's Home Style Kitchen (really nice place to eat). My nerves needed a rest. It had been white-knuckle driving to that point. Someone at Debbie's told me that she'd gotten a call from her husband, who was traveling in the Red River Valley. He'd been out of breath, from helping someone with a car. Between Fargo and Grand Forks, he'd counted about 35 vehicles off the road.

And so, at last, back to Sauk Centre and home. I was glad to be back.