Yakkity YAK........ Yakkity Yak

On the Tuesday before Christmas - the day of the Big ICE storm - I almost left work about 10:00 because when I stepped outside, the sidewalk was covered with ice even though it hadn’t been just a short time earlier. The ice was coming down fast, and making a huge mess. So I interrupted my manager from a meeting to let her know that I thought ‘minutes were important’ and I was heading home. Before I could get my computer shut down and head out the door, someone else suggested that we wait awhile to give the snowplows and salt trucks time to treat the roads. The remark that I kept hearing was ‘it will surely be better in a couple of hours.’ HA! Those were the famous last words of the day – but I actually LISTENED to those ‘words of wisdom’ instead of using my own little noggin’ for something besides a place to set my earmuffs, and decided to stay at work for a couple more hours.

Shortly after lunch – translated about 2 hours later – my brain kicked into gear, and I decided it was time to pack up my laptop and head home. I left the building via the southwest door which would take me across a narrow parking lot and then to a large grassy area which would make walking MUCH easier. I got about two-thirds of the way across that parking lot by making short, sliding steps with my feet. Keep in mind that the wind was blowing very hard from the south – straight into my face, and the rain/sleet/snow coming down from the heavens was pelting me in the face. At one point, I was on all fours – hands and feet with my bag flopping off my shoulder and hitting the ground. As I continued to try to make my way across this parking lot, I would gain an inch or two and the wind would blow me back – gain an inch, lose a mile (or so it felt!) I should also mention that I REALLY needed to use the bathroom too and was very afraid that I would soon have wet britches that would probably freeze on contact.

I suddenly had the bright idea that if I could just inch my way closer to the grass at the edge of the pavement, I could toss my laptop bag onto the grass to serve as my anchor! I might also mention at this point, that I was sure there had to be someone from one of the buildings having their afternoon laugh at my expense, but I really didn’t care anymore. All I wanted was to get to the grass. Ahhhh – at last, I was close enough to throw out the anchor and drag myself the rest of the way to the grass. I ran across a large grassy area, gingerly made my way across a road, ran across another grassy area, through a small ditch that had water in it, jumped a row of bushes (more like gingerly stepped over the bushes), held onto the railing that led up the small ramp into the gatehouse and went inside. Inside this building is the turnstile where we badge in and out each day. I stood inside for a few seconds contemplating my wet coat, gloves, pants (No I did not wet my pants – this was all from the rain/sleet/snow mixture pelting down from the heavens). I started to call David to discuss my plight with him, and almost started crying, then decided that he would probably just say ‘what do you want me to do from 30 miles away?’ So I left the building, and found myself in another parking lot where my car was solidly frozen shut.

I managed to get into my car, start it, and turn the defroster on high. I briefly sat inside the car wishing that I at least had dry gloves, and hoping that I could find my scraper. Fortunately, David put a scraper in my car several months ago so I was in good shape. So while the defroster was doing it’s job from the inside, I ventured out again, and began to chip away at the layers of ice on my windows all while I continued to get wet from the rain/sleet/snow coming down from the heavens.

Several minutes later, I got back into my car, backed out of my parking spot only to realize that I couldn’t see out of the side windows because I had only scraped the front and back windows – NOT the side windows. Emerging once more from my car, I proceeded to scrape a large enough hole to see out of on the drivers side window so that I could leave. Then I drove across the parking lot to help Kathy scrape her windows, wished her a safe trip home and a Merry Christmas, and sincerely hoped that I would see her again this side of Heaven!!

I wanted to cry……….. but I knew that I had to get home. I wanted to call David……… but I knew I had to get home. I wanted to go to Sullivan and pick up Caleb from Grandma and Grandpa’s house……. But I really just wanted to get home and Sullivan was the wrong direction ………. I chose to go home and leave my child stranded at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. (No parenting awards for me this year, huh?)

On Friday (the day after Christmas), a package came in the mail. I thought they were the back-ordered pocket knives that David had ordered for the boys for Christmas. When I gave him the package – after all it was addressed to him – he said “WOW – it’s the Yak Trax® I ordered for you just two days ago!”

YAK Trax®???

YAK Trax® you ask??? Check out the pictures below…….. They would probably look much better on a more athletic or rugged type shoe, but you get the idea!

A good picture of me trying to slide across the parking lot might be more entertaining, but I had to show you these things because they are hilarious. Side note: I have not had an opportunity to wear them yet..... just 'style' them around at work and provide entertainment for my co-workers. They ARE in my car though..... just in case!!