Snow Fun

Back in the 1960's, when I was 6 years old, we had winter storms that left tons of snow.  Some of our drifts were as high as the kitchen windows, around 7 to 8 feet deep.  One year the snow was so heavy it brought down power lines, so we were out of electricity for a week.  We used a kerosene heater that we could boil water over, or warm food.  At night we all slept in the dining room and put up blankets on the doors that went to other rooms.  It helped keep the heat in that room, Diane and I put down blankets on the floor to sleep at night.  Mom and dad and grandma either slept in a chair or took turns sleeping in grandma's room.  Her room had an old chimney that passed through from the basement to the roof, and for some reason if you put your feet on the wallpaper covering it, it was really really warm!  So that helped grandma's room not be as cold.  Well we were running out of general supplies like bread, milk, eggs, and cereal so dad had to walk up to Ferzog's store about 5 blocks away.  It sounds easy, except no plows were running because the wind was blowing the snow faster than they could plow, it was useless.  So this meant that dad had snow drifts up to his waist at times to walk through.  Diane was 12 or so and always got her way, she wanted to go with dad to the store.  Well so did I! Ferzog was my friend and always gave me a special treat, so I made such a fuss about Diane getting to go all the time but I never get to.  This would have been a good time not to beg, now that I know what happened!!!  So mam and dad said I would regret wining, so they said alright if you go that means you will have to go all the way there and back no matter what!!  So they put me into my snowsuit, mittens, boots, and a scarf tied around my neck, thinking back I looked like the Pillsbury Dough Boy and could not walk as good as he did.  My sister called me a baby and bet I would not make it, at least she prayed for me, ha-ha!!  We walked, or should say literally crawled through snow banks taller than me.  Dad kept checking behind him to make sure I was still there, since he broke me a path so to speak.  Maybe one and half blocks from home I had to go to the bathroom, so I called up to dad, who informed me I would have to wait till we get back home.  It didn't wait!!  So I silently cried every step of the way because I was cold and my pants were frozen.  When we got to Ferzog's which took us over an hour, Mr. Ferzog said I could use his bathroom in the back, but I did not want to take ALL my clothes off and try to put them back on, Diane said she wasn't going to help me, so I declined.  The trip back home was somewhat easier, the wind was still blowing hard, and now dad and Di had groceries to carry besides, so it took another hour.  But I was tired, my little legs felt like rubber, frozen rubber!!  Each time dad looked back I was further and further behind, that is called bringing up the rear, in more ways than one!!  So I started to cry more since now they were home and I had a whole block yet to go. Diane stood on the porch shouting here comes the baby!  Dad put the groceries in the house and did come back finally to help me.  He could not carry me because he was too tired and the snow was too deep.  Once back home mom and dad helped me out of my wetsuit, and the many layers, I now know how an onion feels.  My feet were as red as my cheeks, yes both ends!  Mom had hot chocolate which never tasted so good, and now in my winter pajamas under 4 blankets, I feel asleep for the rest of the day and night.  Cannot say as I ever begged to go anywhere anymore, that was certainly a lesson learned the hard way, but ha-ha Diane I did make it (barely)!  What an adventure, one I have not forgotten, and I can almost laugh about it today.  Well at least I know winter jobs are not in my future for a career choice.