Our Extremities are the Lord's Opportunities: Move to Minnesota: in Four Parts

Part 1

All stories should start with something exciting to grab the reader’s attention, but I’m afraid this story does not. For packing, and running errands, and having people feed you, and loading the truck is something I’ve done more times than I care to count. The loading of the trailer was a new adventure, but the guy at the storage place was very helpful. Then off Dad and I went early Thursday morning: out of Texas, into Oklahoma, through Kansas, hit Missouri and stopped in Iowa. Then off the next day through Iowa and into Minnesota. Nothing exciting to tell about that. Same interstate until you hit Minneapolis and then it’s a straight shot up to my new home. Once we got the truck unloaded into the garage of the house I’m staying at for a few weeks….that’s when it got exciting.

Part 2

The truck got stuck in the snowy driveway. Dad was being real careful for we needed to get it turned around, trailer and all. But it couldn’t get the traction it needed on the ice under the snow. We unhooked the trailer and then tried dirt (couldn’t find sand), bricks and even boards. Finally, I called Andrea at the camp (I’m living with her for a few weeks in a place she’s housesitting). Camp’s just around the corner, so Wayne and Aaron came over with the pickup truck. Being true men of the mid-northwest, they knew exactly what to do. Hooked it up, put some salt out (because Wayne hadn’t reloaded his truck with sand) and pulled. Didn’t work at first, but once Aaron jumped on the back of the truck…it popped out. They rigged that trailer up faster than you could blink and off we went.

Part 3

I have crossed the Mississippi many times in my life, but never parts of it frozen solid with snowmobile tracks on top. On Friday, I crossed it five times. No, it doesn’t wind that much up here. We just had to drop off the truck, head back, decided to go get something to eat and then crossed it again when we got lost. There is nothing out here in the wilds of Minnesota, so when we returned the truck we went into St. Cloud. It’s a typical college town. Lots of weird shops and places to eat. But further down is also the regular shopping, restaurants, malls, etc. Reminded me a little of Denton except colder, the people have a funny accent and there are more Catholic churches and saints than you can shake a stick at. (More on that in a later post…)

Part 4

Welcome to Minnesota! It started snowing sometime last night. And except for a couple of brief lulls, has not stopped. Thankfully, Dad left on a flight yesterday. For I didn’t even attempt to get out the church today. Read my Bible and the listened to Sermon Audio. After that, I pulled out the winter coat and boots that haven’t been worn in nearly four years, put on my new hat and gloves and out I went. Wasn’t out there very long when I turned and found Andrea walking up the long driveway. She had been at the camp finishing up a retreat and now her car was stuck in the driveway. We decided it best to leave it as is, went inside and got to talking. Twenty or so minutes later, the door opens and someone comes in. It’s a girl who was helping up at the camp this weekend and her car is now stuck in our driveway also. Well, we had to try to get this one out. Which led to getting all our winter gear out, snow shovels, woods to wedge the tires and upper body muscles three girls seriously lack. So, no, we didn’t get the car out. Instead, we walked up to the neighbor’s just to warn them they couldn’t get out with that car where it is. Their son decided it was worth getting the forklift out to try to pull the cars up to the house. Probably not a brilliant idea for we got Andrea’s closer but decided to leave the other until the snow just stops….which will be sometime tomorrow afternoon. And until then, there’s a warm fire, hot chocolate and the strong possibility that my first day at work tomorrow will be a snow day. How’s that for getting the winter I wanted!