Carla came home from work last night and couldn’t make it all the way up the driveway.  About half way up there is a steeper part of the grade and the Toyota just couldn’t get up it.

So she had to walk the final half mile to get home.

That was a surprise to me.  I didn’t think she would have any problems so didn’t get the 4X4 ready.  This morning we still couldn’t have her use it since the Toyota was blocking the driveway.

A little later in the evening it started raining, freezing rains, and that is always a danger. 

This morning I tried talking her out of going to work.  However as we were talking she saw a sand truck go down the street and decided that she would be fine.

I don’t have problems with Carla’s driving, she knows to be careful and the Toyota has good studded tires and is front wheel drive.  However, on slick roads anything can happen.  Other drivers may have less experience, improper tires and/or they are horsing around thinking they are having fun and putting others in danger.

Then you have the four wheel drive people who have never really driven in weather like this thinking that they are invincible and drive like the roads are bare.

This morning we walked through the three feet of snow with an inch of ice on top down the two miles of driveway to get to the Toyota and scrape off the twelve inches of ice. 

I tried one of those ‘hacks’ shown by a local news reporter where you combine 2 parts rubbing alcohol with 1 part water and spray it on the windows when frozen, it just melts off the window....uh, huh.

First I had to go to my third spray bottle before I could get one that worked.  When we got down to the car with its eighteen inches of ice, spraying the mixture didn’t faze it.

We took four hours getting the ice off ALL windows.  I don’t believe in just getting the windshield clean ( or just a bit of clean window – hate seeing people drive like that, it is always a frustration because even when I could pull them over, I never saw them while on duty.)

She backed down the 3 miles to the street and I walked through 6 feet of snow, two feet of ice, up a steep 10 mile driveway, crawling on hands and knees for the last 12 miles and finally collapsed in the kitchen. 

Mission accomplished.

Three hours later, I am thawed out and having a cappuccino.   

The cats and dog just looked at me wondering where their treats were.

I’ll get the pickup ready later today or tomorrow.  It is supposed to rain today, which makes for a real slushy mess, and not get down below freezing – until tonight.  However, this is winter in the Gorge.

I understand that many of you, across the United States, are also getting the roughest winter you have had in a long time.  Take care out there.

By the way, on one of these sites there was a discussion of Oregon’s Basic Rule which allows a person to be cited for driving UNDER the posted speed.  This is one of the conditions sited in the law where the ticket can and should be issued – and believe it or not there are some foolish drivers that think they can go the posted speed and do – often they are the ones causing accidents.

Unfortunately, we cannot legislate common sense.

As I was finishing my devotions the sun came out from behind clouds and shined brightly on Cherry Heights and the houses between, nice.  However, after writing the sentence and doing a quick re-read, it is once again hiding.  Put the temperature is about 33 degrees.

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Hosea 9:1  Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.

VS 6-7 For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.

⁷ The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.

Revelations 3:17-18 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

¹⁸ I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

As a nation the United States is where Israel was often in their history.

They turned from God, they turned to false prophets, sin became acceptable and they lived their lives like God didn’t matter any longer.

They thought they were invincible, as individuals and as a nation they looked at their riches, their goods and thought that they needed nothing, they were fully prepared to live their lives without God.

But, they were not.  Just as we are not.  Collectively we knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

But God still hasn’t given up on us, He is chastising us, He is calling our attention to the many violations of His Word that we are performing, but there is still hope for America, even in this late date.

2 Chronicles 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Let us pray that we do just that.

Later, Art (-: