TWTWTW 2007.08 Depending on one another

We are on the backside of the low, emerging from our igloos after a seventy-two hour Winter Storm Warning.

The price of gas went up twenty cents during the storm. Not due to OPEC, but to the law of supply and demand. Blame the snowmobilers who got three days free from school to vent.

Blame all the snow blowers. My snow blower broke last weekend. All week long I have been at the mercy of my brother-in-law with his antique Bolens to keep my driveway open, not a good feeling for a John Deere owner. I was not alone in being dependent on neighbors for this saintly act. Our blowers sat all winter waiting to be used, the gas going bad in the tanks gumming up the carburetors. When we finally got them running, sometimes on full choke, they groan under the weight of the spring snow. The cracked ten year old belts break, the shear pins shear. We pick up our shovels. We call one the many local Melroe Bobcat or Boss Plow Guys to come to our rescue. It has not been a cheap week. Money has changed hands, a good sign as long as it stays here.

Despite the storm life goes on in 56572. Our School Board reads applications for our next Superintendent, our Town Boards sit down and talk to our City about our New Fire Hall, our Athletic Director reschedules, our Neighbors question Wind Turbine Guy, our LRCEA Linemen return the favor in Iowa trying to restore power to people after an ice storm, our Lenten church suppers begin, our Riverside Coffee does not re-open, our Computer Guy locks his front door and takes a job in Fergus, our Grantwriters face deadlines, our Coop waits for word from the fast food chain, three of our Wrestlers leave for State, our Plow Guys try get back to a normal sleep schedule and our friendly Mail Guy Hank pulls two cars from the ditch on his way to work between Boatville (take note 56562 Chamber folk) and the 56572 PO.

Are we glad it's Friday. Yes, we are. Are we done with the snow? For this week. Did we get through this OK? Yes we did, together.