we woke up to a massive wintery weather front moving across Tennessee. I watched it for an hour before contacting Tara. The roads around here are very steep and curvy. They're not long, jagged edged mountain roads. They're short, no guardrail between you and the pastureland 20 feet down the hill, irregular blacktop kind of road that'll slip out from under you before you know your car hit black ice. The road crews don't get out our way much.
So, the trip was cancelled. While writing this, I wonder if it was the right decision. Erring in the side of caution, it was. Parts of the interstate the family van would have crossed over were shut down… some 15 miles of it, due to (at one point) the report of about a dozen accidents of varying severity.
If I needed further proof we were to stay home, it came when my wife and I took a walk to her parents' place. Less than an inch was on the ground. The road toward her patents, next house up the road, was clear and almost dry. However, our driveway was ice, snow and slush. The roadway at the bottom of our driveway was a sight. Twenty feet to one side was covered in snow and slush. This bit o' winter extended about 100 feet in the other direction. Other than that "T" of winter. (our driveway and that bit of road) the street was clean.
We have learned, a long time ago we learned, when the Universe gives you a sign… pay attention.
