Clay Roads and Rain

Clay roads and rain do not mix. Not at all. Not even a little bit. We live on a clay road. It is about 2 1/2 miles long and we live smack dab in the middle. There really isn't an easy way to our house when we have had a lot of rain. Many have tried, most end up in the ditch. Haverty's refuses to deliver furniture here because, the 2 times they have been here, they got stuck. The last time was so bad that they had to call a wrecker to get the truck out. Thankfully, I don't need furniture right now :)

The other night, I went to choir as usual. It was 75 degrees outside so I was wearing some shorts, a t-shirt and flip flops. While I was at church, the Mother of All Storms hit. Okay, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration but while we were rehearsing How Great Thou Art, you could hear the wind howling outside like we standing in the middle of it. The rain was beating so hard against the windows that it was drowning out the piano! Then, every one's cell phones started going off. We have something around here called Red Alert, where they will call you when there is a severe storm in the area. Apparently, every last one of us is subscribed to that service! So I sent a quick text to hubby asking how the weather was out there. (We live about 15 miles from church) He sent me back a text telling me that water was blowing in from around one of the large windows in the living room and they were trying to keep it from soaking the carpet. He also told me that I needed to take the road before ours (it loops around into ours but tends to not get as slick as ours does.) because they had received so much rain that he didn't know if I could make it down the road. Okay, no problem. I really didn't want to end up in the ditch anyway. So, I leave church and the weather has now dropped to 55 degrees. Remember, I am still in my shorts, t shirt and flip flops. No jacket in sight. I get to the road before ours and make the turn. By now the rain had slowed quite a bit but was still coming down. Just before that road connects with our road, it narrows so that there is no way to turn around if you have to and there is no "side of the road". It is just big enough for one vehicle with  tall embankments on either side. So, I am tooling along, listening to the radio, feeling very cozy in my heated seat. I make the final curve and what do I see ahead? A doggone tree has fallen across the road. There is no way to go around it because it goes from one side to the other. I can't back up because it is pitch black outside. So I figure the best thing I can do is just clear enough of the branches so I can drive through it. So, me in my WHITE shorts, flip flops and umbrella, head out into the rain. Oh my word was it COLD rain!  I am trying to make my way through the muck without losing my shoes or falling. I start flinging the branches out of my way. So far, so good.

Oops! A little sloppy clay spray on the legs. At least the shorts are still clean! Darn! My umbrella isn't covering my back completely and cold water just poured down my back. Brrrr! Okay all the little branches are moved and there is only one left. Hmmm, it's a little bigger than I thought. I try pulling it to the side. Nope. I try pushing it the other way. It just springs back and covers me in more clay spray. And that stupid umbrella is pouring more of that dang cold water down my back!

I finally come to the realization that the tree isn't moving. I still can't drive around it or it will scratch my truck. So what's a girl to do? I broke ALL the branches from the entire top of the tree and made a path for my truck. Time consumming? Yes. Freezing hands, feet and back? You bet! BUT I did it myself and didn't have to call any one to come rescue me!

Guess I will need to check the weather before I get dressed for the day ;-)