Travels in Grants

When the alarm went off, I was curled up under the covers nice and warm but my nose was cold. That meant that it was really cold outside and I'd have to shovel a path to the truck, clean off the snow and ice, and warm it up for 10 minutes before leaving. I really wanted to stay in bed for another half hour but knew that would mean I was a wuss. And I remembered the words of a woman who had seen death waiting for her several times. 'Every breath is a gift', So, OK, a short prayer for whoever I meet today and myself. I had work to do, animals to feed and a need for gas and groceries. For today, OUT OF BED and a trip into the cold.

Going into Grants, there were city trucks and workers in the street. What were those men doing-it's only 20 above zero. Weren't you supposed to lay concrete or work on construction if the temperature was above 40? It brought back memories of being in the cold for several hours when we were able to see Ditka and the Bears at Soldier's Stadium. Even though it snowed the day before and there was a wind off the lake, we had our wool hats, gloves, boots, blankets and a thermos of hot coffee. But after an hour, my face was cold and prickly, and my fingers and toes were numb. One of the guys thought a little medicinal alcohol would help, another started chain smoking to heat his innards and warm the air - dumb ideas- just made it worse. So, we left early. The players stayed but of course they were bears.

Now I have the utmost respect for the village, city and county road departments. When there's a power or phone outage during a storm, I think about the efforts of the men from Continental Divide and Century Link. The first responders to accidents [especially the ones on 1-40] don't have it easier since they often see things that won't leave their minds. All these men are really tough and willing to even help strangers.

When the visibility is bad on snowy or rainy nights, I also think about the inventor of yellow and white lines and the crews that keep them visible. It seems like a simple idea but when you can't see them, you are helpless to know if you'll go off the road or into the opposite lane. So many people to be thankful for.

This trip's lesson: Remember the heroic acts of ordinary people.