In January of 1965, we had the worst blizzard I've ever seen. I got up that morning, filled the stoker and got ready for work. Listening to the radio, I knew school had been cancelled, so I left everybody sleeping. There was probably six inches of snow in the driveway and on my car. The wind was blowing and snow was piling up in drifts over near the barn. I cleaned off the car and cautiously started out to work, a five mile trip, normally taking about 10 minutes.
The first sign I had that this was more than just a normal, heavy, winter snow storm was when I tried to go up a hill on Rawsonville Road, a couple miles from home. My car kept getting stuck. I'd back down the hill and try again..just to get stuck again. Several other cars were having the same problem. After three or four tries, I decided to turn around and go through Belleville and take the expressway in Ypsilanti. It was slow going, but I made it to the office after fighting the drifting snow for over an hour. Nobody was there yet. I unlocked the door, went in and called Al Kliemann, my boss. He told me we were having a blizzard, the office would be closed and I should go back home.
I called Carol and told her what the snow was like...and that I was coming home. She had been listening to the radio and said we would likely be snowed in for a few days, so I should stop and pick up milk and bread. I knew we were due to get a delivery of coal that day and had less than a stoker full left. So, I called the coal company and asked them if they would be delivering. Of course, they said no....that their trucks were stuck in the snow all over the place. I called Carol and told her.
I started out for home about 10 and at 11:30, finally made it to the little store just a mile from our house. I stopped and picked up the milk and bread and started down the country road to my house. I got maybe a fourth of a mile before getting stuck in a snow drift up to the hood of my car! With no other choice available, I started walking, wading through thigh-high drifts, in a dress and high-heels, long coat and scarf, carrying milk and bread.
I don't, to this day, know how I made it to our friends house, the one nearest ours. I lost track of how many times I fell down. I had left the road which had drifts over my head in spots, and walked and crawled through the fields where the drifts weren't as deep. I worried about getting lost. It was snowing so hard, I couldn't see more than a few feet in front of me. All I really remember is praying...and wanting to get to my children. Like a chant, over and I over, I asked God to please let me get to my children.
When I stumbled into the neighbors yard, I was frozen. I had lost one of my shoes on the way. I was covered with snow. And absolutely at the end of my endurance. I fell down at the edge of their driveway and couldn't move another step. Luckily, one of the girls was outside and saw me. She called to her mother for help, and they carried me into the house.
From their house, I called Carol as soon as I was able, and told her what had happened and that I would be on home as soon as I thawed out. They gave me a change of clothes...jeans and shirt and a heavy jacket, boots and mittens. One of the girls went with me. It was an adventure to her. Surprisingly, the field between our houses was relatively clear but he roads, in front of her house and in front of mine...we both lived on corners...were deep and treacherous. At my house, the snow in the front yard was drifted up past the top of the front door. Yet, on the side at the kitchen door, the snow was only a few inches deep. The snow from the side yard was all piled up against the barn, making it look like a giant snow mountain.
When I went inside, as frozen as I was, I had to laugh at Carol. She had panicked. She had closed the doors off the kitchen, had all the electric stove burners on, and all the kids snuggled up in blankets and quilts on the floor! The temperature must have been 90 degrees in that kitchen!
I told her all that wasn't necessary yet. At least until we ran out of coal.
A little while after I got home, Dick and Johnny showed up, checking up on us. Their car had gotten stuck about a mile from the house and they told us that after they dug it out, if possible, they would be back for us. When I said I was sure we'd be ok even after the coal ran out, Dick mentioned that electric power already was out in several areas.
Now, Carol and I were really scared! With no electricity, we'd have no heat at all after the coal was gone. And there was no way to conserve the coal...as long as the stoker was full, the furnace ran at the same rate regardless as the termperature. The kids thought it was great fun. Even after we opened up the doors off the kitchen, they still wanted to "camp" in the kitchen.
A couple hours later, Dick called and said they could not get their car out and had walked and hitch-hiked back to Ypsilanti. Now, we knew they couldn't help us. Shortly after that, Avanelle called to check on us. I told her what our situation was and that I didn't know what we'd do if the electric went out. Then Uncle Speed called and said to get ready, pack for a few days, that he and Jim, Avanelles husband, were coming to get us. I tried to talk him out of it because it was just too dangerous. But he said...get ready...I'll be there.
And he was, about two hours later. They had a pick-up truck with the bed loaded down with as much heavy stuff as they could find to give them added traction, and had driven the last three miles across fields. They could only get within a quarter mile of the house. The drifts were so deep the kids couldn't get through them, so Speed and Jim made two trips carrying the kids to the truck. The first trip, Carol went with them, carrying Ricky, Speed and Jim carrying Jacky and Sheri. The second trip, Speed and Jim carried Tammy and Buddy, while I carried or rather, dragged, a trash bag filled with our clothes. We were crammed into that pick-up like sardines. Jim was driving. Carol, Speed and I smashed together on the seat, with all five kids in our laps. Even going across the fields was treacherous. We got stuck several times and Jim and Speed had to dig us out, with Carol and me helping to push the truck. It took us over three hours to get to Avanelle's house.
The storm stared on Thursday and didn't end until Saturday. Avanelle's house was crowded with all of us, but she acted like it was an ordinary visit. The kids loved it. I was back in the bedroom I'd occupied earlier when I lived there, and Carol was given the girls room. Supposedly, Tammy and Buddy were to sleep with me, and Carol's kids with her. Avanelles kids were to sleep on the pull-out couch and the living room floor. That was our plan. But, the kids had other ideas. Soon, the dining room floor was covered with quilts and pillows so the kids could "camp" just like they'd planned to do at our house. It was a great place to be snowed in. The three of us women went through pots of coffee while the kids drank gallons of hot chocolate. With eight kids, five of them six or under, there were many squabbles and tears. Time-outs in separate bedrooms kept us all sane.
A little while after I got home, Dick and Johnny showed up, checking up on us. Their car had gotten stuck about a mile from the house and they told us that after they dug it out, if possible, they would be back for us. When I said I was sure we'd be ok even after the coal ran out, Dick mentioned that electric power already was out in several areas.
Now, Carol and I were really scared! With no electricity, we'd have no heat at all after the coal was gone. And there was no way to conserve the coal...as long as the stoker was full, the furnace ran at the same rate regardless as the termperature. The kids thought it was great fun. Even after we opened up the doors off the kitchen, they still wanted to "camp" in the kitchen.
A couple hours later, Dick called and said they could not get their car out and had walked and hitch-hiked back to Ypsilanti. Now, we knew they couldn't help us. Shortly after that, Avanelle called to check on us. I told her what our situation was and that I didn't know what we'd do if the electric went out. Then Uncle Speed called and said to get ready, pack for a few days, that he and Jim, Avanelles husband, were coming to get us. I tried to talk him out of it because it was just too dangerous. But he said...get ready...I'll be there.
And he was, about two hours later. They had a pick-up truck with the bed loaded down with as much heavy stuff as they could find to give them added traction, and had driven the last three miles across fields. They could only get within a quarter mile of the house. The drifts were so deep the kids couldn't get through them, so Speed and Jim made two trips carrying the kids to the truck. The first trip, Carol went with them, carrying Ricky, Speed and Jim carrying Jacky and Sheri. The second trip, Speed and Jim carried Tammy and Buddy, while I carried or rather, dragged, a trash bag filled with our clothes. We were crammed into that pick-up like sardines. Jim was driving. Carol, Speed and I smashed together on the seat, with all five kids in our laps. Even going across the fields was treacherous. We got stuck several times and Jim and Speed had to dig us out, with Carol and me helping to push the truck. It took us over three hours to get to Avanelle's house.
The storm stared on Thursday and didn't end until Saturday. Avanelle's house was crowded with all of us, but she acted like it was an ordinary visit. The kids loved it. I was back in the bedroom I'd occupied earlier when I lived there, and Carol was given the girls room. Supposedly, Tammy and Buddy were to sleep with me, and Carol's kids with her. Avanelles kids were to sleep on the pull-out couch and the living room floor. That was our plan. But, the kids had other ideas. Soon, the dining room floor was covered with quilts and pillows so the kids could "camp" just like they'd planned to do at our house. It was a great place to be snowed in. The three of us women went through pots of coffee while the kids drank gallons of hot chocolate. With eight kids, five of them six or under, there were many squabbles and tears. Time-outs in separate bedrooms kept us all sane.
I was worried about my car. I called the police and told them that I had abandoned it in a snow drift...and where...they said abandoned cars all over the place were being towed so the plows could get through the roads and that cars from the area where mine were, would be towed into Belleville.
On Monday, Jim took us home and drove me into Belleville to find my car. I worried a little that there would be an exorbitant towing charge and I wouldn't be able to get my car. But it didn't cost me anything. Actually, our electric never went out, and the coal company delivered a load of coal the day we went home.
I told Carol I would never go through that again. I was going to find an apartment in town for me and my kids. She was welcome to move with us, if I could find one big enough. But she said she would rather remain in the country. Since the lease was in my name, I called and made arrangements with the landlord for her to take it over. During the next two weeks, Carol used my car to go to the Welfare and make arrangements for help with the rent. utilities and groceries. I found a really nice two bedroom furnished upstairs apartment on Hamilton Street and my kids and I moved into it the first of February. I gave Carol all my furniture, shared the dishes, pots and pans, and linens with her. Still, I felt terribly guilty about leaving her stuck five miles out in the country with no car and no telephone. She was lucky that she had Johnny and his friends to help her out. Within a few weeks, one or more of them managed to get a telephone put in for her and gave her an old car. We remained good friends and the kids and I often visited her back at the farmhouse. But we were glad it was now only a place to visit...not to live!
On Monday, Jim took us home and drove me into Belleville to find my car. I worried a little that there would be an exorbitant towing charge and I wouldn't be able to get my car. But it didn't cost me anything. Actually, our electric never went out, and the coal company delivered a load of coal the day we went home.
I told Carol I would never go through that again. I was going to find an apartment in town for me and my kids. She was welcome to move with us, if I could find one big enough. But she said she would rather remain in the country. Since the lease was in my name, I called and made arrangements with the landlord for her to take it over. During the next two weeks, Carol used my car to go to the Welfare and make arrangements for help with the rent. utilities and groceries. I found a really nice two bedroom furnished upstairs apartment on Hamilton Street and my kids and I moved into it the first of February. I gave Carol all my furniture, shared the dishes, pots and pans, and linens with her. Still, I felt terribly guilty about leaving her stuck five miles out in the country with no car and no telephone. She was lucky that she had Johnny and his friends to help her out. Within a few weeks, one or more of them managed to get a telephone put in for her and gave her an old car. We remained good friends and the kids and I often visited her back at the farmhouse. But we were glad it was now only a place to visit...not to live!
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