[Magdalen] snow daze

[Joseph Cirou]

-----Original Message-----
>From: Lynn Ronkainen <houstonklr at gmail.com>
>Sent: Jan 16, 2018 5:48 PM
>To: magdalen at herberthouse.org
>Subject: [Magdalen] snow daze
>
>Was musing the other day via FB with Tina, an old family friend, about the 
>blizzard of '63 in the Detroit metro area.  The snow started mid afternoon 
>on a Friday and lasted 3 days. I think it may have been February or early 
>March. That Saturday Tina, the oldest child/daughter, was getting married... 
>down the main drag  *only* ~ 4 miles down Woodward Ave.
>
>Woodward Ave is a 6 lane road divided by a lovely grass median our where I 
>lived and was also part of the drag racing lore of the Motor City, even 
>though it was in the northern suburbs. It started at the Detroit River and 
>ran out to Pontiac as Hwy M 1 and beyond. It is instantly recognized in 
>Detroit at just 'Woodward'.  Between the river and Pontiac, at every mile, 
>there was a perpendicular 'mile road'. Some had other names but all were 
>designated by their 'mile road' number beginning at 8 Mile (short for 8 Mile 
>Road). We lived by 16 Mile, 1/2 mile off of Woodward. The wedding was at 12 
>Mile Road at Woodward - the famous 'Church of the Little Flower' built by 
>Fr. Coughlin* to honor Therese of the Little Flower. My mother was 
>determined not to miss the wedding. My father thought she was nuts. 
>[*he's the priest who had a radio show during the depression]
>
>Two hours before the wedding my mother and I dressed up in wedding guest 
>attire and robed ourselves in boots, heavy coats, hats, mittens etc. My 
>mom's plan was to walk up to Woodward and take the bus. Ours were the only 
>footsteps that broke the 1+ feet of snow on our street as we walked toward 
>Woodward. We crossed the street which had seen some tire tracks, but not 
>many, to position our selves to be on the southbound side and catch the bus. 
>The bus that had stopped running that day. While not yet knowing that we 
>were also deciding what to do next when a car pulled over near where we were 
>standing and asked if we needed help. I have no memory of what my mom told 
>him but soon we were in his car, headed to 12 Mile and the church, and of 
>course the wedding.
>
>My posting on FB about the storm was the first time Tina and her siblings 
>realized how Mom and I had come to the wedding that day. It got laughs and 
>more stories and memories of that long-ago day shared. For me this kind of 
>stuff is the 'best' of FB.
>
>Now, here in my Houston corner of the big TX it's getting colder - into the 
>20s - and has started snowing like it's 'up north'.  Our homes are not 
>really ready or insulated to stay warm at these temps... so I've got 
>sweaters and a jacket on and  blankets hanging over a double window and my 
>sliding glass door (the only window in my bedroom).  At least in my condo 
>I've got other units on both sides of me so I'm not completely exposed. 
>Made some clam chowder for lunch and  enough for dinner too and I'm 
>hunkering down. We've got thick ice on the roads under the now falling snow. 
>No snow plows here. During one storm 29 years ago when I first moved here 
>the greater metro area paid 5 million$ for sand for the roads - so  many 
>overpasses on the expressways and on local roads because we have so many 
>large ditches and waterways that ice over quickly and are bad places to wipe 
>out. I'm hoping it starts warming by Wednesday.
>
>Stay warm everyone.
>
>Lynn
>
>website: www.ichthysdesigns.com
>
>When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I have not a 
>single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything You gave me." 
>attributed to Erma Bombeck
>
>"Mercy and compassion are more than personal options. They are the antidotes 
>to that fear and hatred." Mark Singel
>
>Here in Atlanta,

We were dismissed early from the IRS. People have learned from Snowmageddon not too many years back. We may not have work tomorrow. Last week there was a scare so we opened early, the week before that or so we were dismissed at 1 and the building did not open the next day.

Noone has been in traffic for several hours this time.

My big snow story is the Great Storm of 1967. I was on the Northwestern Train for four hours coming back to the school from my organ lesson.  When we got to Libertyville I got a cab to the seminary and we managed to have pizza delivered that night while a number of our classmates were holed up in service stations on the way home.I don't remember whether I bought pizza on the way home or asked the cabby to bring one back or had to nerve to phone it in later, but it came.

Joe Cirou
> 
>