Snow!

Photos.

The original Guardian Angels Church in Oakdale, from I94

We watched the weather -- local (several stations), national (all networks, including the Weather Channel with all kinds of apocalyptic stories) -- all week, and were somewhat convinced that the predicted "dusting" would cause no more than minor inconvenience today.

We woke up to about five inches of fresh snow and Bob was out shoveling and blowing snow at about 5:00 a.m. I stayed in to make our lunch and a thermos of coffee for our day on the road.

We left home at about 7:00 a.m., our usual road trip departure time. The roads and I94 were a little slushy, but we made it to the Minnesota-Wisconsin border near Hudson in about the usual time. We did see a few vehicles in the ditch but the freeway soon cleared and there was hardly any snow at all after Wisconsin Dells.

The ride was uneventful, and the steadily rising temperature didn't make us feel much warmer because the day was windy and damp. Since this is a Friday in Lent, we didn't have our usual tasty sandwiches but settled for peanut butter and jam on 9-grain bread. OK, I thought, but Bob accused me of stinginess and I have to admit the sandwiches did seem a little dry. No matter: the string cheese was good, and so were the peanut M&Ms.

I drove for about 200 miles and was much more relaxed that I've been in the past. Bob wisely kept his Bob Hennessey School of Driving hat safely stowed and he also enjoyed his time away from the wheel.  We arrived at the Drury Inn and Suites shortly after 5:30 and checked ourselves into a big King room.

We were just in time for a complimentary light dinner and three drinks for each us; scotch for Bob and merlot for me. I made myself a couple of small meatless tacos, plenty to eat with a fresh salad.

We're tired but not too exhausted to sleep. I'm hoping for a rain free day tomorrow and a safe drive through land that has been flooded in the last ten days or so.