OK...It's January 19th, 2012...AND, 'Baby, It's COLD outside'...Well, more SNOWY than cold, I guess [T. Jan],,'bout 35 degrees, AND, the snow is melting...we had 'bout a foot yesterday...unheard of in this Olympia-Tacoma area. It's a real mess out there...as folks here are not use to driving....living in the snow. I've never seen over about 2-3 inches any winter before and maybe snow only once a year before now. I've lived here since 1990 and visited this area often since 1985.
The worst part for us [Steve and T. Jan]...are the falling trees...we live on 9 acres, and are surrounded by beautiful trees, BUT this snow's SO HEAVY and this is so new for these trees, that we've seen several big trees snap and fall over night. Our road off our property is blocked by two big trees, there's a tree down across our garden fence... breaking it and just missing some fruit trees and our truck, a scary tree bending over another camper and truck, near our house, but, looks like no damage Steve says...Yea!
We are so lucky...have plenty of food, water, etc. and wood for our stove...we're warm and fine. But, in Yelm...I know my Doctor's not able to get to her office and doing business over the phone. I have not heard 'bout other business's in town yet. The phone and computer are both working, Steve is happy to be able to stay at home right now. We've heard from recording artist JON BARONI/keys/harp/vocals, he's OK and at home. We've heard from neighbor STEVE HICKS/drums and owner of HOBBY STREET STUDIOS in Yelm...he's fine too. Both, JON BARONI and STEVE HICKS want to jam tomorrow night with my Steve, at STEVE HICK'S STUDIO...cool, my Steve can get there walking and Jon's close too. Jon heard from SCOTT ERCOLIANI/drums, he's OK. BUT,For now there's no gigs lined up and that looks like a good thing to me. [T. Jan]
And, MARTIN SALINAS/guitar/vocals told me [T. Jan] eleven days ago...that Sunday a week ago, that he'd return to Yelm in 10 days. He was driving back down to San Diego, California with a load from his home uphere I have NOT heard a word from him though...so, don't know where he's at....just heard another tree snap right now...again near the house!
Oh!.... Steve's checking in ...he heard it too...BUT, we don't see anything. 'Spose to warm up by tomorrow...Friday, 1/20/12. Right On! We're sure ready for that!!
NOTE: 12:45pm...A tree just hit the house!...we're OK.
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I've posted a strange true story that I sent to Bettye Johnson last year with lots of snow in it...'bout when I lived in Spokane. T. Jan
Sent to Bettye Johnson on 1/10/11
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Bettye...Here's a strange story happened to me...Janet Rose-Bartlett
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This happened before 1990, I'd say in 1987 or 88. Before I moved to Yelm [1990]. I was a nurse in Spokane. On a private-duty pediatric home care job. That night, I had the evening shift...3 to 11:30 pm. It was winter and cold outside...around zero, I guess. With lots of fresh snow on the ground.
The family [parents of the child] I cared for had left for the evening., when the night nurse took over the care of 'our' child, the parents had not returned. The child had to have constant watching. So, when I went to my car, I knew the night nurse could not help me.
My car was buried in the snow, AND a plow had 'cleared' the streets of snow...blocking my car in a large snow bank. It was freezing and the snow was getting hard and icy.
First, I got the snow off the top my car..then, tried to chip away at the icy hill around the car....no go. It was dark, around midnight by now...I was all alone.
I had recently returned from Yelm...where I'd been at an event....looked hopefully at the house with the nurse inside....wishing the parents would come home...OR...something.
Got into the car, sat at the driver's seat, shut my eyes and focused/blew/hoped etc. for a few minutes. Suddenly, I heard something outside...a voice? I opened my eyes and took a look.
A thin young man [20ish] was behind my car. He yelled 'did I have a shovel?' I did have a large window scrapper, would that do? He took it and started to 'shovel' at the snow bank...and just kept talking...fast, very fast....'he was going to his girlfriend's house a few blocks away...glad he saw me, it was so dark...how was I ever going to get out of here all alone, anyway?'...on and on and on.
He had cleared some of the 'snow hill' and thought he could push me out into the street. I started my car, while he pushed...and, my car was free....yay!..
Then, he came up to the window and asked if I could please drive him to his girlfriend's house...'It's only a few blocks away.'
Well, how could I say 'no'...after all he had done. SO, I opened the passenger-side door. He slipped into the seat....'Ready', he said strangely...
That's when I really looked at him....'What the ?' He had no coat, only a 'summer' cotton button-down shirt and light jeans....no gloves, no hat...but, what was so strange to me...NO socks!....just a pair of cold-looking leather shoes. He looked/seemed safe to me...just very odd.
He pointed straight ahead...that's where the girlfriend lived....'you can almost see it from here;, he said.
About 5 blocks ahead was FRED MEYERS Shopping Center...he pointed there. The parking lot was all lit .[spell] up, lights reflecting on the snow...seemed almost like day.
This was just fine he said...opening the door,getting out in the middle of the parking lot...
As he walked to the back of my car...I turned to thank him again....and I was all alone. Where did he go? I looked around...puzzled. 'Thank you' I said.
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Bettye..this really happened to me...never found out any more about this Good Samaritan . I wonder about it some times. So, strange....there was NO place the young man could have gone to....so quickly. Don't know any more...but, he sure helped me out that night. Janet
