Caroline vs. Winter Storm Kayla

I hate winter. I hate snow. I hate being secluded and stuck in one place. 

Unfortunately, Winter Storm Kayla made sure I experienced all three. Within the past two days, Grand Island, Nebraska, has accumulated 18.3 inches of snow, average temperature of 28 degrees, with wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour. 

With those conditions, I was forced to my apartment on Tuesday.

Today, I tried to venture out. Lesson learned: ignorance is bliss, except after a snow storm.

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Monday morning, trying to shovel out.

Snow was piled up a lot.

I had parked my truck in assigned spots closest to my apartment building. Because of this, the snow had blown around, under and over top my truck. Guess what I did not do? 

1. I did not back into the parking spot, like I usually do.  2. I do not own a shovel.

I wanted to go to the gym this morning. So, I called a fit friend who was planning to go himself. He ended up getting stuck because of no residential plowing or snow removal. At 6:00 a.m., there was not much else to do. I started to dig myself out... without a shovel.

Lucky for me, some local neighbors had the same idea. My neighbor Dave helped me and offered a communal shovel to use and I spent the next two hours, working on clearing snow from my truck and attempting to back it out of the spot. I finally managed to get it out and parked it across the way in a spot, virtually clear of snow pack.

Then, I had the silly idea to drive out and head to the store and gym. Fail. A main road into town appeared clear. The side roads from my apartment building, through a residential area and to a main road, were not the same conditions. 

Hard to travel when the roads aren't plowed. My truck parked on the left
in a friendly neighbor's driveway.

Approximately 10-14 inches of snow on the road.

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I was impatient and ignorant again [in the same morning]. However, there is a positive from this experience. The neighborhood I live in was very helpful and assisted me get my truck off the main road. After some snow was plowed, they assisted me in getting my truck back to my apartment, less than a half mile away. Another gentleman used his snow blower to make room for me to move my truck. Nebraskans have shown me open, welcoming arms. Even in challenging times like today, I could not be more thankful for that.

Winter Storm Kayla may have come out with a "win", but I have received an even better "win" through the experience.