Braving the Weather

I woke up this morning to find 9 inches of snow had fallen. Snow is always nice to look at, but not so nice if you have to travel. That was the case for me this morning. I was assigned to celebrate Mass at two different parish in the St. Joseph area (normally a 45 minute drive). The first Mass was at 8:30 am, so I went to check on the car at 6:15 am and found it buried with a heavy powdery snow. I took a janitor’s broom and brushed off the car. I felt the attempt to clear the car off was going to be in vain, since I still had to find a way out of the Abbey parking lot and drive, which at this point in the morning was still uncleared. But, about that time, Br. Placid came riding by in the snow plow and cleared enough for me to get to the main road.

I knew I had no chance on the country roads, so I took Highway 136 all the way around through Maryville, a “scenic route,” but the safety option, cruising at about 35-40 miles per hour. Unfortunately, I got lost on the way to Seven Dolors parish, and competed with a few uncleared roads, and I arrived 15 minutes late for Mass. The nice parishioners were waiting patiently, all eleven of them.  The trip to St. Mary’s in downtown St. Joseph was a bit friendlier.

My guardian angels kept me safe today, but I had to take it slow.  The roads were better, but not great on the return trip.  But, when I did get back to the Abbey, I took my camera out and snapped these pictures.

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