Because it's what we do.

Everyone has been blogging about the giant storm. We had snow that started late Friday night(after freezing rain at the airport on Thursday and fog Friday morning), and ended in the wee hours on Monday. I delievered bread Saturday morning in an incredible blur of snow and ice and didn't drive anywhere again until Monday.

Monday we had to go. If it weren't for exams at school I would have kept us all home. As it was, about three blocks before school - at the point where you turn right for the school, left for the main drag - traffic stopped. Completely and totally stopped. We sat there for ten minutes before the kids started panicking about getting to school on time. So they got out of the car and joined the other kids pouring out of the other cars and started walking. I turned left and took the long way to work.

The long way that took much longer than it would have on any other winter day because of course people stop to help those that are stuck. A little bit, I'm sure, because you never know when you may be the one looking for help. But mainly because the people here are friendly and helpful. Helping is what we do. Young and old, we help out. For instance:

The Boy went to school wearing a jacket, mitts and a toque. No boots. Nevertheless by the time the day was done he had helped push 14 cars and one snow mobile out of the snow. Why would a snow mobile need help? Due to a typical teenage mix of smart and not so smart.

Someone at the school went there by snowmobile. Smart! On the trip home he tried to take it through a back alley. Not so smart! A back alley with light and fluffy six foot high snowdrifts. It went for a little bit and then sunk...and tipped over onto its side. After that rescue The Boy called to ask me to come and get him. It had taken them at least twenty minutes to drag the thing out of the alley. It sure wasn't going forward, and they don't drive backwards at all. The got it right side up, and then dragged it out. All of this in snow up to The Boy's shoulders. When I got him he was soaked and had snow everywhere. We went home- stopping once to help another stuck vehicle - and not only were his shoes snow-encrusted, there was snow down his jeans, in his shirt and in the hood of the jacket. We even had to shake snow out of his jacket pockets! As cold as he was, he got rid of all the snow and came with me to do some grocery shopping which he LOATHES, so I wouldn't be driving alone with the possibility of being stuck myself. We weren't stuck, but we stopped for two more cars that deep in snow banks. I was a little bit sore in the shoulders yesterday morning but The Boy...he was a mess of aches and pains. But he said that he didn't mind, people needed the help. This is Saskatchewan, and helping is what we do.