I thought we knew hazardous driving conditions—not even close.

Tuesday morning we went back to Sea-Tac airport to retreive our hopelessly lost luggage, but it was sent on to San Diego without us. After looking at all the required paper work, it seemed easier to go pick them up ourselves.

Hoping to miss the next big storm, we went home, threw our remaining underwear in our remaining duffle bag and settled in for a good long road trip. All went well until about 4:00 pm when we got to the 205 connector to the I-5, south of Portland, Oregon. The dry freeway narrowed to one lane, turned into icy slush, and slowed to a crawl.  The crawl slowed to a dead stop—we'd creep forward 10 feet then wait for an hour; creep forward, hopes high, for another 10-20 feet then stop. At 11:30 pm, the line finally inched steadily forward, the road increasingly gnarly, rutted, and completely frozen. Eventually, I-5 loomed ahead, filled shoulder to shoulder with semis and cars—stalled, in ditches, jackknifed or facing the wrong direction. Almost out of gas, Bob opted out and headed for a dark, empty exit. After a harrowing glide down the S curves, we stopped to fill the car's tank and empty our own. Three hours later, after a nightmarish ride alongside semis bobbing and weaving in the thick ice, we stopped to sleep in Salem, Oregon.

The next day we drove through rain, sleet, and snow but the roads were in great shape. So here we are in a Sacramento Holiday Inn eating Chinese take-out. Tomorrow it's on to San Diego—Karen & Bob, Ruby & Anabel, Jack & Rusty!

I loved hearing my favorite winter song again, so here are a few of my favorite Christmas songs:

Stop the Calvary

Stop the Cavalry

Hey, Mr. Churchill comes over here
to say we're doing splendidly
But it's very cold out here in the snow,
marching to and from the enemy
Oh I say it's tough,I have had enough
Can you stop the cavalry?
I have had to fight, almost every night
down throughout these centuries
That is when I say, oh yes yet again
Can you stop the cavalry?
Mary Bradley waits at home
in the nuclear fall-out zone
Wish I could be dancing now
in the arms of the girl I love

[Chorus]
Dub a dub a dum dum
Dub a dub a dum
Dub a dum dum dub a dub
Dub a dub a dum
Dub a dub a dum dum
Dub a dub a dum
Dub a dum dum dub a dub
Dub a dub a dum
Wish I was at home for Christmas

Bang goes another bomb on another town
While the Czar and Jim have tea
If I get home, live to tell the tale
I'll run for all presidencies
If I get elected I'll stop - I
will stop the cavalry

[Chorus]

Wish I could be dancing now
in the arms of the girl I love
Mary gladly waits at home
She has been waiting 2 years long
Wish I was at home for Christmas

Mary's Boy Child, Harry Belafonte

2000 Miles, Chrissie Hynde

Please Come Home for Christmas, Charles Brown

The Christians and the Pagans, Dar Williams

I could go on, but I won't. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!