Happy New Year to Me!

I have been derelict with my blog.  Mea culpa.  I will promise to do better, but I wouldn’t hold my breath…

So, by way of filling you in, November I received a called from headquarters in our region to ask if I would go to Ft. Yates, ND, for a month to help out.  Ft. Yates is part of Standing Rock reservation, a large res that spans a good part into SD and up in ND.  Without thinking it through, something I tell my patients to do…healer listen to yourself…I said yes.  Not considering this was entering into winter and I would be driving up north weekly…to come home week-ends.  Also not considering this would take me into the holidays, and Christmas shopping time. 

Well, I packed up the dogs (yes, plural, Quigley is back with me…more on that another time) and the cappuccino maker and off we went.  Quigley fairly immediately got car sick, which he repeated for at least two more trips before he seemed to get his “car legs”.  I will say, because of his propensity to get sick, he is no fan of the car unlike most of his species.

The drive is through countryside, of course what else in SD, driving through a few small towns along the way – very small towns – one of 58 people!  Others “large” communities of a few hundred.  One heralded this beautiful Catholic church:

As I got close to the border, I came to a pretty little town, Mobridge, of about 3000 or so.  Made very pretty by its location on the Missouri River with its big bridge to cross over as you exit town, reminding me of the Oakland bridge in California.  For some reason, I then crossed over again by another bridge, and yet another smaller crossing of the river, making me wonder about the topography in the area.  As I entered ND the area became hillier.  I’m not sure what defines “mountain” vs “hill” but it seemed they may be called “baby mountains”, some with plateaus sporting their flat tops.

One trip I drove the whole way with the vision of a beautiful hoar frost, my favorite winter scene:

I entered Ft. Yates, another little reservation town plopped right down on the Missouri River.  Though winter, I could tell it would be beautiful in the spring and summer seasons.  The hospital there, administered by IHS (Indian Health Service), was right across the street from the river.  Cross the road and down the bank and there you were.

Well, without going on about that, I ended up staying a little longer which took me through the last week in December.  While there, there were many winter gray and/or snowy days.  As I was anticipating my return home, at last, the weather reports concerned me more and more, with snow predicted over the entire New Year’s week-end.  I very much wanted to get home by that time, as you can imagine. 

Sure enough the snow began on the 30^th, preventing me from departure that afternoon.  The pups and I settled in for another night.   The next morning one of the nurses and I were viewing the weather and, though there would be blowing, thought we could trek on out of there.  I must say I have found SD “blowing” is a real hazard as the white out can be so complete you might be better off driving in a snow storm (note:  I did not say blizzard).  I followed her until Mobridge when she went in another direction and I continued on mine.  There was blowing and drifting but none too bad – the first third of the trip.  On a good day the drive is a little more than three hours.  With speeding. 

By the second third the blowing was worsening with more visibility problems when snow started showing it’s little unfriendly face.  Snow turned into blizzard and I was going very slowly and my blood pressure was increasing.  I prayed to get to Hoven, the little town with the church above.  Finally I made it and coasted into the tiny, and only, motel in town grateful that it was there.  I got stuck in the entry driveway and clambered through the snow to the office.  I rang the bell and a cute little blond “Barbie” entered to help.  Whadya know, Barbie in SD???  Well, she was the sweetest thing as she assured me her boyfriend would “unstick” my car when he got back; rang up the bill of $50 for the night (!), and then came to help me unload some of my things while the blizzard blustered around us.

Not much later, Barbie, who I learned was actually Heather, knocked on the door bringing me some leftover casserole, a coffee maker and some coffee, cookies, and a few other things.  Awwww!  How very sweet!  She said, “if my mother was stranded somewhere, I’d want someone to help her!”  Well, I guess a benefit of my aging countenance…  But again, very sweet of her.

This little motel room was clean if not very glamorous.  There were parts of tiles missing in the bathroom, the towels were mismatched and scraggley, the blankets somewhat holey, but it was warm and the TV worked.  There were no phones but surprisingly my cell phone actually had service there!

When it was time to take the dogs out, the door out had such a big drift I would have to carry them across being the little dogs that they were.  One pair of dog boots had broken, so I had one set “to share”.  I would don the coat, boots and carry dog #1 out, and then go back for dog #2 and repeat the process.  Neither dog wanted to be out in that, nor did I, even Quigley who ordinarily loves the snow.  It snowed and snowed and did some more.  Happy New Year’s Eve to me…couldn’t even have a drink!

The next morning the sun came out but we of the motel had to wait until the boyfriend came with his tractor and shoveled everyone out.  I had called my neighbor who indicated the sun was out at home too, so I hoped I could make it.  I already knew that part of the drive to be remote and challenging with winds and drifts.  This was true on the drive home with some parts of the road snow covered but could be travelled.

Finally we got home to our little house on the res…a very happy sight!  Happy New Year all!