Sandman's Journal

The last forty hours have been a cold and blizzardy odyssey. Power went out yesterday morning and just came back on a half-hour ago. Western North Dakota got hit with more snow, two nights ago, than it's ever received in recorded October history. My grandparents were stranded in Dunn Center without water, telephone, heat, power, or much food. They had to melt snow for drinking water. I hiked/hitch-hiked there this morning and assisted in digging them out. Now they're relaxing out in my folks' living room watching the news.

I've never realized how much I rely on utilities. It gave me a tiny, tiny glimpse into what folks in New Orleans must have gone through and continue to be going through. Less than a week ago the temperature was 90 F. Yesterday it dipped almost to 5 F. Freaky weather patterns going down.

Damage has definitely been done here. Trees, all over the county, have snapped; carports have collapsed; the majority of pheasants have likely been buried alive; hay is ruined. One local guy got lost on his snowmobile and had to take refuge in an abandoned granary last night. "Uffda!" is one of the words I can see between the lines on everyone's furrowed brows.

I visited my 92-yr-old great aunt Olga this morning and played rummy with her while dad shoveled her sidewalk. She says she's never seen anything like it this early in the year.

I submit the evidence:


My silver Subaru. You can see his brand new license plate: HIY 918 (formerly 319 JOE).


Bender's Ford dealership, in downtown Killdeer.


My parents' front porch. In the distance, in an orange letterman's jacket, you can see our 17-yr-old neighbor, Logan. Last Friday he broke his neck in a high school football game. He now has to wear one of those halo things.


Here's a tree that survived.

I wish I would have taken the camera with me when I went to Dunn Center. It was surreal. It took me almost twenty minutes to dig my way into the museum. The snow drifts went above the door knob.