How is everyone in the midst of yet another Arctic blast?

Hey Gang,

Well how is everyone in the midst of yet another Arctic blast?  I was at Walt’s house this eve watching vacation videos of years past when it blew in.  Watching videos is something we’ve wanted to do for some time.  When I brought the DVDs over a while back they wouldn’t play.  After some head scratching I learned that when you make a DVD you have to finalize it before it would play.  Heck no one told me.

So there we were at Walt’s laughing at how goofy we were and how little his kids were when – BLACK.  The lights went out.  After some scrambling in the dark to find flashlights I immediately called the folks to make sure they were OK and if they had Dad’s backup oxygen tanks filled.  Mom informed that the lights in Wickliffe were flickering and my sister in Painesville called and said they were in the dark.  From where I was at in Mentor to where my sister in Painesville lives is at least 8 miles so it’s a wide swath. 

I was worried that I may not make it home because I drove over to Walt’s driving on E.  I thought what if the gas stations are also without power?  So Walt lent me his gas can and poured some in, enough to get home.  After juicing up we said our goodbyes to Walt’s family and told them if you need lights you can join me in my car or come to Wickliffe.

  It was eerily strange to be driving in the suburbs with heavy snow falling and no lights almost like being out in the country.  We hit the main drag and it was crazy, Philippine traffic on ice.  The roads were filled because all the bars and restaurants closed, rush hour traffic at 11pm.

  I was upset at the stupid drivers because everyone should know that when power is out you treat traffic lights as four way stops.  Just as I was mumbling and complaining I drove through a traffic light.  My window was iced, the darkness and the heavy snow was a challenge, still no excuse for not seeing it.

I got to the western end of Mentor and the lights were all on.  I spotted a gas station and stopped to fill up.  As I’m pumping taking it all in, the snow, the traffic the darkness, I looked across the street and next to Best Gyro’s and the beverage shop I saw something that brightened up everything.  Usually I have a camera with me but not this time.  It is something everyone needed to see.  I am not sure if it was part of the gyro shop or the bev store, I doubt it though as why would they have it displayed?  But could it have been part of a display or was it a reflection?  So what did I see?  An illuminated cross.

In the midst of the darkness I saw an illuminated cross that said to me – peace, there still is light.