This evening on the way down the driveway I got the truck stuck partially in the ditch leading to the creek by the pond when I hit a slick spot on our still-mostly-impassable driveway. Cabol wisely suggested I call our insurance, since we have roadside assistance on our policy. They said they would send someone out. Shortly later the phone rang to inform us of an estimated ETA of 1½ hours.

That’s right. We live a half hour or so away from the largest city in this part of Virginia (Roanoke). A half hour from Christiansburg. Fifteen minutes from Floyd. But they sent someone from Fort Chiswell, 68.3 miles away. Gosh, you think the bill will be more than the $50 the insurance covers?

I called back, told them to cancel it. The woman on the phone increduously said ’70 miles?!?’ twice. I asked her if we could use Bell’s in Floyd, and she said that was fine and set it up. He was here in a half hour or so. He got stuck in the driveway on the way up. Eventually he made it. I waited for him by the hay shack. He pulled up. He said, ‘Oh, I didn’t know it was THIS place.’ Perhaps there is a reason the insurance company could only find someone 70 miles away.

But he was able to winch the truck back onto the driveway. Now it’s stuck on the driveway, but the snow should mostly melt tomorrow. And it’s better than in a ditch.

And I was apparently in such a foul mood after getting stuck that when I approached Sydney (who had escaped from his fence), he meekly turned to the side and let me guide him back to his pen with little fighting