"Thelma and Carolyn"
Carolyn has been visiting with Thelma in rural Wright, MN for the past 4.5 years, usually on Mondays. Thelma absolutely depends on these visits, as does her family, to keep her in her own home. On Sunday, January 24, 2010 we had a winter storm – a lot of rain, snow and slush that turned to ice. When Monday morning of the 25th arrived, Carolyn wasn’t sure she could make the 36 mile drive to Thelma’s house. She must travel Highway 210, a two-lane highway which is frightening under the best conditions because of the large number of semi tankers and pulp trucks. Not wanting to disappoint Thelma, Carolyn called 511 for the road conditions and decided to go. She said a quick prayer, grabbed her cell phone, put on her storm coat, hat and gloves, and set out. While Hwy 210 was fairly clear to Cromwell, it was poorly plowed from Cromwell to Wright. But Carolyn had gone that far and wasn’t turning back. She made it to Thelma’s driveway to find Thelma’s driveway unplowed, but the person with whom she shares her driveway had gone out, so Carolyn carefully stayed in those tracks to get to Thelma’s door. And Thelma was ready to go out, winter deep freeze settling in or not! Her purse sat on the kitchen table, and she put on her coat, scarf and hat, and they went out for groceries and for lunch. Carolyn told Thelma that she was a pretty ‘hardy’ lady, and Thelma in turn told Carolyn the same thing, for being ready, willing and able to drive all that way to see her and to help her out. When Carolyn got home later in the day, Thelma called to make sure she had gotten home safely.
-Peg Kirsch Lee