YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU...............................

You maaaaaaaaade me love you.
I didn't wanna do it, I didn't wanna do it.

Anyone remember that old song?

Well, here's the reason I am bringing it up at this time. As I have mentioned before, it is that damn global warming which has made the North Pole slide down over the Northwest, making it impossible, on many days, for me to get my vehicle out of the driveway so that I can get to work. Since the buck stops with me at the store I manage, I have to figure out a way to get there, come hell or high water. On the worst days of snow, and after the plows have left a two to three foot berm in front of the drive way, I get up extra early and wait with anticipation, shovel in hand, to spend an hour or three digging my way out. Not fun for a worn out old body like mine!

Last week I finally found someone who was willing to shovel my entire driveway. He brought his eight year old son, they went to work, (yes, the eight year old worked like a man) and two hours later, after several weeks of wading through snow to my knees, I could see the concrete and had a clear way to back out onto the street. It was awesome!
The next night we had a huge snow storm and I woke up to about 14" of snow covering that same driveway. It was Monday morning, I had to be to work because my Assistant was on vacation, and the snow plows were not running because school was cancelled for the next few days. I called work, told them I couldn't get out but would try to find a way to get there ASAP. When daylight came, I went out to assess the problem and it was still snowing heavily. I was stuck and panicking. The hills of Moscow were not alive with the sound of music. It was more like snow blowers, spinning wheels, and strong winds howling with laughter as they made impassable snowdrifts across the streets.

I watched out the window, willing the snow to stop. I watched as a snowplow finally made a quick pass, leaving me another beautiful berm to dig through. Damn! Then, a few minutes later, I watched as a huge four wheel drive pickup, with a commercial type snow blower on the trailer it was pulling, stopped across the street at my neighbor's house. In a matter of thirty minutes, he had her walks and driveway clear of snow. A beautiful sight. I put on my coat, waded through the snow, approached the stranger and sweetly asked if he could possibly fit another job into his schedule. I introduced myself, explained my job position and why I had to get to the store. Turned out he is a loyal customer, and a business owner who understood why I needed to be there. He was glad to clean my driveway but explained that without following that snow plow, he would not have made it up the hill to my neighborhood, even with his four wheel drive rig...the roads all over town were treacherous and he doubted I could get there in my car that day. So........he offered to give me a ride after he finished clearing another neighbor's driveway. I accepted. Then I went into my house, packed a bag for a couple of days and reserved a room at the motel across the street from Winco. I would worry about how to get home later.

This was the last straw! I couldn't take any more of digging or begging for rides to work, or paying $100 bucks a night for a room when I had a perfectly good one three miles away. Winter is in it's infancy, leaving me with no choice but to give up the vehicle I have loved more than any I have ever owned. I fought the battle with my Azera last winter, I just couldn't do it any more...so on the first good day that I could get around, I started calling dealerships to see which would be open after my work hours so that I could go in to look for a vehicle with the ability to maneuver throw these awful Winters. I started with a Mercury Mariner. Very nice and very pricy. I was honest..telling them I was comparison shopping and would not buy until I found the right vehicle at the right price. My secretary recommended a dealer with a certain type of vehicle, which she owns, so I went there next. I fell in love! It had everything I wanted...leather heated electric seating, six disc player, air, a fabulous reputation for getting around in snow, energy saving gas milage, almost zero emmissions, and best of all an affordable price.

No, it is not as luxurious as my Azera (I will always love you) or as big, and the ride isn't as smooth, but this morning, after it snowed again, I backed out of my driveway with no problems whatsoever! Yes, my precious little Subaru Forester, you made me love you...even if I didn't wanna do it! Let me introduce you to the world............................