January 26, 1978 Blizzard

   Today's newspaper headline goes back 30 years to the 18 inches of snow and 60 mph winds Lansing experienced.   It started snowing Wednesday the 25th and by 10pm there was 9 inches on the ground with some blowing and a prediction of a few more.   I worked midnights on the North Natco line as a relief man and the roads didn't seem that bad so I went in to work, my mistake.   As the night progressed the snow kept falling and blowing around and when our shift ended at 8:30am we walked out to streets and parking lots full of snow.   I had a hope of making it out to the street and get as close to home as possible, but ended up stranded in the lot.   I noticed a motor home at the end of the lot with some people in it so I headed up there and was accepted into the group.  They made a few attempts at shoveling out and moving but after a few hours it was decided to go to Ray Martin's house near Ingham Medical Hospital until the storm let up and the streets were better for traffic.  The group was from the block floor and we walked the mile to Ray's and his wife gave me some dry jeans and food.   We reached there about 11:00 am. and I called home to Jane to tell her where I was.   After a nap and some TV, the weather had let up enough that the group thought we could go back to the motor home and get it out on the road after shoveling out a path.   Between 2 and 4:00pm we had walked back and finally had the vehicle on Main Street and headed to our first stop the home of Vale who lived by Gier Park.  We were there from 4to 6pm, they talked and drank beer.   It was getting dark and Ray finally got us on the road and Willow Street was the next destination.   I got dropped off at the corner of Waverly and home at 7:00.    Mark and Andy had walked over and spent the night so they could shovel and play on Friday as there would be no school for a couple more days.  Saturday we were able to get to Olds but the Buick wouldn't start, so we returned Sunday and finally got the car out and home in time for work on the midnight shift Monday.   The article in the State Journal was pretty mediocre except for finding out that Craig Harris,Turkeyman lost his leg because of a snowmobile accident in front of the Pleasant Grove fire station.   Today the ceiling in the hallway is leaking from the snow on the roof that is starting to melt as the temperature is getting above the freezing level it has been all week with a daily lake effect covering.  That's about the best I can do to reflect on the blizzard of 78 that taught me to never venture out again to work if there was a winter storm warning.    In June of 78 we put out first addition on the west side of the house, to be followed by the family room and bathroom of 86.    It was February 22,  1975 when I moved into this house and I never would have believed I'd still be living here!