I should really learn to not be cocky, or at the very least the fine art of being a little less cocky. Once again, my cock has gotten me into trouble.

I braved the forces of nature and slush today to go outside. I meant to go yesterday, but I was daunted by the snow and rain and general unpleasantness that awaited me outside my door. Today, though, was the day. I was to go OUTSIDE! I had things to do. Cheddar, the lovely idiot she is, hadn’t eaten since Christmas Eve because we ran out of her food and she won’t eat anything else, so at the very least I had to get cat food or run the risk of becoming dinner myself.

The plan to get food was carried out with some difficulty, as our usual vet didn’t have any in stock. I traveled halfway up the mountain to another pet hospital, but the lot hadn’t been shoveled and was practically impassible. I took the risk of parking in the damn street and running in to get the food – stupid, probably, but I wasn’t going to get myself stuck in that damn lot. I had things to do, you see.

Food fetched, I made my way to the mall. I needed to buy Ed some jeans, as the ones I got him for Christmas were too long. We’ll return those when we go to Seattle next month, but in the meantime, he needed pants. I ducked into the Gap and got his jeans, as well as a couple lacy tank tops for myself and a scarf all for super cheap. I also grabbed some more of my hair-make-big spray from Aveda, then left the mall to head into Vancouver Proper – it was time for Main Street!

All throughout my travels today, I found myself getting the car stuck in various compromising positions in the ice and muck. I kept my head about me, as I wasn’t going to get any stupid snow keep me from Operation: Outside. Using my mad skillz and the awesome tires on the Mazdabator, I maneuvered myself out of many a sticky situation and was feeling quite smug about the whole thing. Winter had nothing on me! I am far too awesome for snow!

Then I hit Main Street. Parking was a pain in the ass – there was one incident in particular with a jackass in a Jetta who wanted me to back out onto Main Street from 28th so he could get around me without having to put his cell phone down (he didn’t appreciate my exaggerated pantomime of PUT THE FUCKING PHONE DOWN AND DRIVE, either). I managed to score a sweet spot though, and went to Voltage for some more blind box toys and a cute Gama Go track jacket, and to Bodacious where the fabulous Bonnie sold me a gorgeous black jersey dress that is my present from the in-laws. Feeling happy and all shopped out, I made my way back to the car to head home because I was both poor and soaking wet; having had a close encounter with an enormous puddle that came up to my shins.

And then I got stuck.

I couldn’t get the car out. I tried for a few minutes, then realizing I was utterly stuck, attempted to dig myself out using an ice scraper and some road salt. Nothing was happening – I couldn’t move an inch, let alone get out onto the road properly. My tires were spinning, the car was making awful noises, and I felt like a jackass especially since I had, less than an hour earlier, Twittered something about having a blast getting stuck in the snow because my car was awesome. Okay, so I probably deserved to get stuck for being as cocky as I was about the situation, but it still sucked. I couldn’t go to OR fro. Ed was no help, as he was at home on the North Shore doing the dishes for me in exchange for my not dragging him outside to go shopping. I resigned myself to sitting around looking pathetic until someone took pity on me and pushed me out, when lo! The clouds parted, the angels sang, there was a rainbow of some sort, and two burly young guys with shovels came by to dig me out!

It took both of them digging for 10 minutes and a great deal of grunting, but eventually they pushed my car back and I was able to get enough traction to get moving again. Thank you, mysterious strangers with shovels! If not for you, I would still be on Main Street feeling all sad and wet!

I like helpful people. Those guys were awesome, and absolutely made me feel squishy about humanity again (unlike the last time I got stuck in the snow in Vancouver).

Yay for those guys!