The Snow Storm and the Flat Tire; or How my Sister Saved the Day

Looking Cool!

A Croissant Break

What are the chances of a snow storm in April?  I am not exactly sure, but I recently found out that the average number of days of snowfall in April in Montreal is 3.5, with an average accumulated snowfall of 13 cm (Snowfall Montreal)!

So I should not have been too surprised when we had a snowstorm last Friday. An estimated 25cm of snow fell on Montreal. But we also received ice pellets and freezing rain. I did not change my plans for the day. The girls and I headed to a playgroup in the morning, and then to Grandma's around lunch time. The baby and I left at around 14h to head home, as our toddler generally sleeps over at Grandma's on Friday nights.

But I was surprised that I got a flat tire on the same day as an April snowstorm. The last time I had a flat tire was about four years ago, and it occurred right after driving over one of Montreal's enormous potholes. This time around, I was not aware of the trigger, nor was I aware of the flat tire. The baby was sound asleep in her car seat, and the dashboard started rattling as we were halfway home. I was on the highway, wondering if I could make it home. As the next exit approached, I realized rather suddenly that I had to pull over. I pulled into a Tim Horton's parking lot within a few hundred metres of the exit, got out, and this is what I saw:

It was a good thing I stopped, I told myself! If you look closely, you might see the large nail in the tire. I called my husband in a panic, but he did not answer. After calling him a few times, I sent him the above photo. He returned my calls shortly thereafter. He confirmed that our Audi Roadside Assistance had expired. Unfortunately, without a car, he could not be of much assistance. I was mostly worried about the sleeping baby. She would no doubt wake up soon...

I reached my sister shortly after this conversation with my husband. She had just finished school (where she teaches), and came right over. She was driving my mom's car which had been fitted with an infant car seat a few years ago. We drove the baby, now awake, and crying, back to Grandma's. I returned to the car, and thanks to my sister's CAA membership had the tire changed. The snowstorm notwithstanding, CAA was surprisingly prompt. The back-up tire was a full size all-season tire, so I was able to drive without a noticeable difference. I returned to Grandma's, and arrived home safely with both girls by 18h (by this point, my toddler decided she no longer wanted to sleepover at Grandma's). My husband had left work early, and met us in the parking garage. Boy was he a sight for sore eyes!

The weather has since improved. Most of the snow has melted, and just 1 week after the snow storm, the temperature reached a high of 20C!