Drives like you describe can be quite memorable - I must have been about 21 when I made a snowy night drive down the freeway in Washington State - low visibility and I was at the front of a line of cars - any of them could have passed me on the left, that lane was open - but they all chose to stay in the line following along. I would have appreciated being able to follow someone but no one moved forward. That was a long ~ 10 miles for me in my VW Beetle. I pulled up the Google map of the route you described - I'm glad you didn't find yourself up to your axles in a ploughed field along the way.

I don't suppose either you or Dorothy thought to take a selfie to share of your meeting? I'm glad you were able to meet!

The new string of lights is now hanging from robust cup hooks in the attic. The string comes with a sturdy cord, lightweight bright plastic LED lights, and at each light there is a little carabiner to use for hanging. The old fluorescent in a reflective work light shield is still clamped to a 2x4 near the opening, plugged into the porcelain socket on the ceiling above the steps. I've added a socket extension (like this) into the old socket. That's where the new string of lights is plugged into a grounded switch. I wish I'd done this ages ago.