winter wonderland or icy wasteland?

on Friday, I had a lovely walk to work - all bright, fresh air, snow crunching under my boots. I was thinking maybe winter isn't so bad! Actually its great!

I had this whole blog going in my head. It was going to be about how I try to walk on the untouched snow and pretend like I'm walking on a fresh field of snow. I walk into work all pink cheeked, excited to start my day. Should have written it then, when I was young and naive, nearly 50 hours ago.

Then the temperature climbed about 5 deg, to that terrible point where it's waffling back and forth right at freezing. This point, I now know, is the danger zone! Last night I was driving home from church - going a mere approximately 15 miles/hour - when I made a gentle left hand turn. Before I knew it, I was sliding down the road sideways! Literally careening into a pole, braking with no result, thinking there is absolutely nothing i can do! Then miraculously, I stopped, less than a foot from the pole! Car and Leigh unscathed.

Then again! This morning, starting my walk to work - on time, cereal in a cup in hand, ipod tuned to my Buckhead church podcast. Then I took the step out onto the rocks. Very slippery. Picture me, arms waving like in a cartoon. Terrifically, with balance and poise like a lemur, I regain my balance, only to take my first firm step onto the parking lot. A sheet of ice awaited me. Now arms are really going - around in circles - cereal flying everywhere. Just like a cartoon. Saying, "whoa, whoa, WHOA" until I find myself flat on my side - sprawled in the parking lot, lying in my cereal. Not a good start to the day.

Don't worry, though, Liz says that soon things will be much better - the temperature will never rise above freezing, so I won't have to worry so much about ice.