Yesterday morning I went out at 8:30 am to run errands. The Highlander was sheathed in icy frost that didn't budge even after warming up the car. I admit, I did start to back out of the driveway thinking that I'd multi-task by driving and defrosting the windows at the same time. I quickly realized zero visibility through the side and back windows. Plan B - go into the house; get the pancake turner to use as an ice scraper. It worked and I was on my way. Driving around town I was surprised at how much frost (probably covering ice) there was on the streets. In some areas it even looked like snow on the road.
The yellow road warning signs were familiar; during heavy rains they say "Flooded". This time they said "Icy" and appeared to have been set out by mistake. I thought it was sort of odd that Petaluma would even have "Icy" signs. Maybe we are required to have at least a few on hand "just in case".
Marlene called last night to confirm our plans for a "twalk" this morning. We've been walking together in the morning for a couple years now and always have so much to talk about; now we twalk together at least once a week. We each drive downtown to the bank parking lot at 7:30, and go from there. Because early morning temps this past week have been below freezing, Marlene brought up the good point that we might not want to walk, let alone drive, if it's icy. We agreed to a phone call in the morning at 7:15 if either of us thought we'd rather not be driving.
This morning at 7:00, I looked out the front window to see if we'd had another Winter-Wonderland freeze. There was frost on the cars but not like yesterday morning's frost. It looks like the twalk is a go. I did notice the sidewalk and driveway were wet from the lawn sprinklers. Note to self - turn the sprinkler system off today.
It took a little longer this morning for me to get out the door in time to meet Marlene. I still had to scrape the ice off the windows of my car; better get my handy pancake turner ice scraper ready to go. Ken was outside trying to wipe the frost off his windows with a towel - good luck with that honey.
Now I really was going to be late so rushed out the door with pancake turner in hand and started scraping the ice off the car windows. Ken thought that was a pretty good idea and wanted to use my pancake turner.
"Me first", I said, "I'm meeting Marlene and I'm going to be late".
Windows cleared, I called to Ken to come get the pancake turner, "Hurry, hurry, I've got to go!"
No matter whether the ice is thin or the ice is thick, it is still slippery - especially when one is running down the driveway to pass the pancake turner to a husband who, in her opinion, is moving way too slow.
Remember when I noticed the wet driveway and sidewalk along the edge of the lawn? After just a few steps toward Ken, my legs went out from underneath me. I then realized it wasn't "wet" I had seen. Instead, it was a 10-foot-long patch of ice. Another note to self - don't run on a downhill ice patch ever again.
As DH helped me up, he asked if I was okay. Gingerly, I stood up expecting pain but feeling none; good, no broken bones. I do have a suspicion that tomorrow I'm going to feel like I've been hit by a truck. My suspicion is based on experience from another Driveway Incident - I'll tell you about that another time.
As I got in the car to go meet Marlene, I thought it ironic that she had the foresight last night to be concerned about either of us driving or slipping on ice. I arrived at the designated parking lot just a bit before Marlene, sore but not late, and with something to twalk about.
Note to self - everyone gets an ice scraper in their Christmas stocking this year. My advice? Don't leave home without one. :o)
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