Monday, February 15, 2010

A Thin Icy Crust

Slick, but not thick


The students of Christian County, KY, were supposed to attend school today -- President's Day -- to make up one of the many "snow days" they've enjoyed recently.

Old Man Winter intervened. Sunday evening, a thin glaze of ice formed on the roads, and half an inch of snow fell on top of it. The new surface was very slick, so school was canceled today. The holiday, which had been declared a make-up day, became a holiday again.

This morning, Dennis decided he would push our wheeled trash-bin down our hill (pictured below) as he  usually does. (He always thinks it's easier to push the trash down than to load the trash-bin into the truck and haul it down.) When he got back to the house, he admitted that he had fallen. The new glaze over the old snow-pack on the hill was slicker than he had expected. Fortunately, he didn't break any bones.

I felt a little shaken by Dennis's fall as I left for work. The small rural blacktops had a white icy crust. I was determined to avoid the vehicular equivalent of falling on the ice, so I drove with an excess of caution. Finally, I reached larger highways that had been salted. I was a little late for work, but I arrived in one piece. About half of the staff stayed home, so it was an interesting day.

Isaac was home from college this past weekend. He went back yesterday before the precipitation began freezing on the roads. When I talked to him on the phone this evening, he told me that the sidewalks on the Murray State campus were treacherous this morning. He nearly fell several times on his way to his first class.

If Keely had any mishaps due to the ice, she didn't tell me. She's careful because she doesn't want to re-injure a previously sprained ankle.

I hope we -- and you, gentle reader -- can all get through this season without accident or injury. Be careful!

4 comments:

Marathon Pundit said...

No ice here...but plenty of snow.

Lesa said...

I had my fall for the season last week. I was fully dressed for work and walking across the yard to the car. I tripped over a hidden branch under the snow and sled in the muddy slush. I was covered in mud from my neck down. What a way to start my day! I had to go back in the house and change "everything"! My husband asked if I fell in yard when I came back inside. I said, "No. I thought I would practice my mud wrestling skills at 6:45am in the front yard this morning!" I was late for work in my second set of clothes for the day. So far I have not fallen on the ice. Now watch me - I'll fall tomorrow!

Genevieve Netz said...

Well, Lesa, I slipped and fell in mud today. I was trying to walk down a little bank in the yard. I was being careful by walking on the grass instead of the snow. I didn't think about it being a mudslide! One step, and I was sitting on the cold wet ground. I wasn't hurt, but it was definitely an unpleasant moment. I'm letting my clothes dry so maybe I can brush some of the dirt off them before putting them in the washer.

Genevieve Netz said...

John, when that snow begins to melt, watch yourself. You've participated in this discussion, and I think it's jinxed. ;)

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