Thursday, May 03, 2007
Balancing Act
Spring is a wonderful time. It is a time of green leaves and pastel flowers.
It is a time of warmth and bunnies and shorts.
Or, if you live in the Arctic, it means none of those things.
Instead, it is the time when the fluffy snow comes back. Big bold flakes that can only form when the air is at least a few degrees above zero.
Light and carefree snow that, in mere moments, covers everything in a thick layer of powder.
The view from my window should be a bloody Christmas card.
However, as beautiful and warm as these white crystals pretend to be, they come with a very dangerous problem.
They cover the ground.
Big loose piles of prettiness cover the earth, concealing everything below in a cheerful and fluffy kind of way.
Including the ice.
Ice that is finally warm enough to get a little melty. To get a little slick.
I was walking home today. Confident about the state of the road. Seeing nothing but happy snow to walk upon.
Unknowledgeable to the treachery beneath my feet.
My foot, on that first step into the deep, snuck below snow level and slid on lurking ice. But, being as graceful as I undoubtedly am, I was able to save my arse from a fall.
There might have been a bit of flailing.
From there I walked with trepidation. Carefully stepping my way home.
Until, of course, I was in site of the house. A happy tune was playing on my ipod.
Fear of bruises fled from my mind.
I bet you can guess what happens next.
I stepped.
I slipped.
I fell directly on my tush.
It gets worse.
Getting up became a trial of errors. My feet had no traction. My hands couldn’t maintain purchase. My knees were slipping and sliding.
I fell another 6 times before I managed to make it to an upright stance.
There was snow on every bit of my clothing. Caked on my jeans. Filling my pockets.
Even a bit in my hair.
Projecting a laughable image to the world, and passing motorists.
Giggling, pointing, motorists.
Damn spring.
It is a time of warmth and bunnies and shorts.
Or, if you live in the Arctic, it means none of those things.
Instead, it is the time when the fluffy snow comes back. Big bold flakes that can only form when the air is at least a few degrees above zero.
Light and carefree snow that, in mere moments, covers everything in a thick layer of powder.
The view from my window should be a bloody Christmas card.
However, as beautiful and warm as these white crystals pretend to be, they come with a very dangerous problem.
They cover the ground.
Big loose piles of prettiness cover the earth, concealing everything below in a cheerful and fluffy kind of way.
Including the ice.
Ice that is finally warm enough to get a little melty. To get a little slick.
I was walking home today. Confident about the state of the road. Seeing nothing but happy snow to walk upon.
Unknowledgeable to the treachery beneath my feet.
My foot, on that first step into the deep, snuck below snow level and slid on lurking ice. But, being as graceful as I undoubtedly am, I was able to save my arse from a fall.
There might have been a bit of flailing.
From there I walked with trepidation. Carefully stepping my way home.
Until, of course, I was in site of the house. A happy tune was playing on my ipod.
Fear of bruises fled from my mind.
I bet you can guess what happens next.
I stepped.
I slipped.
I fell directly on my tush.
It gets worse.
Getting up became a trial of errors. My feet had no traction. My hands couldn’t maintain purchase. My knees were slipping and sliding.
I fell another 6 times before I managed to make it to an upright stance.
There was snow on every bit of my clothing. Caked on my jeans. Filling my pockets.
Even a bit in my hair.
Projecting a laughable image to the world, and passing motorists.
Giggling, pointing, motorists.
Damn spring.
posted by Jody @ 7:04 PM 
