Last Tuesday was supposed to be the second day for the kids to be back at school, but it turned into a snow day. Last year, we had a few snow days in a row and I was out sledding with the kids, making snow angels, and having snowball fights. This year I stayed inside with my brace securely fastened.
I love the way the snow highlights the tree boughs. The little valley we look over seems so distant from everything. Though we’re not far from the highway, going up the hill of our driveway makes me feel like I’m entering a separate little world. There’s truth to that; sometimes we even have our own weather. A clear sunny day up here, a foggy morning below. Icy here, fine below.
Last night, my hubby asked me to follow him in the van while he drove the truck to the bottom of the hill and left it there overnight. Ice had been predicted and he didn’t want to take any chances. So 11 PM found three of the four Ashberry adults on a field trip. (My dad joined the caravan with his car.) The men would tromp down the hill in the morning to make it to work.
It may sound a little paranoid to take such precautions, but it was a good call. School had a two-hour delay this morning because of weather conditions.
Of course, I’m sure my husband would not have been that cautious if it hadn’t been for what happened on the last icy morning, the one the day after the snow day when they didn’t cancel or delay school.
I woke to the ringing phone just after six. As I hobbled to the kitchen to find it, Kev’s voice poured out of the answering machine. “Christina, do not ignore the phone. You’ve got to get Dad. I’m about to go off the road into the meadow. I can’t take my foot off the brake or I’m going over!”
The picture does not do the situation justice. Nor do the following pictures. He was perpendicular to the driveway at the steepest part of the dropoff. Trust me, it’s a long way down at that spot. He’d been braking and just kept sliding. I’ve had nightmares about that but he lived it!
I woke Dad up. He braced the tires and helped Kevin get out. Terrifying!
And that’s why we call him “Cliffhanger.”
The entire surface of the asphalt had been black ice. These pics were taken when he went out to go to work after the ice had already melted.
When the kids finally made it to school, they told everyone how their dad had almost died. A great story for the playground.
Okay, like, okay. I’ve been to your place. I can appreciate the situation. That’s a huge drop over that edge!! Nah, he wouldn’t have rolled the truck, but what a ride that wudda been.
Growing up, we lived on a hill just about as steep as yours. I’ll have you know I am permanently emotionally scarred by the experience. ; ) (Think Pennsylvania winters.)