watch your step

I don't pay much attention to weather forecasts, especially during the winter when you simply know it'll be cold outside. And since I'm not planning a lot of outdoor activities at this time of year, all I need is the 3-day forecast every couple of days so I have an idea when a storm is brewing (C and I own a truck with a plow, and C is laid off now, so I'm always hoping for a sweet little 5-inch, 12-hour storm to help us out).

We had a little ice incident on Sunday night that didn't make it into any forecast I caught. I peeked out the windows on Monday morning to see if I'd have to scrape the windshield, but everything looked perfectly clear. So, when I stepped outside to head off to work I didn't pay any attention to my footing. I didn't notice that the car looked clear because it was perfectly glazed in 1/4" of ice. I didn't notice that the front steps and path resembled a freshly-Zamboni'd skating surface until I was lying flat on my back. The sound of my head meeting the top step was loud enough to wake my husband and scare the cat into hiding. Youch! My first concussion in years. It isn't bad enough to warrant a trip to the ER- I never lost consciousness or experienced any symptoms of a "serious" head injury, but man did it hurt.

So, I am going to plug an item that my brother gave me for Christmas 7 years ago. A safety item that saved not only my skull and tailbone, but countless cups of coffee as I walked across slick parking lots and driveways. Please, if you live where winter can mean icy walkways, buy yourself a pair of YakTrax. They're inexpensive, easy to use, and they don't snag carpets or scratch the heck out of wood floors. Most of all, the darn things work, and that's all that really matters. Mine eventually got dry rot and broke apart, but someone told me once that if you spray them with arm0r all they last longer. I ordered some for myself and for C today. I can't imagine what that fall would have been like if I were pregnant, or worse- carrying an infant in my arms. So, please watch your step this winter. Stay safe!