After working from home the past two days as a result of the inclement weather, I decided to brave the icy roads and return to my office today. I made it as far as the car, at which point I realized that my wheels were frozen solidly to the street and were not even close to moving. It took me twenty minutes of revving my engine to decide that another plan was necessary, a plan that involved carrying pots of hot water down the stairs and out through the slippery cul-de-sac to where my car was glued in place. After about eight of these trips, Matt, who had been watching this all with some amusement from the kitchen window, came outside to help.
We shoveled as much ice and snow out from under the wheels as we could (and by we, I mean he with a lot of moral support from me) and then tried placing things under my tires to give the car a bit of traction. When that failed, Matt hooked my car up to his SUV and dragged me straight across the ice to the concrete where I could safely drive. I could have gone to work at that point since it was only about 10am, but I settled for going to Starbucks instead. It’s pretty much the same thing anyways – I show up, say hello to a few people, and then start eating and drinking immediately.
After returning from Starbucks, I struggled to park in the ice-covered driveway (The Landlord granted his permission for me to use the driveway, despite my warning that my car could become a permanent fixture there until warmer days arrived) and was suddenly struck with a brilliant idea.
Our front door is located at the top of a flight of stairs, stairs which are currently covered in a thick layer of ice. I learned this lesson yesterday when I attempted to take Kobe outside and fell immediately, sliding down a few feet before catching myself on the railing. I decided this morning that I could sled down the steps pretty easily using only a cushion from the couch in our garage. Matt joined me outside to film this particular adventure so he’d have something to show the coroner when they were inquiring as to the cause of my death.
It turned out to be an awesome idea – quite possibly the most fun I’ve had in ages. I’m considering making a small fortune by selling tickets to sled my front porch. The only awkward part was when I stopped to assist a motorist that was stuck in the slush on the road; we were digging at his wheels in the gusting wind when he stopped and asked, “What were you doing outside anyway?”
Well, sir, I was doing this:
