Strewing rose petals

This week's excitement has been getting to work without falling down. I don't really mind driving in the ice and snow, although obviously I'd rather avoid it. But it's walking on the ice that scares me to death. Even without Cello reminding me recently that "you're getting up to the age where we have to start worrying about you falling and breaking a hip . . ."

The sidewalks are bad enough, but I can usually find enough purchase on the edge, where there's a layer of snow. What's really bad is the parking lot. I was scared to death Monday night that I would fall--the parking lot was like a skating rink. I think it had warmed up just enough during the day--or maybe it was just the sun shining on it--that the ice had melted a little bit, then refrozen.

I had parked where I usually do, kind of in the middle of the parking lot, so there was a large expanse of slick ice that I had to cross before reaching my car. And then every time I get in the car, I have this vision of me opening the door and then sliding underneath it. But I didn't, fortunately.

I'm usually the last one to leave at night, which probably isn't the smartest thing to do in the middle of winter, but leaving earlier at night would mean getting there earlier in the morning, which of course means getting up earlier. Since it takes me so long to get there, I'm already getting up in the dark, and I'm not really willing to get up earlier. So I guess I just have to deal with it.

Yesterday morning I parked in a different place, in the first row of spaces right by the sidewalk, so at least I didn't have to walk across the parking lot when I left. Most of the ice was gone from the parking lot by the time I left, although the sidewalks were still as treacherous as they were on Monday. I'm not sure why, whether it's because the sidewalks are brick and don't absorb as much heat, or whether it's because of location and the sun just doesn't shine on them as much as it did on the parking lot. Whichever, it was still a dangerous proposition to walk down the hill to my car.

I guess if I remember it tomorrow, I could take a little bag of ice melt or salt or something and sprinkle it in my path, sort of like strewing rose petals, although not as meaningful.