The Wonders of Ice

After a very warm winter here in the Maritimes, February reminded us that we were still living in Canada after all. We've had such a deep freeze I haven't been able to take my dog for too many walks. But it's been nice for anyone who enjoys skating on a frozen lake instead of a rink. The city where I live is blessed with an abundance of freshwater lakes. A rapid freeze recently left all the lakes encased in a surface as smooth as glass. On my bus ride home I could see hordes of happy skaters gliding to and fro. I was thinking how marvellous that was. I could feel their joy wafting over me across the lake, up over the shore, onto the road and into the bus.

I was just mentioning that fact to my neighbor as we got off at our stop together. Her grandson would probably be going out skating with his friends after supper. And then my boot hit a patch of the very ice that made skating so lovely and walking so treacherous. I was down before I had processed the fact that I was falling.

I came down so hard I actually said, "Oof!" Maybe it was more of a combination of "oof" and "ugh." That part still makes me laugh. But the contact area doesn't. No wonder hockey gear was invented. I wonder if I should invest in some during the winter walking season.