I've lived at altitude long enough to know that capris and a tank top can be worn on warm January days and winter coats may be necessary in September. Or on Mother's Day. It's happened! I always leave a pair of flip flops handy to don after an afternoon pedicure and a bathing suit is a year-round necessity for me. Our sunshine is notoriously brilliant and even on days that never break past 25 degrees a sweater, scarf and hat may be all I need to stay comfy for running errands or a short jaunt to the mailbox.
We had an early, icy snow about two weeks ago. My car spends evenings under a carport and I frequently don't need to de-ice or sweep snow. It all depends on the wind and the type of precipitation. I'm happy that scraping is not an every snow occurrence. My hands don't like it - RA makes repetitive motions difficult and often painful.
In addition to switching my closet, I do a few other winterizing chores. I make sure my tires are well-treaded, all fluids are full, my tank is topped off. I don't enjoy pumping gas in the frigid wind, and it is always windy when I get gas! I take the oil-filled electric heater out of the storage unit on my back deck. I buy some cans of soup for days I don't want to make stock from scratch. The tea stash is well supplied - decaf coffee is in the house! I pride myself in being as ready as one can be in an unpredictable, high desert climate.
So how is it that I came to find myself sans snow brush a few days ago? My trusty red handled snow brush on one end - ice scraper on the other was missing in action. Last year my youngest daughter declared this ice scraper was a POS* and I needed a better tool. That is because I had to park without benefit of overhead protection. It was a good enough for me in most weather kind of implement. I'll admit I am frugal. Why buy something new if my old one still works well enough most times? I'm not of the Amazon generation. Think of something I need - turn to google or an app - press buy and wait a ridiculously short amount of time for said item to magically appear.
That is how I found myself using a gym towel to clear my windshield yesterday. This came about because I went to the YMCA early and the storm was light when I left my house. I wasn't thinking ahead. I guess I am losing my touch as a self-proclaimed boy scout. You know - be prepared. I'm in the locker room recovering from a vigorous workout and a delightful steam and the chatter is about the storm and how heavy it is snowing. It dawns on me. Shite! I have no idea where my ice scraper is.
I've been in the storage closet and didn't even think to look. I doubted it was in my car, because I am in my car all the time. I forage in my trunk enough to doubt it is there either. So where in the Sam Hill is it? I'm considering the millennial solution - pick one on-line and get a replacement delivered. I live in a large enough metro area that it might even qualify for a same day grey van appearance. But the compassionate me thinks that I don't want to drive (anymore) today. How could I expect someone else to indulge my lack of being ready for winter?
I trudge out my back door. Wow - there is a hefty snowfall back there. Lucky for me there is a dust pan on the porch. It serves as a mini-shovel. I clear enough snow to open the storage doors and take more than a cursory look. I do not see the dang thing. I'm perplexed. Is this a sign that I am supposed to buy a newer, better mousetrap? (I mean scraper) Does it mean my days of bragging about preparedness and superior time management skills are definitively over?
Whenever I feel frustration building. I practice the three P's. Pause. Ponder. Progress. A few deep breaths and a cup of hot tea are all I need to know that this is not a big deal. I've already thrown the ice encrusted gym towel in the washer and it will surreptitiously makes its way back to the Y tomorrow. No need to announce my faux-pas to the front desk staff and explain why I am bringing their property in through the front door. I do the mature thing. It is shoved in my gym bag, I will lay on it in the steam room and return it to the dirty towel bin. No one the wiser.
This morning the scraper was still on my mind. In single digit, snowy weather I find myself head deep in my trunk. I have a red milk box that holds boots, a scarf, gloves and other winter gear. It also holds a couple of bungee cords and a dog leash, which actually came in very hand when I rescued a pup running on Garden of the Gods Rd. a few years back, so don't laugh! There are some respiratory masks in case of fire; I have personal experience with how handy these can be as well. It did not take much rummaging to find my elusive snow brush. Reunited in time to clear my front windshield of some ice. Brush residual snow off the side windows. I am giddy while I do this - I don't feel the frigidity of the morning through the too thin gloves I donned.
One more thing. Where is my newspaper? It too has been MIA for three mornings...
Time to Write,
Jane
*POS - Piece of Shit
No comments:
Post a Comment