I is for Ice

Last weekend's snow storm got me thinking about ice, particularly driving on ice. As many of my tiny band of loyal readers know, I grew up in Hawaii and then went to school in California and a mission in Guatemala. Eventually, I did got to grad school in Delaware, but for most of my time there I didn't have a car. Most of the time I did, I worked a few blocks from my house and only traveled by car for church and church activities and, by the time I was married, I was taking public transportation everywhere for work and for church. In other words, I have very little experience driving in icy or snowy conditions. I actually find ice and snow somewhat of a personal insult, truth be told.

The husband, on the other hand, grew up in Utah and served his mission in Canada, so the time he spent without a car in Pennsylvania is really moot. He's the driver when we go back to Utah during the winter, while I sit there, white knuckled and terrified the whole time. Once we drove down for a family event in Salt Lake, an hour from his parents' house, and the snow was so bad even he opted not to drive anymore. We ended up getting a hotel room in SLC so we would be there bright and early for a wedding the next morning rather than driving back to his hometown and driving back again. Another time, shortly after we were married, one of his brothers decided it would be fun to slip and slide down the hill by their house in order to scare me. I have never been so honestly, actually frightened in my life. Welcome to the family! My terror has only increased now that we have Toddler J on board and I'm sure will more than double with the new addition.

In short (ha!), I am glad we live in the tropics for now and do not look forward to the day when I will have to bite the bullet and learn how to drive competently in cold weather conditions. For now, I like that the entire city of Charleston shut down between 3 and 4pm in anticipation of snow coming at 9-ish. For now, I'm happy we live in a place where the police simply tell people not to drive at all when inclement weather approached, reminding them that no one is really prepared to drive in these circumstances and we're all better off if everyone stays home and watches a movie. That's the kind of public service announcement I can get behind! For now, I like busying myself with at home projects and making absolutely no plans to go anywhere at all until I absolutely must. For now, long live the South!