Cold Again

When we woke up this morning, the temperature was in the 40s, but it was in the 30s by the time the kids left for school and in the 20s by the time the baby and I left for Bible study.  I could see the traces from last night's rain starting to freeze on the picnic table.  A flip flop on the patio had ice on it.  I was debating even leaving the house, thinking I should call my husband and have him block off time so HE could bring the kids home from school later in the day. 

I called my friend who was oblivious to the fact that it was so cold and was loading up her kids in the car.

"Oh? I didn't know it was 28.  I'll call and let you know how the roads are," she said.

"O.K." I answered, "But don't call while you're driving."  You know, safety first.

I had been feeling very self-righteous about last week's cold, remembering how tough I'd become from living in Kansas.  Shoot, these Texans just don't know how to handle it.  But then my car slid on an icy road last Saturday and I panicked. I turned around from our goal of a movie, kids' crying in the backseat with the injustice of it all, me starting to cry with fear and frustration.  My sweet husband, who spent six years in the Northeast, was not getting it when we came in the door with all our drama.  He ended up driving us safely to a later feature. Pitiful. But that's why I was nervous today.  What if there was ice?

I remember skidding on the ice in Kansas, too. And turning around and going home.  My husband patiently said the same thing then that he did this time: "You just don't know how to drive on ice.  You just need to slow down."

I tried to keep that in my head today.  Drive slowly. Anyway, I made it. I didn't see a lick of ice on the road. But better to drive like an old lady than be sorry.

I guess I'm not so tough anymore. I'm used to the warm weather of South Texas. I'm so cold right now--even inside--wool sweater over my long sleeve shirt, jeans, snuggly boots, blanket.

When my babysitter came last night, I asked if it was cold outside.  "Not to me," she said. She's from Colorado.