Hair-raising experience

I would like to share with you my hair-raising experience with snow and ice last week. Last Friday I woke up long before dawn to get ready for work. I felt quite cold and I thought it strange because we set the central heating on at 5:45am (for an hour) so I do not wake up to a cold house. I went downstairs to the kitchen to have my chocolate porridge breakfast and there I saw it outside my kitchen window—huge chunks of snowflakes coming down from the heavens!
At first I thought it was pretty cool but then I thought I had to drive through this and it looks like it was turning into a blizzard.
Foolishly, I still got ready for work (woollen overcoat, pink pashmina over dark trouser suit, velvet cap, knee-high boots, black leather gloves). When I got out of the house my car had about two inches of snow all over it. Our steep driveway was, by now, iced over. Like the proper fool (again) I was still determined to go to work. I started my car, heating full blast and experienced the first sign of trouble ahead—the car slid down the driveway because of the ice. We hadn’t had time to put grit and salt over it. I went through the lanes (slipping and sliding) hoping that the main A358 was gritted the night before. Nope! Then the blizzard came into full force. I couldn’t see where I was going and to make things really difficult, the winding road “disappeared” in a carpet of snow. By now I was feeling rather scared. I knew I did not have control of the car. Driving in icy roads is like skating—only with a powerful motor to propel you to kingdom come. I approached the ramp leading up to the A30. It was covered in thick snow. Everything seemed to happen suddenly. I couldn’t see very well in the blizzard and my tyres were spinning out of control. As I approached the incline, my car spun 180 degrees. I held my breath for an impact—Lorries do come down that way and with the icy conditions they would have been careening down my way. This was the point when I thought to myself—“I am not paid enough to risk my life!” I headed back home but it took me forever to get back as the landscape changed. I felt lost because I couldn’t recognise the road. What made it more dangerous were the twists and turns. I could have easily ended up in a ditch!
As I entered the single car lane leading to my house (a short cut) I turned to Yonder Mount and it happened again but this time with a lot of force. My car skidded and I hit the kerb with such force it took my breath away. Luckily, my little Peugeot survived the impact—I actually didn’t care because I just wanted to get back safely indoors.
This time I parked my car in our lay-by down the driveway. Our drive way so deep in snow and ice. I didn’t even bother checking any damage to my car. I couldn’t’ see it anyway because of the blizzard. I then struggled to get back to the house as it was a steep incline and my boots were slipping too. When I opened the front door, Hubbyand Sam were staring at me like I was a ghost. Actually Hubby said my face was a picture of fear. All I remembered saying was, “I am not going back there again!”
It snowed heavily after that and we watched the news—the A30 in Cornwall was locked in a grid overnight due to snow and accidents. Everywhere people were stranded. It was amazing! The snow was forecasted but the amount of snow that fell in a very short time was totally unexpected for the time of year. It was only a couple of days later when we found out that my front hubcap was missing and I dented the tyre rim. Fortunately we found the wheel trim on the other side of the road and saw the damage I did to the kerb—I cracked it. I can drive in pouring rain. I can drive in thick fog. These conditions I can do even in total darkness but one thing I learned is to trust your instincts and stay home during a blizzard and don’t drive in icy conditions!