Separating the room-darkening curtain panels that protect my bedroom from sunlight, I was pleased to see it had snowed during the night. This was no Snowmageddon, as had been predicted, but our lawn was covered in a blanket of white.
Hmmm...fresh snow, on a school day, meant I could be Queen of the Sledding Hill once more. I needed to act fast. Any amount of sun and warmth would melt what little snow we had.
Making haste, I tugged on my clothes, located my ski gloves, hat, and coat. In our poorly lit front hall, I dug through our closet to find my winter boots. I tied the laces, and went gallumphing through the house, and out to the garage to grab my trusty orange sled.
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| This is a girl with hope in her heart. |
This was it; I was really going to go sledding. Yes, it's true, I'm just a big kid at heart. This 59-year-old loves whooshing down a hill on a sled.
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| Thanks for the loan of your right boot today, Chuck. |
When I arrived at the city park, there was only one car in the parking lot, and not a child in sight. So far, so good. When I swung my feet out of my Highlander, I had to laugh. I had grabbed two different boots; one of mine, and one of Chuck's. No wonder my right foot was sliding around so much.
As I trudged to the edge of the hill, I noticed that the grey skies were becoming more blue above me. And then I saw the sign. CLOSED. What? How in the world could the city close the sledding hill on a snow day?
Ugh. I've been a goody-two-shoes all my life. I don't break laws. Was this a law? Probably not. I began splitting hairs as I was in the throes of my current moral dilemma. It was probably a strong suggestion; okay, maybe it was a rule for children, to keep them safe. Most of the time, I try to follow rules, but I've been known to push the envelope a little bit, when a rule seems silly or unnecessary.
Ever the good girl, I tried to call the park district to ask for permission. After listening to all of the menu options, and selecting one, I was then presented with another set of menu options. I ended the call.
Who was it that said, "It's easier to ask forgiveness, than permission"? Today, that would be my motto.
What's the worst that could happen? A park city employee might say, "Hey, lady, didn't you see the sign?"
Maybe a policeman would flash his lights, and park behind my car to give me a warning.
Seriously, I'm pretty sure no one is going to arrest a 59-year-old grandma for sledding down a hill.
With a grunt, I landed ungracefully on top of my sled, and scooted it forward. I wanted to record my one and only sledding experience for this winter. I'm so glad I did. Nothing makes me feel more like a kid these days than flying down a hill of snow. I just couldn't help but giggle.
When I got to the bottom, I looked around to see if I'd drawn any attention to myself. Not a soul to observe my bold adventure. Seeing my single track on the hill made me feel pretty proud. I huffed and puffed back up the hill, and counted my blessings that I can still do this kind of thing. I didn't want to tempt fate with a second run, so I packed up my sled, and headed home.
With my feet propped up on my recliner, and Bristol by my side, I sent my video to my kids and a couple of friends. Dylan asked if I went on any sweet jumps. Gotta love his imagination.
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| "COPPERS???" |
I watched out the window, as a few small snowflakes swirled to the ground. I don't think any coppers will be trying to track down the lone sledder today.
