Hello everyone!  All set for Christmas?  Muffin and I are getting there.  A fun filled day.  Opening presents.  Playing games.  Eating.  We have a great time.  Muffin has ordered my present so hopefully it will get here in time.  Yes, she buys me something each year, though I do have to help a bit.  I still need to get her something too.  She needs some new plastic balls to play with, they are so hard to find here.  Those plastic golf balls are the best, the colored ones, impossible to find here though so guess I will have to check that big online shopping place.  Anyway, on with today’s adventure…

It’s that time of year again so dad and I were off to get our Christmas tree.  There was a small lake where we stopped to look for the tree.  There was nice looking trees on the other side, but nothing on this side.  Naturally.  Let’s just cross the lake here, said dad, it’s not too far.  Fine, I said.  You go first, said dad, don’t worry, it’s solidly frozen by now. Then why am I going first?  And why is dad staying 30 feet (9 meters) behind me?  We have had a lot of cold weather, so the ice should be thick enough.

About two thirds of the way across I heard a small cracking sound.  Hmm, not good.  A few feet later I heard a very loud and long cracking sound!  I froze.  There was no snow on the ice at this point.  I looked down at my feet.  That looks like water, I said as I turned around to dad.  There was slush in my footprints all the way back to where Dad was.  I say ‘was’ because dad was already heading back.  Naturally.  He stopped to see what was going to happen.  Thanks.  I hit the ice with my heel.  The ice broke.  Water came up on the ice.  This is not where I should be.  But I was. 

I should not be able to kick my heel through the ice like that.  That means very thin ice right there, too thin to hold someone.  Standing still was not a good thing to do, but, I really didn’t want to move.  But I figured staying put was not a good option either.  So I quickly and carefully walked backward.  There was lots of cracking.  I really didn’t want to fall through.  That would not be fun.  I prayed I would get out of there in time.  I just walked slowly and carefully back.  Dad was already back on shore watching.  That’s where I wanted to be.  Not out on thin ice.  It seemed to take so long to get back just to where dad had stopped walking.

I will admit to being a little nervous that time.  Step by step.  Another loud crack!  More water showed up.  I stopped.  It felt like the ice was moving under my foot.  I pushed down and my whole foot ended up in water!  I really don’t like this.  I’m running out of directions to go.  I move over and start walking away from the area.  This is not getting me closer to shore, but hopefully away from the bad ice.  No water in my tracks which made me feel better.  I decide to turn now and head to shore.  No more cracking and soon I was standing on solid ground once again.  Didn’t realize my heart could beat so fast.

Dad made his way over to me.  Just a slightly wet foot, I said, you certainly left in a hurry.  I wanted to make sure I was safe so I could help you, he said.  He wasn’t sure what he could do, but at least he wanted to do something.  Right where I came on shore again we both noticed a very nice tree.  That worked out good, said dad.  Now, time for coffee, he said.  Great idea, said I.  We won’t tell mom about this one, will we?  She won’t hear it from me, I said.  Speaking of bottle digging in the spring, I said.  Of course we can do that, replied dad.  I was all smiles at that point.  What’s a slightly frozen foot anyway?

All for this one folks, I hope you enjoyed our little adventure.  Strange things always happened to us, this time to me!  Have a wonderful weekend and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.

© 2019 Steve McLeod.