Slipping and Sliding, Franklin ice storm continues

I am still sore from yesterdays events! We decided to stop off at my donkey breeders house to pick up some medication for our adopted standard donkey, Mr Bennett (that's another post all together).  He has a nasty looking sarcoid, and it pains me to look at it.  She had a product called xterra, which she said I could use. So far, all the main roads are clear from ice…however, many of the driveways are covered in a sheet of ice.  I assumed hers would be fine because she had been traveling on it…

When I started to drive up her driveway, my car wheels began to spin.  As much as I love my Explorer, we opted for a two-wheel drive instead of four.  We didn't think there would be snow here in Tennessee…ha!  Anyways, I reversed, went forward, still slipping and spinning.  Yikes!  So, the clever mom I am, thought of a great plan.  We would walk to her house!  Jenny’s driveway is long…it goes up a hill then back down a hill.  The middle of the driveway was clear, with the appearance of gravel.  I just thought, if we stayed in the middle, we would be fine.

Now everything would have been fine, if the entire driveway had a cleared out gravel area, but of course it couldn't have been that easy.  The fun began, once we reached the top of the hill.  It was pure ice!  We started walking but realized, with two little ones and myself in Ugg boots with zero traction, it was not going to work! So I did what any sensible mother would do…I left my 5 year old and 2 year old at the top of the hill holding onto a tree, and slid down on my bottom with the baby in the car seat sledding down!  Fear filled my heart…but we made it! 

After I left the baby with Jenny, I climbed back up the hill, and got the other two.  We slid on our bottoms and made it back to Jenny’s.  All the while, I was laughing so hard I thought I was going to wet my pants.  I was not dressed for this at all, and didn't even have a coat on!  After a short visit, Jenny drove us back to my car in her 4x4.  I was looking forward to making a quick exit, until my car was stuck. After a few minutes of going back and forth, with a lot of prayer, we made it out!

I sit here, still sore, and embarrassed as I think over yesterdays events.  The moral of the story… don't leave home in icy conditions with out a coat and shoes with traction… And don't try to drive your two-wheel drive Explorer up a slippery hill!

On a positive note, I let the boys out on the field yesterday afternoon, and Mr Bennett took off running with the boys.  It was a beautiful site to see all three of them playing!  I will write more about our journey with Mr Bennett, our Safe Harbour Equine adopted donkey.