Mother Nature tried to kill me.

This morning I was watching the children in my classroom play outside at recess. I normally do this and I don't really give it much thought. Today was slightly different because... it was snowing.

They were running and jumping, leaping and falling, making snow angels and sliding down the slide. The looks on their faces were looks of pure joy. And in lots of ways it makes sense. These kids are little. Some only 3 years old. It's a new experience. It's a fun experience. They may not remember snow from last season. And they certainly have not played in the snow with their friends from this year, yet.

Their screams were full of positive energy and I envied them.

Because on my end... this morning, I thought I was going to die.

Now, I'm not being dramatic. I really, whole-heartily, 100% thought I was done. 

First off, let me say, I hate driving. Hate it. Hate. It. It's not for me.

Add in a snowstorm? Oh.my.god.

I woke up feeling good about myself. Feeling a lot better than yesterday since my antibiotics must have kicked in. I cleaned off my car which isn't fun but the snow was light and fluffy and full of life.

I started driving and that's where it all went wrong.

I realized that the snow wasn't full of life and instead was trying to kill me.

We live in a town that seems to be at the bottom of hills. 

Which means, any direction I go to get out of this town... I need to go uphill. 

I work about 40 minutes from where we live. Which means, I was in for an even longer ride this morning.

I was trying to get uphill and the car had a little trouble. But I just kept on singing Ed Sheeran and hoping for the best. What else could I do?

Then... another hill. A little more slippery... more skids... more thoughts of "hmm... this isn't good".

I had to shut off the radio. You know it's serious when you can't listen to music.

But then... my favorite part. [enter sarcasm]. Going downhill.

I watched for a split second as the cars in front of me slid off the road.

Into ditches and mailboxes.

But I didn't have time to stop completely.
And I couldn't turn around. 

So, I started and immediately slid into someone's driveway. 

My brakes made that awful sound that told me they were working their hardest but couldn't do more. 

I put on my hazards and just stayed still while the cars behind me passed.

Going fast. 

Just because you're in an SUV doesn't mean you need to act big, bad and bold.

I tried again... I began to slide sideways down the hill.

And not that fast slide where you don't have time to think about it.

It was the slow-motion slide where you know exactly what's happening but can't do a thing about it.

I think that one's worse.

I got control of the car and slid into someone else's driveway narrowly missing their mailbox and a huge tree. 

I put on my hazards again and this time just kept them on as I gripped the steering wheel tightly and literally just screamed my head off the rest of the way down.

Not just a metaphorically-speaking scream, either.

I mean I was screaming as if Mother Nature was trying to kidnap me and put me into her white van.

Seriously.

When I finally got to the bottom of the hill, which is pretty freaking long apparently, I did what any married 26 year old would do: I called my mom.

Screaming and irrational.

She told me that I needed to stop crying so my tears wouldn't stop me from seeing,

I quickly told her that I had no tears and that I was just hyperventilating.

After an hour and forty minutes... I got to work. Safely.

Texted Sean to tell him that I was okay.

And decided to reflect on what had just happened.

Here are my thoughts:

1. Perhaps the state of Massachusetts should treat the roads when they know [which they did] a storm is coming. The funds are there, use'em.

2. Maybe, just maybe, the plows that are out on the roads could actually put down their plows rather than drive around with their plows off the ground. Get some snow off the roads?

3. It would probably be a better idea if the salt truck was behind the plow truck.. that way the plow truck didn't remove all the salt the salt truck just released. Right?

I mean, it is New England. So while I should be comfortable driving in the snow... the state should know how to prepare for it.

The end.