Looking out these windows, all I see is that pretty scene of snow covered pine.  This and freshly fallen, untouched snow really make winter worthwhile.  Snow angels, snowball fights, curling up under a comforter or two with a nice warm cup of cocoa…these kind of things make this season so great!  But, since I started driving there’s been one question that’s been creeping in my head every winter.  Has mother nature forgotten that snow should only fall on rooftops, trees and grass??  Can you imagine how much happier this season would be if people didn’t have to worry about wiping mounds of snow off their cars before leaving for work, having spin-outs on the way or slipping on ice? 

What can I say, it’s nice to imagine these kind of things.  I’m not saying that I’m a crazy driver or anything.  I think I’m a pretty good driver, but even the best drivers have difficult moments at the wheel.  With this in mind, I’ve been more cautious with snow and ice lately, especially when it comes to my mom.  She doesn’t need any more struggles than she already has.  These days, I find myself watching the weather predictions and actually taking time out of my travels for safety.  Last year around this time, my mind set was “it’s just another winter in Chicago…I can tackle it!”  But since then, my spin-out last February in a Michigan blizzard doing 15-20 mph on the expressway really put things into perspective like a slap in the face.  It doesn’t matter how cautious you’re trying to be…if you test mother nature, prepare yourself for the worst!  I always think of that man that showed up out of nowhere with a shovel in his back seat that dug my car out from the side of the road.  What’s the chances of getting stuck in a blizzard with the only driver around us being a man that plows streets for a living!  How crazy is that?!