Folks, don't know if this is the right place to post this....if it ain't the moderators can move it as they see fit. In any case..snow has finally arrived here in south-central Pa. and on top of 6in. of snow we got 1in. of sleet and freezing rain. Oooohhh goody! Now, mind ya, this topping of ice is so thick it can support the weight of a 51yr. old 250lb. man without breaking! Anyways..today was laundry day!! I'm a bachlor so this is my job..no problem. Went out yonder to the clothesline and started to hang up a laundry basket fulla newly washed bakery uniforms. It's 7a.m. and 10degrees outside..25m.p.h. winds..windchill -11 deg. I snatched up the first pair of pants and was fixin' 'em to the clothesline and noticed the full laundry basket start sliding down thru the front yard at a right smart good clip! Kind'a like a toboggan! How fast did it go? Just about 3 steps faster than said old man could duck-walk after it on a hard crust of ice! By the way..my yard slopes down a fair bit..then it drops off right smart to'ards Back Creek....understand! Anyways....I'm "crabbin'" along as fast as I dare and this ++++ laundry basket is just fast enough to stay out of my reach the whole way. The next door neighbor seen this all going on and poked his head out of his back door and taunted me further by hollerin'..."RUN FOREST!..RUN!!!" (remember Forest Gump?) sigh....more to come.....Audie!

 

Well now folks if yer still following this tale you know durn well it's just gonna get worse..right? It did. I had almost caught up to the run-away laundry basket full'a my work uniforms when it made a break for that downhill slope that heads towards Back Creek..and me in hot pursuit! At some point it should have dawned on me that heading down that very steep hill was not a good idea. Especially on that crust of ice. At another point I realized that the top half of my body was going slightly faster than my ole legs and (inevitably) I was gonna head down that hill right behind that basket..nose first. And I did! Folks..it was an awful sight! The neighbors said I screamed like a child at first..then so high-pitched the dogs was the only ones that could hear it. I think they exaggerate a bit..harrumph! I calculate the whole venture lasted just about long enough for most mere mortal men to scream.."Ohhh Shucks......!" Fortunatly there was a large hickory tree down yonder to stop my slide....my laundry wound up in the creek. Just another day here at The Homeplace. Audie..the oldfart...busy doin' laundry..again!

 

Audie,
You write so eloquently that I could almost picture the scene. Now I want you to know that I am not laughing with you, but I am laughing hysterically at you. Sorry pal, but as I visualize the unfolding drama as you describe it, my belly starts to shake as a laugh rumbles in my throat and out my mouth. Shame there are no pictures to post, unless your neighbor had the foresight to capture the scene.

 

I feel for you fellow Pa'er. I do. But I think they make these new-fangled things called a clothes dryer. I'm sorry. It's bitter cold here in S.W. Pa too. We got the snow and freezing rain but not like you got. Where I work we take showers before we leave the plant. Now my hair is half way down my back, and sometimes I'm in such a hurry to get out of there I forget to keep it tucked in my jacket. By the time I walk the 100 - 150 yards to the truck it's froze like a popcicle right out of the freezer. If I bend my head down it sticks straight out. Stay warm and............................out of that creek.

 

Well feel for you too, and can see that on one of those TV shows! Would have been worth it to split the $$$, cause it sure sounds like a winner to me. I know our 800lb horses were just leaving slight marks in the snow on our back pasture last night. After seeing that, wife and I got out the snow tubes for some good ole time tubing down the back pasture. You know it's good tubing when you have to put on the brakes before you run into the fence at the other end of the pasture!

Good story, and excuse me as I go wipe the tears out of my eyes now.........yes tears from laughing. Glad you were not hurt, just the pride a bit, but that's ok.

Bondo©

 

I got the whole house laughing . But I know its not funny ha ha . I have done something like that only it was my truck sliding on ice to a usually busy street. Went across ed and parked itself right along a curb. Me fell whacked my head ànd slid under a car.(parked) I feel like a cartoon caractor with big lump. But you tell a good tale sir. I'm glad you posted it. Grampain PA.

 

Old Fart..... very, very funny!!!!!!! I can just imagine in my mind the scene. Running or in your case 'crabbin' hazardly after the laundry basket. I also have to wipe the tears from my eyes from laughing so damn hard!!!!

 

Your laundry took off, but hey, my whole truck took off! The ice was so darn thick that my truck took a 30 foot solo slide ( it was parked at the time), and luckily my brother chased it down before it wound up in my grandparents woods. Lets hope for no more storms like that!