Freezing Rain

In Eastern Ontario this morning, we all awoke to a very light coating of ice, after a night of freezing rain. This is the kind of ice that requires careful sliding instead of walking. Your feet must not leave the ground. I think you get the picture.

Our house is built slightly above ground and requires a walk down about 6 steps to the ground from all exits.

At 6:00 a.m., Jim, our mini schnauzer (5 months old), Shelby, our yellow lab, and I headed outside for the morning duties. Shelby walks down the stairs herself (good thing, couldn’t carry a 70 lb dog), but I usually carry Jimmy because he doesn’t like to walk down stairs (he’s pretty good at going up now though). Can you see where this is going?? Well, it happened, about 3 steps down, out from under me came my feet. I went flying, as did Jimmy. I’m not sure exactly what happened, but Jimmy starting screaming…I thought I had killed him!! I ran over to him and cradled him, checking for possible injuries.

In the meantime, my hubby hears all the commotion and comes running!! “Is the DOG alright??!!?”, he asks. Hey, wait a minute, didn’t I fall down too?? I realize I am bleeding (and have several bruises)….and I’m in my bare feet!! Where are my shoes?? Well, they flew about 6 feet onto the grass (so you can imagine the fall).

During all this, Shelby watched and wagged her tail…..great game she thinks!!

Anyway, Jimmy is absolutely FINE!! All the noise came from fear (Why are you throwing me down the stairs Mom??). And, I’m OK too. I’ll be a little bruised and sore for a while.

I guess the moral of the story is, don’t carry your dog down stairs covered in freezing rain unless you have chains on your shoes!!

Ouch that must have hurt glad everyone is okay but I bet you are going to hurt for a few days. Well this is a chance to take advantage of the hubby.

First, glad to hear everyone's ok.

In hindsight I'd say it is time to teach that little fella to go down stairs!

My pooch wouldn't go on stairs when I got her. She was 2 but never seen them before, grew up in a bungalow.

Took my a week to figure out what to do. It was simple, the only route to walkies and the squirrel zone became the STEEP fire escape. She learned to LOVE the stairs in a day and a half.

Also taught her to do her business on command. I just send her out and holler "toilet" at her. Works like a charm.

No more going outside in the early cold and rain for me! :thumbs up


Humans have televisions. Pointers have birdfeeders.

In hindsight I'd say it is time to teach that little fella to go down stairs!


ABSOLUTELY :thumbs up

Well this is a chance to take advantage of the hubby.

Yes, yes, yes it is!!

In his defence, he didn't know I had fallen until I told him. He'd only heard the crash and Jimmy yipping. I, the "fallee" wasn't concerned about myself either, until I knew the pup was OK. :love:

I think we would all make sure our babies were okay first then ourselves.

I think we would all make sure our babies were okay first then ourselves.

Of that I have no doubt!! :thumbs up

We always check our babies first!! :) That saidm you could train her to do downstairs. (is it outside and icy?) Yin Yin is now walking downstairs and she thinks it's a grand game - mind you these are carpeted stairs so it is likely easier. My rabbit used to just fly up those staors, it was too cute! (he went down a lot more slowly though) and I think YY will be soon be just like him. When my "nephew" choc lab is here, he flies down them too and all I can say is I am vacuuming hair for a week after!

Glad to hear you are OK though!! Make sure you check all those bruises. It is prob too late now but ice on the brusing will keep the swelling down.

I recall once my nephew -then about 10 and his friend - were in my car and the other boy accidentally closed the vehicle foor on his hand. (fortunately it had a safety feature that prevented it from going too far) but there was still much brusing. And this being Canada, there was a Tim Horton's (even tho the kids were Bostonians, lol) not too far away where I could send the other kid to get a glass of ice. All was well in the end.

The bad news is that strom is heading in our direction and I have a seven hour drive to look forward to on Sunday. I am hoping it will be on its way to the Rock (Nfls and labrador) by then!

I am sorry,but I could not help but chuckle,only a little :D I just pictured your little Jim flying threw the air with your shoes right behind him :crazy:
I hope you'll be ok and throw some sand on those steps!!!

I think it's cute that Shelby looked on and thought it was a game. My Toby would do the same thing, he would probably pounce on me as well.

I'm glad to hear that everyone is OK. I almost sliiped a few time in the past couple of days myself. I figure I'll buy figure skates this year, Toby can pull....great winter fun!

J and S mom,I bet you next time you try to pick up Jim to take him down the stairs,he'll be more than happy to walk by himself :D

first let me say, i hope YOUR bruises aren't too bad and ur not too achy.
secondly and i apologize in advance, BUWAHAHAHAHA. the way u wrote it made me laugh right out loud and i could picture it in my head. little dickens eh? pooor little jimmy (what a cute name for a cute dog - i just saw his christmas pic :) )

For all who got a chuckle (or an outright belly laugh) from my story, I'm glad. It was meant to bring a smile :) . Slapstick comedy usually does :crazy: .

I told my boss the story this morning and she was very sympathic. Within an hour, she was making jokes and teasing me. And of course, my husband hasn't stopped making jokes. He says I OWE Jimmy (like he's not spoiled enough) for "throwing him down the stairs". (I felt bad all day about that :sorry: .)

But, like I said, we're all OK. And yes, I'm sure Jimmy will be more than happy to walk down the stairs by himself from now on :thumbs up .