My Inner Duck

The thing that scares me most about Estonia is the weather.

Specifically, the ice.

Snow is a pain, but so far, we haven't had so much of it for it to be unmanagable.

But the ice!

It doesn't help that folks here dutifully clear away all the snow (and traction) from the ice, but seldom put down salt. Then it warms up, melts, and refreezes into sheets several inches thick. You could seriously ice skate to work (hey, there's a thought!).

There was an article in the press the other day that said something like 1 of 3 people will fall on the ice, and the bumps, bruises, and broken bones end up costing the country a onsiderable amount in lost productivity, to say nothing of the medical bills.

I am in fear of being one of the casualties.

I took a nasty fall when I came here in March for my language immersion, but luckily, I landed on my most padded part. So the worst of the pain I suffered was emotional (because it is pretty embarrassing to end up on your back side...). But one of the folks here at the embassy this winter has already been less lucky. The result is a broken bone. I feel really badly for this person.

And I worry about being next. In more than four decades of life, I have never had a broken bone. I hesistate even as I type that, worrying I may jinx myself. I have had some really nasty strains, the result of which is that my ankles are not as sturdy as I would like. So I wear boots to work every day and am always on the lookout for boots for work that are warm, waterproof and offer ankle support while still looking work appropriate. Oh, and that will fit on my weirdly short calves. Not an easy find. I did find a pair the other day at Stockmann's, but they rubbed my heel when I wore them last night...maybe with thicker socks...

And in the meantime, I am just channelling my inner duck, waddling slowly across the ice.