Winter Driving

Yesterday I had to drive out to Barrie, a town about 45 minutes into the next snowbelt. I decided to make a day out of it, since it seemed silly to go all the way out there and just do one thing. Barrie is where all the stuff is. So, I went to the self employment meeting thing, found out I am expected to have assests of at least $5,000 and change to qualify. LOL Yes, sure... my car is 13 years old, my computer is 6 years old... sure I can come up with that kind of money. Why do people choose to go into self employment? To make money, to create their own job when there are few in the area, etc. Urrggghhh!! Why are things so backwards with the government. It's like they hold out a hand to help you and then snatch it all back when it turns out you actually do Need the help rather than just think of it as a handy bonus.

Anyway, it was a frustrating meeting and maybe not all that useful. But, I decided to treat myself to a movie, even though I should have kept the money in case I need it for gas. Oh well. I wasn't making plans to do a lot of road trips any time soon. I bought my ticket, found out I had 4 hours before the movie started. So I went Goodwill shopping. Bought pretty much everything I will give out for Christmas and I only spent $8, including a book for myself. Pretty good budgeting!

I found a perfect, beautiful glass vase with a tiny tint of pink. I will give that to my sister, though I am tempted to keep it. I washed all my GoodWill things in the kitchen sink and they came out sparkling, like new. Two heavy glass candle holders for a $1, the pinkish vase for 25 cents, an egg holder for 25 cents, some books for 75 cents each and I forget what else now. Everyone else is getting Christmas cookies, I just have to bake the rest of the dough which is all rolled up and ready in the freezer. I know what I forgot, the most expensive thing was for my Mom, a Shania Twain CD for her kareoke machine, 2$ and the thing is still in the shrink wrap, never used. Sometimes Goodwill is just TOO good!

So, I still had time to wait for the movie, I drove around and picked up a coffee somewhere nice, Williams Coffee Pub. Then I decided to just go into the show early rather than end up spending any more cash somewhere else. The movie was good, I saw "Yours, Mine and Ours".

I started out for home right after the movie. It was after 8:00 by then. The road were slippery with new snow. I had a small skid while turning a corner in Barrie. But, no problem. I drove home carefully, I made a pit stop for another hot coffee at Tim Hortons in Cookstown. But, things were going ok. I was driving slow and no one was really tail gaiting me to push me to go faster.

I was almost home when I wiped out. I wasn't even turning a corner, I wasn't slowing for a light, nothing. Just suddenly the car began swerving around and I was in full donut mode. Luckily the roads weren't busy, there were no cars coming in either direction. One guy came along and stopped a bit behind me but continued on once I re-started the car. I did pretty good, didn't freak out and didn't hit anything. Just a handy dandy spin into the other side of the road, into oncoming traffic (if there had been any coming).

Anyway, today I wanted to look up winter driving and see what you are supposed to do if your car decides to take off in a new direction. I handled it by easing on the brake and trying to keep the wheel straight, but not using a lot of force. I think I did ok. I'd just like to see other opinions, what the 'professionals' say.

It doesn't really matter. There isn't time to think when it happens, whatever your first instinct is, that's what you do. You can remember what someone told you after but at the time you just react. Actually, I think all that Carmageddon helped.