Cold Water
Every winter I look out at the frozen pond and wonder if this is the year someone slips through the ice...a someone being one of the Labradors. I wonder how I will get him out (we have two; both boys), if I will fall in as I try, if he will fall in one night when we let him out...all that stuff. Today we wandered out and I watched as each one of them went to run on the pond and stepped through where it had melted to paper thin by the beach. Kinda relieved, I thought it was a learning experience for them. They drank, we (Huzbin me, Z and Labs) continued our stroll. Past the oaks, around the corner. Backside of the pond, Loki slips through the ice about 10 or so feet from the shore...beyond where the slope is, to where the water is about 5 feet deep in that part (grateful that it's not the part that's 15 ft, but still...I'm 5'7").
We wait to see if he can get a grip. We call; he looks encouraged. He gives each of us that look of "Mommy I'm scared!"
I was the one to go out on the ice because I'm the lightest. Slide slowly on my belly, surprised at how well the ice is holding me, grab his collar and start to pull. IT's when my coat started to fill with water that I realized exactly what was happening...the chunk of ice we were on wasn't so much split as just folding and sinking under combined weight of Loki and me. Ok, so that was when I started to panic. I went from "Help the dog work it out on his own..." to "GET OUT!!!" and dragged him by the collar. Kinda pitched him back and away from the caving-in and then scrabbled as the ice sank. Kinda weird movie stuff really.
I didn't fall through, but I was soaked head to toe. Got a big hug from Huzbin--I think he was surprised; he told me he was impressed (warm fuzzy).
I gave up on the rest of the walk, went inside threw my clothes in the washer and got in a hot shower.
Now, at least I know I can do it.
We wait to see if he can get a grip. We call; he looks encouraged. He gives each of us that look of "Mommy I'm scared!"
I was the one to go out on the ice because I'm the lightest. Slide slowly on my belly, surprised at how well the ice is holding me, grab his collar and start to pull. IT's when my coat started to fill with water that I realized exactly what was happening...the chunk of ice we were on wasn't so much split as just folding and sinking under combined weight of Loki and me. Ok, so that was when I started to panic. I went from "Help the dog work it out on his own..." to "GET OUT!!!" and dragged him by the collar. Kinda pitched him back and away from the caving-in and then scrabbled as the ice sank. Kinda weird movie stuff really.
I didn't fall through, but I was soaked head to toe. Got a big hug from Huzbin--I think he was surprised; he told me he was impressed (warm fuzzy).
I gave up on the rest of the walk, went inside threw my clothes in the washer and got in a hot shower.
Now, at least I know I can do it.