We just got snow, so I headed out to shovel as usual. We have snowbanks already, which is generally helpful to me as they offer tactile boundaries/landmarks. Between that and the little vision I have, I'm normally fine. Not today.

I shoveled the end of the driveway, but wound up wandering into and along the street a bit, ending up in the driveway next door. I'd only find this out later, though. At the time, I just knew I wasn't where I should be.

Winter is great. It takes all my tactile landmarks, the snowbanks make sound bounce oddly, fresh snow makes everything white or light gray, even the roads if I'm out there soon enough (as I was today), and if there's sun, the glare makes sight all but useless, and clouds just make all the white and gray blend together more. I had a shovel to use as a cane, and that was all.

I was rescued when I called my house and had someone stick their head out to direct me, at which point I found I was next door. This only happened after I'd wandered around a bit, even heading across the street at one point, thinking I heard my dog barking inside and giving me a sound to follow. Turns out it was a different dog. Keep in mind that I only planned to be out there for five minutes, so I was wearing a coat, gloves, shorts, and tall winter boots over my pale legs. I looked ridiculous to start with, made worse by my random bumbling about the street, waving my shovel around. But hey, what are you going to do, right? It happens, and this won't be the last time. I'm not upset, just mildly annoyed at the situation. I generally don't mind winter, and I think of myself as quite good at orientation. But winter takes away every tool I have. Stupid snow.

That's all. I just wanted to rant a bit, because it's annoying to be an adult who gets lost twenty feet from his own house. I know plenty of people here know the feeling well, and can commiserate with me. Anyway, that's all. Thanks for reading, and safe shoveling to you all.