Yesterday, I wrote about weather.  Today, I experienced it! I stepped outside, slipped on the ice at the top of two stairs, landed on my rear end, bounced my back on the stairs a few times and came to a painful halt.  After accessing my injuries and the situation, I decided to go back in the house, no easy task.  My wife was still asleep, it was cold and I was injured.  Laying in place was not an option although I might have called for help from any neighbors who probably would not have heard me anyway.  The closest neighbors were gone to work and others were too far away to hear from inside their homes nearby.  I didn't want to disturb my wife too much, like knocking on the door and having her find me in pain on my hand and knees.  So, I climbed, crawled, scrambled, but didn't stand up and walk up two more stairs to open the door.  I crawled inside, managed to close the door and roll onto the couch before I awakened here.  We discussed calling an ambulance, but she is a nurse, accessed my injuries as I managed to walk to bed with her assistance, and laid down.  Since I have had pain problems in my neck for the last two years (age related bone spurs, bulging disks, and such) I have the same pain medication I would get at the hospital on hand at home.  The pain was unrelated to bone, but was mainly in muscle and since I could walk (a dangerous thing to try with an injured back) we knew I probably had not broken any bones.  A trip to the hospital on ice covered roads would have required us to call the ambulance and almost certainly $1,000 in expenses despite the fact I have the same insurance options and costs members of the US Congress have since I am a retired federal (national) employee.  I can barely walk and move but I should be good as new in a few days.