It is years since I've had an icy windshield, but there it was this morning. Too much to wiper off, so it was largely a matter of waiting till the defroster heated up. Meanwhile, I tried to chip at it with a wooden paint stirrer which happened to be in the car. I don't have a regular tool for this, or at least I can't remember seeing one in years.

So anyway, I got the windows cleared enough to feel moderately safe venturing down the road. By the time I was at the end of it (about a mile) I had clear vision in all directions.

BUT - - -

Apparently my de-icing had been sufficiently vigorous to toss a chip into the pocket of my jacket. Where I had stashed my cell phone so that if it rang I'd be able to get to it.

When I got to work and transferred the phone to my pants pocket I noticed that it looked really funny--and was wet. My jacket pocket was also wet. The charge level bars were flashing. And, at that point, nothing worked. I tried calling YD, but the numbers in the first column didn't register. I kept trying the phone off and on for most of the morning, and gradually more of its functions returned. Eventually, about 2 PM, it rang. YD was wondering what was going on. She had had 5 calls from me listed on her phone, but she couldn't get through at first.

By the time I left for home I'd received another incoming call, and the only thing that seemed to be out of order was the charge level indicator, which still had all four bars showing--off and on and off and on . . . I plugged the phone into the car charger and now it seems (fingers are crossed so excuse any typos) back to normal. If it dies tonight I'll stop at Verizon first thing tomorrow.

As to how I could have water in the pocket of my jacket--it must have an ice chunk. No other explanation.