I liked Sajer's description of Russia being "a perpetual shivering fit".
I was walking out my office building door this afternoon and I was carrying my purse and the book. My foot wasn't properly centered on the step and it twisted sending me, the purse, and the book flying in different directions all heading toward the pavement. I caught myself with my right hand and flopped over on my shoulder and rolled onto my back. While I was laying on the pavement with the wind knocked out of me listening to the birds chirp and thinking, "What a F-ing peach!" 
I started to get the giggles really bad. No one saw me so I had to get myself up which was difficult, gather my belongings along with my wounded pride and continue my journey as if the interruption never happened.
I had to fill out an incident report. I've made it all winter walking across the snow and ice just to fall when it is sunny and 70°. Go figure. 
Fortunately the book isn't damaged.
Brooke