more rain...

i must admit, this weather pattern of some snow, changing to what some weather people are calling a "wintery mix" (kathryn shulz in the new yorker has a great take on this expression--an "airborne depravity", a "meteorlogical pox", exactly my sentiments!), and then going completely over to rain is starting to test my zen approach to the lack of snow.

ok, yesterday i got pam to go out after work and skate around canaan street and the ice was really good, considering. i flew around the bays and across the middle one last time to meet back with pam who opted to stop as it got darker and darker. it was a good workout i felt in my knees until bedtime.

and saturday i went out with billy buffum--a long time friend from pinkham notch, amc days--testing a backcountry set up on the soft, wet three inches atop the thin icy base layer. we made a big loop, scaling up easily and sliding down at mixed speeds. it was right at billy's comfort level which made him happy.



the friday before, i took billy, his wife tracey, and daughter iona up for a winter tour of cardigan. we mixed up the trails to keep off as much ice as possible. that got ridiculous fast and in the end, we all put the crampons on, took them off for the rock on top, put them back on at treeline, and took them off again toward the bottom. i even ferried the dog over a couple of major flows! thank goodness it was sunny and in the 20's for most of the hike. i remember iona being up there a couple of times over her 14 years, once flying the 3meter kite, but this was definitely a first with spikes on feet experience for her. tracey even claimed that at one point on the waterfall section she was as scared as she had ever been.

granted then, i have been outside and playing--but this warm is literally 'wearing'. schools were closed all over new hampshire today, including mascoma. i went out to scrape pam's car windows and was coated with freezing rain in a matter of minutes. but, like i told sawyer the other day, i am holding out--as opposed to holding in the breath--for two big dumps sometime before we give over to spring. after all it is still only february.

still, for this morning at least i am staying in, listening to music* or reading a book, drinking tea, eating chocolate...avoiding the "pulchritude" outside (read that shulz article). *london grammer's sights is playing in the background as i type--they are getting a lot of air time these days..."whatever the weather"!