March 13, 2009

A Wasted Opportunity

It seems safe to say that I won't be able to do much more snowshoeing or cross country skiing this winter. Even if we have another storm March is so temperamental that any snow we accumulate will disappear within a few days of itself. I'm really bummed I didn't get out as much as I have in previous winters. This winter I was a hermit whether I liked it or not. In retrospect all the precipitation was less snow and more icy slush that would freeze over into treachery. Such a shame and a waste of a winter season.

When I was a kid in Upper Michigan I was outside in the winter just as much as I was outside in the summer. I didn't ski, I wasn't allowed to, but I sled all the time. We made snow men, ice forts, snow angels and snow balls. I tried ice skating but the lake we lived on was really difficult for novice skaters since it was unbuffered ice. (The rougher the ice the harder to stay upright and we didn't go into the town 30 minutes away for the ice rinks much at all.) I even loved shovelling snow. I still do. Seriously. I was outside in the winter all the time- we were outside for recess every day unless there was nasty precipitation and I was outside almost all weekend. Winter doesn't bother me- I look forward to it and relish it- even in Albany with the terrible (shameful really) snow removal.

The few times the snow seemed cooperative, less ice and more snow, I didn't have the funds available to me. Silly, trying to be more financially responsible and junk. This spring I'm going to peruse the sales racks and see if I can get a deal on a pair of snow shoes so those are available to me on a whim's notice and also get me some snow pants. The last time I wore snow pants I didn't know what sex was. I will remedy that situation. Next year I'm going to enjoy winter more as a participant and less as a spectator. I didn't enjoy this past winter as much as I could have. Not next year! No siree. Winter 2009/2010 will be my bitch!

1 comment:

merrik said...

Yes, let's get out next winter! You will love xc skiing. It's so relaxing and great exercise. However, in defense of Albany's snow removal, I must report that Albany is a well-oiled, snow-plowing machine compared to Troy!