We Interrupt our Regular Programming to Bring You the Following...

I started another deep and serious post yesterday when the cold wind was blowing the heck out of the freezer-burnt landscape outside and the happy post-Christmas thoughts from my brain, but was unable to complete it due to two meetings I had to attend and a large pot of chicken soup that needed making.  At ten p.m. last night, the forecasted snowfall began and did not let up until eight a.m. this morning when forty centimeters of snow blanketed everything in sight, including any thoughts I had for my intended post.  By six-thirty a.m., when my boys must be up to get to their band class on time, I had heard on the radio that the schools would be closed for the day.  Good news - I would now have plenty of help with shovelling the driveway before the rain turned the snow into west coast cement. 

Once the driveway was clear my girls surprised me by asking if they could get out some of our cross-country skis.  The plows had yet to clear the streets around our house and passing trucks had made ski-able tracks, so I said yes it might be safe to do so, and located some suitable skis and poles while they sorted through the boots to find some that fit.  It has been a few years since we have visited any formal ski trails, and unfortunately the boys outgrew their equipment long ago.  Emma gave Katie a few pointers and before long they were making their way up and down the street:

After they tired of skiing, Emma gave me the equipment and after a few runs up and down the block in front of our house:

                       


Off I went for a half-hour ski around the neighbourhood:

As I settled into a balanced position over the center of my skis and fell into my accustomed stride, I realized what a good warmup it had been to shovel the driveway. I skiid to the end of the road and crossed the untracked snow of the park.  I made my way down a block full of people clearing their driveways while their children made snow angels and snow forts, never worrying they might run out of building material.  Most of my neighbours greeted me as I floated past, although some looked at me like I might have something missing in my upper storey.  When I rounded the last corner before our block I began to feel tired and a bit shakey.  It had been a morning full of exercise and so was time to put the skis away and go inside for a hearty lunch.  After I had hung up my wet clothes - the rain had soaked my thin jacket thoroughly - I sat down on the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate.  I could not stop smiling.  It was so wonderful to feel again that unique kind of fatigue born of the graceful, rhythmic, repetitive swing of arms and legs that is cross-country skiing. All the snow scented fresh air, which I have heard described as 'distilled crystal cleanliness' filling my lungs hadn't done me any harm either.

And if it stops raining we're going to go out again!

Yes!



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