the ice on the trails would work great for downhill ice skating!
not quite the light and airy powder I need for learning to XC Ski

Dean and I always take the dogs through the woods to Rosemount
it is a short hike that meanders through a small section of Rock Creek Park
he walked a section
holding my hand
and slipping and falling with each steps
limber enough not to pull a muscle as he did the plits
never hitting the ground as I had his right hand with my left
while my right firmly grasped my hot cup of morning coffee

after enough slipping and falling
and very slow progress
I carried Dean on my shoulders
without getting very far he wanted down
he did not necessarily want to walk
I think he just did not want to come slamming down from 7 feet in the air!
the short descent down the path was all ice

then Kona, a plump 2 year old Burnese Mountain Dog, took his stick
and Ajax, an overly energetic Golden Retriever, kept jumping on him with his wet paws
the Ajax wet paws to the chest and nose to the face meant nothing to him
but Dean cried that Kona had run off with his stick
that stick was selected for his morning session of "Fighter Power*"

ah
mornings
*Fighter Power: an imaginary game created by Lisa and Dean. This game involves a stick for each participant. Dean's stick always being larger than his opponents. The objective? Unknown. There appears to be some Wizardry and perhaps some Martial Arts. Occassionally Dean will be hit with an imaginary blow that causes him to fall to the ground and play dead. Swooshing and Shooshing noises are to be used throught play. Play at your own Risk!