bitter sweet

snow is magical


I pity the poor folks without a window to stare out at the snowflakes

I could stare at falling snowflakes all day long

and I have

as a kid I stared at snowflakes in the day watching and waiting for the flakes to stack up
then in the night I would stare out the window towards a street lamp where I could see the falling flakes

calculating the potential accumulation
while plotting the course of my next day

SNOWDAY?
SNOW DAY!


will there be enough snow for school to be canceled
will school just be a few hours late

should I wax my toboggan
should I dig out the shovel

(usually I did both)

shoveling walks was a pleasure of John Henry proportions

there were regular customers and there was plenty of work to do

it was a work out that gave me extreme pleasure
as well as a pile of cash
I recall sledding in that pre-snowboard age

there was the "skurfer" and some other semi-skateboard-esque apparatus

but Burton and Sims had not yet come forward with the metal edgeless snowboards
so we stood upright on our Flexible Flyers and even our toboggans


the local hills got smaller
as I got older
eventually we were old enough and we had the luxury of options options created by the freedom that the car could offer
a car and some secret knowledge would broaden the perspective of where the best place to sled would be
some claimed it was Congressional Country Club

others had a secret spot out near Potomac

in my mind there were only two choices; Battery Kimble Park and Howard Law at UDC


lucky for me my BLOG is not well read or I would protect this information like a map to a secret fishing spot

on some days we would go to both as well as back to the other
sometimes
one spot was crowded
maybe we wanted to try and get the fresh snow

one could be better packed

while the other may be revealing grass

it was not science
it was good clean fun that often offered a pit stop at Booey Mongers or Popeyes
those were the days that made high school great


man.... working on a snow day sucks


I wanted to be at home with Dean, Grant, Lisa, and the dogs.....


I managed to get something almost as good

worked the main office this morning but had to be at a remote site for the rest of the day into the evening

rather than catching a cab I crossed town on my bike

the bike choice that day was the Rocky Mountain Blizzard with knobby tires
a little air let out.... a little squishy in case I needed extra traction

sure enough... I needed extra traction

it was a blast

all the right gear to stay warm and dry
to get to ride around in the middle of the day in the middle of a snow storm is a pleasure I did not want to be denied

this is not Colorado... I must grab the pleasures of winter while they are here
as tame as they may be

it was an interesting day to be on the roads
the street closures for the Inaguration were starting to come into effect
red and blue lights flashed on top of police cars blocking off roads as utility trucks with yellow flashing lights worked to assemble viewing stands, fences, and bleachers
it was confusing...
Metro buses were parked as if broken down to create barricades

people from all over the country have come to support and protest

not sure which group appeared in greater numbers
(tonight I watched a fireworks display over Lafayette park from the snow covered roof top on a building at the base of Capitol Hill........ a beautiful perspective but it did not feel like a celebration)

I managed the cross town ride on the snow covered streets
dodging potholes, patches of ice, and frantic drivers excited to have a reason to speed around in the snow in their SUVS
it was chaos

it was anarchy

it was pleasure

and happily there was no pain...

not a slip or a crash

maybe a slip and some squirrelling about

but no slam


the rant is rambling
and I think I need some downtime note to self: if you drink.... don't blog!


remind me to
oh shit
I will just link to it
last two nights I had the timing and the opportunity to sit down for the full two part two night presentation of a PBS Jack Johnson documentary
what a great story
what a great documentary
those burns brothers and their story telling ability
UNFORGIVABLE BLACKNESS


got home late to be greeted by the foot prints of Dean and family's back yard

it made me happy to see the tracks of Dean and whomever all over the deck and clubhouse
then glanced at my watch and picked up the pace
shined my helmet mounted headlamp into the dining room scanning for Dean or Grant

stepped down one level of the deck down to the next

all the while scanning the upstairs bathroom window wondering if the boys were in the bath

then down into the basement
out of my snow covered winter cycling apparel
feet still warm and dry in those LAKE shoes
threw on some underwear and a t-shirt

up the stairs
through the kitchen smile as I spot pizza delivery boxes hungry as I was there was not time for snacks.....
dinner would come soon enough

then into Dean's room
there was Lisa with Dean and Grant discussing Dean's next step before sleep
I picked up Grant and gave Lisa a kiss
volunteered to read a book to Dean

Dean and I talked about the "SNOW DAY"
day
Dean gave me an update while Lisa shared in the explanation with specific facts and a tad more accuracy
then Grant was off to bed
I read several Maurice Sendak Little Bear Stories

it was just what I needed

not sure who enjoyed the book reading session more..... Dean or myself
now

I need to put my feet
up
no time to proof read
no time for spell check

hmmmmm..... reminds me of college

except there was more alcohol


I will try to dig up a copy of the Washington Post

well
more specifically the front page of the Washington Post that displayed me with a few friends crashing a landing with the four of us and a toboggan
what was the date....
February 1984?
let me think that one out
where would I have a copy.... would be worth scanning and posting or even better if I had the full front page in tact...
I could have it framed and hang it in my home office
that was a great memory documented for the world to see