On Tuesday, we got a satisfying snowfall . . . it was another 3 inches on top of what we already had. Snow on snow for the first time this year (and in many years, it seems). On Tuesday at sundown, when it was falling and blowing fast and furious and the whole world looked like someone had overturned a bag of sugar on it, Wally and I walked up to the wetland again. Wally loves snow as much as I do, and that's saying a lot.

Today Louise reminded me of a time - which I don't remember - when I was playing out in the snow with my niece and nephew and some of their friends, and I overheard one of the friends ask, "Who's that big kid?" Yeah, that's pretty much how it goes with me and snow. And it always has, too. We found some wonderful home movies a while back (which we can finally watch, since EB scored an 8mm projector on eBay). There were a few minutes of my father and me ice skating (on a pond in Birmingham, I think), and another few minutes of a blizzard in 1965 - many, many scenes of people pushing cars out, snowdrifts, and what have you . . . and me, bouncing around on the snowbanks. Or the picture in the family album where my dad is shoveling snow and I, probably two years old at most, am outside with him. (So's my brother. He understands, too.)

Anyhow, no skiing yesterday because after class, I went to The Deuce and had dinner with my daughter and Diane; much fun all around. (Em is doing very well these days; she seems very happy and although she's not exactly doing what I think she should be doing, she isn't doing anything bad for her, or untoward, or that will come back and bite her, either. So I feel pretty good about her.)

Today, though, I went skiing, and I think I've found my spot: Woldumar Nature Center. It's actually got some rolling terrain, trees, and the river; I was surprised at how scenic it was. It's only about nine miles (16 minutes, according to Yahoo maps) from home, and campus is on the way, which makes it do-able even if I don't have a whole lot of time. I'm very happy to have made this discovery . . . We're supposed to get more snow tonight, and if we do, I'm going to go directly from campus again tomorrow.

I'm plotting a way to get my skis on top of the Miata so I can go out when the snow is actually coming down (and when EB has taken the Boo [that's what we call the Subaru] to work). I think I've figured it out . . . this involves the blocks we got for securing the canoe, and old bicycle inner tubes . . . stay tuned.

I've also about decided to sell my spinning wheel and using the proceeds to get a kayak. I haven't spun a thread since I brought the wheel home, really, and although I can imagine that someday I might - I can really imagine that I'd use a kayak. Yep, I can probably give you dates on that one . . . May 19 or so.

My big questions are:

1. What kind of kayak do I want? Sit-in? Sit on top? It's important to me that the boat be stable and that I can also remain dry while I use it. EB suggested a wet suit . . . but I have neoprene chest waders that might offer enough protection if I got the sitting-on kind. And of course, I want to be able to fish from it. Cabela's sells a nice kayak tricked out with three places to hold a rod, as well as a cup holder . . .
   
   
2. How will I get it to the water? That one's easy; they sell all kinds of little devices (consisting mostly of two wheels and some little doo-hickey over the axle, where you put the stern), and I think it would be pretty easy to make one. Of course, the real issue is that I want to pull it behind my bike . . .
   
   
3. How will I get it on and off the car? Again, this one should be pretty easy. I managed to get a canoe on and off the roof, so a kayak shouldn't pose much of a challenge. But I'm not getting any younger, so I'd like to come up with a system that doesn't require a lot of strength. I'm thinking about pulleys . . .
   

As I was walking the dog on Tuesday and thinking about the kayak logistics, I had this vision of myself as an eighty-year-old, trying to figure out how to outfit my walker with crampons so I'd feel safe walking on ice and rough terrain . . . I have to say, the idea pleased me!