Old Retired Guy Blog
January 9, 2008
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Whiling Away the WinterHappy 2008! Our first winter back in Wisconsin has been quite a white one so far. The December snowfall in Madison was the second highest on record: 33.4". We haven't seen the lawn since the day before Thanksgiving. A brief warm spell rolled in after the New Year to try to melt the snow but lost the battle as another cold front came through. Now a real arctic deepfreeze is on the way and we should be getting well below zero. I haven't been able to feel my toes for over a week! So, what do old retired folks do in such a winter? Well, I, for one, have been raking -- that's right, raking! I don't recall having to do this when we last lived here, but with the snow so deep on the roof tops there is a concern about ice dams. Like any responsible home owner I waited until long after the weather man warned us about this and then discovered that all of the roof rakes in Madison had been sold. Then we had to borrow one from my brother-in-law so that I could go around the house knocking icicles down and pulling as much snow as I could reach off of the edges of the roof. What fun!
Of course, winter is not just a time for cold, thankless work. It is also a time for cold, thankful fun. It's great to be only two blocks from Lake Mendota. We walk down there frequently and have enjoyed watching it transition from a bird-covered watery realm to a fishing-shack covered icy realm. Kathy has already dusted off her long-unused ice skates and skated on the lake. We also are fortunate to live only a short drive from Owen Conservation Park, where there are hiking and cross-country ski trails. You feel like you've left the city behind even though it's all around the park.
I'm looking forward to feeling my toes again in a few months but, in the meantime, I'm enjoying whiling away the winter weather. |
