This last week of the month of Janus passed with relative ease as well as speed. Miles and I attended Book Babies once again where he was fascinated with 'indoor snow'. Ms. Marcia, the librarian, read books about snow and brought a small cooler inside for the kids to touch and experience. After the program, Miles and I spent a good 20 minutes (everyone else had already left), touching the snow, putting it into another container and learning the rule "No snowball throwing indoors!" Later, he and I took a little stroll through the local Fred Meyer store snagging some odds 'n' ends on sale. He was such a well-behaved little guy he was rewarded with a heart-shaped mylar balloon filled with helium. For the rest of the week we worked on saying and identifying the color purple!
Two afternoons Glenn and I felt like kids again, under the guise of just being good grandparents. The weather here lingered in the mid-30's and sunny skies prevailed in the afternoons. So, we took Miles out sledding again . . . but this week with a new hook. Instead of sliding down the hill and through the weeds, we polished up our driveway! And, Glenn broke out my old runner-type sled. (Note: The ironies of using my old sled didn't escape me. First off, I don't ever remember actually sledding on that thing during my childhood. Second, anyone who knows Reese, Michigan also knows there's not a hill in a ten-mile radius! That I'd even be given a sled as a kid and keep it all these years, well, it is ironic!)
At any rate, we discovered that we could start the sled about 65% of the way up our driveway (bearing in my that when I use the trip.tik on my Explorer, it rolls 1/10 of a mile between the garage and the road!). Glenn sat on my old sled with Miles on his lap; I gave 'em a little push and off they went. . . down the drive, around the curve, into the road* and the next-door neighbors' driveway -- Miles laughing and singing all the way down! (*The 'road' is really a private drive.) I followed solo on the saucer. Again and again the three of us sailed down the drive -- Thursday we played in the snow for two straight hours!
Friday morning broke with a bit of fog that burned off mid-morning, so Glenn and I drove up to Pebble Creek Ski area for a couple of hours. Since this was truly my first-time out for the season, I skied the aspen lift for two hours while Glenn explored the rest of the hill. Just as I was thinking of heading up the Sunshine Lift for something a wee bit more challenging, Glenn declared himself 'done' so we left for home.
Yesterday was ice fishing day. The outdoor calendar suggested Saturday would be the best day in the month of January for fishing so we penciled that into our agenda. Between 10:45 when we arrived at Devil Creek and 2:15 when we left, we limited out on trout yet again. . . 6 each. Perfect day for ice fishing! Sunny, blue skies, warm temps and no wind! We always pack a picnic, too . . . days like that make me feel sorry for folks who say "I don't like winter!"
Today, Sunday, we had planned to ski Pommerelle Ski Area near Albion, Idaho. Pom is my favorite ski area -- it's off the beaten path so it's usually not crowded, they invest a good bit of time into grooming their runs, the scenery is spectacular and the runs varied enough that I can ski with confidence or challenge, depending on my mood. Unfortunately, the weather isn't cooperating today. The forecast for Albion today included at high of 40 degrees PLUS rain! As I type this entry now, it's snowing on our hill.
It looks like it will develop into an 'indoor' day today but it's o.k.; I always have tons of little and large projects on which I can spend my time. Tomorrow, Miles returns to us for a four-day week as Meg is overseeing a meeting at work and has to go in. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and we can spend time outdoors once again.
In the meantime, I think I'll start writing out Valentine card envelopes. . .and turn the page on my calendar.
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