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January 16, 2007
snow day! 
There's been so much hysteria around here about the SNOW and the ICE and the COLD, with the snow part never happening, that I've quit even paying attention to the weatherman. We've just been keeping the outdoor cat inside, and we've decided that she will remain inside, clothes be damned*.
So this morning we are puttering around, getting ready for work, when sweetie opens the front door and sees snow... all over the ground! And falling from the sky!
After I established that I wouldn't be going to work today, I decided to go for a bike ride.
I thought of all my years in Kentucky and Michigan, where there was lots of snow -- and I never rode in it. I don't have a single memory of it. I loved ice skating and I'd do that whenever I could, but bicycling was for good weather, and good weather only.
So I did the only reasonable thing: I suited up and went for a ride. I decided to ride down to Grand Central, which is about a mile away, nice and flat.
I come off the driveway, and one of the guys who lives in my neighbor's backyard (don't ask, I don't know) waved, smiled, and started to say something in Spanish. The back wheel would slip, and I was getting nowhere fast, but it was fun.
By the time I got to the first main street, there was an SUV breathing down my tire tracks, so I moved over so they could go. When they got beside me, both the driver and passenger gave me a big friendly smile, which I think meant crazy white girl.
A man was walking along with a cup of coffee. He was gorgeous in this wizened, wrinkled sort of way, the sort of face that has seen a lot of living and is still around to tell you about it. He told me he was off to his ex's house, cuz he had some excellent cocoa. Good idea!
The snow dampens the noise. And truth be told, nobody's really out at all. I ride in the car tire tracks and in the virgin snow -- it doesn't really matter.
All the pedestrians -- whether they were just out for a walk or were heading into work -- just seemed happy, and would respond when I said hello.
Good morning, I said to one nicely dressed man. Yes it is!, he replied.
So I went to the bakery, and I sat there and drank coffee and read the paper and just felt really and truly lucky for the first time in a while. And then I rode back home.
*The outside cat is Daphne, who went into internal exile after demolishing a great deal of my clothing and linens. One day I was getting dressed for work, and I couldn't find anything she hadn't chewed a sizeable hole in, and that was the morning she came to live on the back porch. But she is the world's sweetest cat, and now getting on in years, and I am a softie. Clothing, what is that?! I can still use towels when they have holes in them!
Posted at January 16, 2007
Comments
I thought to myself. Wouldn't it be nice to have a snow day. And voila! snow! It beats the faux-snow day we had last thursday!
Posted by: vespabelle at January 16, 2007 3:40 PM
I think you meant either external or eternal exile.
I really don't like all the cold and whatnot.
Posted by: Ben at January 17, 2007 8:49 AM
I'm jealous. Still waiting for our first decent snowfall here in Urbana, Il. Knee surgery the 29th, but I have my new lime-green Townie waiting as soon as I can move again! I think riding in the snow sounds joyous....
Posted by: Suzanne at January 17, 2007 10:17 AM
That sounds like so much fun. We had snow yesterday morning and my friend saw people cycling on our town's major bike path, including one amazing cyclist with only one leg. We see him around every once in a while on his bike. I was impressed to hear he was out in the snow.
Posted by: fran at January 17, 2007 11:13 AM
The snow was fun, but I have to admit, I'm glad to be back at work.
Ben, it's a bad, soviet joke. The soviets tended to not deport dissidents, but to send them into internal exile.
Suzanne, good luck with the surgery!
Posted by: vj at January 18, 2007 12:01 PM
Hey VJ -- love your story about riding in the snow -- sounds peaceful. (Btw, the santa hat on flickr made me smile like crazy, hee!)
Posted by: Chrissie at January 19, 2007 10:44 AM
I've decided instead of retrofitting, to just get with a new bike. I'm looking at steel-framed Bianche's, with a special saddle, and the Metro helmet with accessories. Whaddaya think?
Posted by: Misty at January 20, 2007 6:41 PM
Hey, Chrissie!! So happy to hear from you! I miss you and was wondering how you were doing...
Misty - Like a Bianchi Milano?
That'd be a great commuter- all you'd need is a front or back rack, and you'd be set. Oh, that's a great commuter, and so sweet, both riding and the looks. Yes! Misty, you would totally love this, and with 8 gears, you could handle hills quite pleasantly.
Posted by: vj at January 20, 2007 7:53 PM