i dragged my tired ass to the river after christmas and marked off my december and january trip in one fell swoop. i had been sick since mid-november with a sinus infection, and thought i was feeling much better, but….. getting to the cabin took much of my remaining energy and i slept almost the entire 4 days i was there. the snow was deep, about 10-12 inches and i parked at the gate. our neighbor followed me up to make sure i could even get that far and helped me shovel a parking spot. i think he could see i didn’t have any energy and insisted on getting me in the house safe before he left- carrying my bags as he did.
the first day i was proverbially socked-in, but day two really shone for me. i sat on the bench outside in the sun and tried to scrape some snow off the deck. i walked to one end of the river to retrieve a game camera, but didn’t have the strength to go to the other end to collect the second one- a trip i would make a dozen times a day if i felt well. the river’s edge was layered in ice and i didn’t dare let bertie go swim. i knew i would have no chance of rescue if she got caught in it. a chance i wasn’t willing to take.
i read and heated soup and had slushy cocktails just because. i let the fire go out under big blankets and then built it back up again when it was time to move again. i ventured to the porch to check on the trees and the mountains. i melted snow to wash dishes. my back hurt from sleeping so much. i felt like i should be doing something, but just knew i couldn’t. this was my maximum effort.
i shook my new year’s champagne so i could ceremoniously spray it into the frozen starlit night air. after a good soaking, i drank the remaining 3′ at approximately 9:45 and crawled back into bed for a good night’s sleep. happy new year i thought. yes indeed.
bluebird skies 