Lake Padden

It was a beautiful fall. The summer went late. I was swimming in the sound and in the lake through September. Now, it's raining, although yesterday a sunny day. I walked to Marine Park, followed the railroad tracks to the dog park, then back along the inner-urban trail to Fairhaven.

I'm a sorry wanderer, I guess. If it's very rainy and windy, I won't go outside. I remember having to shove the cats out and then once out, Ozzie hanging close to the glass door, looking in at me with pathetic eyes. Well, it's the same for me. I did buy a new hat, and I do own a raincoat--not rain gear, just a coat that looks fashionable and repels rain. It's a must around here.

I've decided on a trip to Spokane for Christmas, spend some time in the snow. Perhaps buying snowshoes would be a good thing. I have skis from the 70s. They're pretty funky now, but still keep me on top of powder snow. Snowshoeing last winter was a first for me. It was strenuous an the next day, I was beat. Now, I'm in better shape, so maybe, some long treks are in order.

David is in Antarctica. The weather there has been extreme. Blowing sideways snow and very cold. He has to bundle completely, face covered, doubled up mitts. And still, it's cold out on the ice, standing there as a guard to the penguins for 2 or 3 hours. Yikes. Me baby!

I admire his adventurous nature and would like to have a little more of my own. I've decided, I'm just plain scared, a lot of the time. I mean, even to go to Post Point along the tracks. Why a train could come. I'm one of those folks who does the worst case scenario thing. Always something could happen. But--you don have to be prepared, right? I mean, driving across the pass and the snow and ice, etc. You could go off the road. There could be an avalanche. These are real things and they do happen. I had a friend lose both parents in an avalanche. They were asleep in a winter cabin, snow came down the hill behind them. With that in mind, I have agreed to go sleep in a snow cave on Mt. Baker. Stupid? Maybe, but David has done it many times and says he will protect me. Which means, I guess, that he wouldn't dig the cave in an avalanche area. What about cold? What about getting up in the night to go to the bathroom? What about...?

Anyway, it's adventurous even to go shopping--especially on Black Friday. You're not getting me out there.

My next plan for travel is to go to Hawaii. There are some birds there that can't be seen anywhere else in the world. This seems like the type of adventure I get sink my teeth into. So off to somewhere warm, probably not immediately, so will have to do winter for awhile. I'll let you know how it goes.

Peace,

Traveling Nan