Jumpy

My nerves are a bit jumpy. It's still as cold as Dante's inner circle of hell. Work was more intense than usual, with lots of tasks and no time to drag my tiring eyes from the screen for a soothing cup of tea. We were "snow kissed" again today. Hey DJ, I've heard this tune a million time already! Given a choice I would rather suffer multiple peeling sunburns than trudge home in more snow, pretty as drifting snowflakes can be.

And I'm frozen in the pre-holiday vortex. You know what I mean - the days leading up to a trip always refuse to pass by quickly, with dignity. Those days drag pitifully, and then out of nowhere pull a 180 and get all playful. So that late at night before your 6:00 am flight you discover you have no clean undies or valid passport. On Friday we'll be leaving for a weekend jaunt across the border. Although the weekdays are shuffling by, Friday doesn't feel any closer - and I want a bite.

// The bliss of way too much icing - in Miami // 

After dinner I shuffled down to the canal (my polyester snowpants make a shuffle-y sound). There weren't many people on the ice, just some boys with hockey pucks and what looked like a grandfather/grandchild bonding experience. Really cute. 

Snow had fallen today for hours, and the canal was white with fluff. I laced up my skates and set out. I couldn't see ice, even in spots where skaters' blades before me had spread the snow thinly. Wary of cracks hidden beneath, my first few glides were short, hesitant. I kept going. The ice felt smooth and strong. After a while I forgot to worry about my vulnerability and retreated into my mind to enjoy the bliss of being alone.