Tonight's Walk

 

It's slowly (very slowly) getting brighter out on our evening walks. Sam and I no longer have to carry our flashlights - unless we're out past the ungodly hour of 6:30 PM or so. 

Still, spring feels a long way off.

Winter Carnival Bonus Photos

 I have no idea how I ended up taking these...

The View From Our Window

I mentioned in the previous post that, rather than walk over to watch the fireworks, Sam and I headed home.This is technically true, though we did end up watching them. It's just that instead of walking over to the field, we watched them from our living room window...

 

 

The Winter Carnival

For the last however many non-COVID years*, the town has held what they refer to as a "Winter Carnival". This is not the kind of carnival that involves animals- circus or otherwise. There are no amusement rides (unless you count sledding). There are no jugglers or acrobats or clowns or anything even close to those type of things.

It is, thankfully, a much lower-key event. 

Here is a description of events, taken from their website, for their next carnival, currently scheduled for next February 2nd thru the 4th (mark your calendars):

Ice Sculpture Contests, Fireworks, Parade of Lights, Glow Party, Family Activities, Donuts with Olaf, Mad Science Show, Jigsaw Puzzle Contest, Cribbage Tournament, Cardboard Sled Race, K9 Keg Pull, Chili Cook Off, Vintage Snowmobiles, Sledding, Ice Skating, and so much more!

(*The website claims that this will be the 102nd  year for this thing but I'm skeptical. Other than a few foggy, possible hints of a memory (much like everything else in my head), I don't ever remember this being a thing when my three older kids were little. Then again, this is just the kind of thing I might have avoided way back then. Which, I might add, I might even avoid it now except somehow Sam always seems to know about it.)

Anyway, the only things Sam and I are remotely interested it (me being more remote than Sam) are watching the Parade of Lights and walking around looking at the ice sculptures. This is actually more fun than I give it credit for but only because I'm spending the time with Sam. (Sam, on the other hand, is having to spend that time with me.)

The best thing about the parade is that, unlike the Fair Parade, it is mercifully short. And the best thing about the ice sculptures is that they're scattered around town and you walk around looking at them at your leisure, rather than being roped into some kind of tour group with a bunch of people.

Sam had no interest in going to watch the fireworks (and I had no interest in twisting his arm) so after taking in all the excitement, we walked straight home, thus ending our involvement in another year's festivities.

Here are some photos...

Today's Photo

This photo was taken a few months back at the far side or the canal while (need I say it) Sam and I were on one of our walks. Since I have nothing to say at the moment (or the many previous moments), feel free to stare at it for as long as you like (or, if you'd rather, as long as you don't like. Your choice)...

A Low Fog

The rapidly rising temperatures have melted most of the snow from last weekend. And with the warmer air, a low fog has now settled over the river. This photo was taken at the far end of a park where Sam and I were walking earlier today.

The Drive Home

Since the pandemic, I work out of home and rarely have to drive into the office. The other day, I had to drive about half way in there and while I don't miss the nearly one hour commute each way, I do kind of miss the scenery...

 Of course, pretty as they are, I also don't miss sliding off the ice-glazed roads.

Snowy Night

 Sam and I walked through town at the end of yesterday's snow storm. Here are a few random photos...

View From My Front Door

 

Today's Snow Storm.

This Year's Total

(Or rather, last year's total.)

Back here, I posted the total of how much walking Sam and I did together - both distance and time - over the course of 2022. (This, of course, didn't include the times I forgot to turn on my walking app.)

This year, we managed to do a bit better...

A couple of things about this. 

First of all, for some reason we slacked off a bit in December. Not sure why this was, given that it was all of a month ago, but I assume it wasn't the cold. I'm pretty sure January was cold too but we somehow managed to walk substantially more.

But the main thing I think about is, with a few exceptions, this represents time that Sam and I spend one-on-one together And that's only with walking. 

This doesn't take into account the times we run errands together or do cooking projects together or fold laundry together or go to his support groups together or any of the other one-on-one activities I happen to be blanking on at the moment. This is just our time walking together.

Six hundred and fifty-five hours for the year works out to a little over twelve and a half hours a week - or - one and three quarters hours per day. 

That's a lot of time - all of which I thoroughly enjoy. But I also worry (naturally). 

I hope I'll be around for a good long time but I worry the hole it will leave in Sam's life when I'm no longer around (not that I'm any great shakes - but still). 

I work a lot on trying to get support in various places in Sam's life - his (Godsend of a) job, social groups, support agencies, etc., but that's a lot of time to fill.

For now though, we'll do our best and keep working on it all. And while we still can, we'll keep on walking.

New Year Video...

...from years ago.

I tend to cycle through music... repeating over and over my limited interests. Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler, George Harrison, Gordon Lightfoot and on and on and over and over.

This song by Dire Straits came out in 1985 and I listened to it often way back then. And I listened to it often again a few years later when I would drive around and explore and run errands with the kids. 

When I listen now, my happy memories are tempered with a wistful sadness of days gone by... perfect for the start of yet another year...