Here comes the sun...

So the Sun has returned to the scene. It's been a while so you kinda look at it as if you don't know what it is. It's been freezing lately but today is a scorcher at -8 with limited windchill. We've really turned soft when it comes to Winter. Here I go with a "when I was a kid rant..."

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When I was a kid in the Winter we would go outside (unsupervised/ no playdate) to play for Saturday and Sunday all day. You'd leave in the morning with real wool mittens that would get wet and cold, ski pants that would freeze, a hat and away you go. I had a ski-doo suit that seemed to fit me forever. Be home at dark. Usually you'd get lunch at someone's house, it always rotated and as kids we'd know who had the good treats. We'd toboggan on steel sleds or crazy carpets hurtling down hills, over banks, near brooks, near cows at guaranteed risk for injury. We'd have real snowball fights, crack heads the whole deal. Faces would get numb, I don't think frostbite occured in the 70s and 80s.

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Don't get me started about snowmobiles and the insanity they brought. Cripes. It's a wonder I'm around and even then I had to be the voice of reason. "NO Kevin, you can't jump over two kids with a Skaboose attached. Take the skaboose off, okay now go ahead" or "I don't really think it's a good idea to kneeboard behind you at 45mph as kneeboards don't have brakes but I will go if Glen lives thru it." It only got worse I guess. Stuff I would shit my pants now if my kids did. We had the time of our lives. Now you want a helmet on to toboggan at a safe spot.

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It's wicked that my folks returned to the old neighborhood, it was an amazing place to grow up. Not flashy by any means but it was fantastic, I now find myself explaining to the kids about where I did what etc. I'd love to flashback for a snowy saturday roundabout 1982. There's talk of a neighborhood reunion this summer and I'd love it. So many faces and so many memories. Mostly good, we'll go and I'll likely get grounded for retro-punishment. Truth be known I'll likely deserve it but my crack defense team will rightfully argue that I already served my time on another trumped up charge.

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How did I get here? Oh yeah it's sunny and I was looking at the frozen pool where in five short months it'll likely be blue and we'll be swimming. Of course by that time three pool parts will have broken and hundreds of dollars in chemicals and water will be in place.

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Don't forget what we talked about yesterday...

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EVER FORWARD

Mood of the moment ~ Going for a walk

Tune of the Moment ~ Mr. Brightside ~ The Killers

What's for supper ~ Chicken Parm and Spinach Salad