In Tacoma snow usually doesn't last long. This day it had snowed for a couple of days and was warming up this day. There had been about 12-18 inches which was quickly turning to slush. We delivered the papers in the afternoon during the week then. There was no way to ride a bike and driving was treacherous so we slogged through the snow on foot.
A route that would normally take me maybe a hour was closer to 2 hours that day. There was no "getting used to it." It got colder and colder as I got wetter and wetter. It didn't make it better that I had a couple of brothers out doing the same thing on their parts of our route.
When the water finally wicked all of the way up my pant legs I still had a good third of the route to go and despair was upon me. Again, I don't remember exactly how old I was but I do remember crying most of the rest of the way home. Not that crying is a warming thing, but shaking and teeth rattling doesn't seem complete without crying.
Luckily for them none of my customers complained about their papers being a little late or a little wet. I'm sure I would have had a psychotic break and killed them if they had.
I got home that day and filled the tub with hot water and soaked, but I don't think I have ever really felt completely warm since. Because of that I have always avoided the cold for more than a little sledding.
Enter Pam and her buddies going snowshoeing and inviting me along. My excuse was always that day from my childhood.
Sunday it occurred to me as we snowshoed around Reflection Lake at Mount Rainier that my little cold paperboy had made his peace with the snow. I'm not sure he will ever get fully warm, but him and snow are OK now.
More soon....
And what a beautiful first snowshoe of the season it was! So happy you have been able to move forward and put that cold, miserable day behind you!
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