ON GETTING BACK TO NATURE

It is freezing in the Northeast. In fact, one news-report described it as "skin-freezing." Last week's snow has been covered with ice, which has in turn been covered by more snow. It's like a Snoreo.

We spent last night on the retreat mentioned in yesterday's post. It was in a woodsy area, which had me picturing outhouses and honeypots. Fortunately, the lodge was basically a nice hotel with terrible doors and small beds. Keycards and all that stuff. Indoor plumbing. A huge fireplace that got extremely hot last night - I made a joke about getting the locomotive up to eighty-eight miles per hour which two people got. So it goes.

Driving back this morning on a snoreo-covered gravel road was a chore. We made it mmmmmooossst of the way up a large hill, spun the tires for a short while, then slid backwards. My boss kept the van on the road (whew!) and no one was behind us (double whew!). Our second try was successful and we headed back to campus.

I appreciate nature, I really do. My one camping trip last year was a success (although I almost got lost), but in skin-freezing weather, nature can go find itself a rolling donut to cozy up with. If I have to live with cold weather, give me snowplows, central heat, and hot chocolate! Hooray for progress!