Partly Cloudy, No Snow, Getting Warmer

Cross Country Skiing Towards Whitney Bay

7:10

Tuesday Afternoon Sun Shine

Up around 6:00 to the early morning glow of the snow covered lake, almost iridescent, just like dusk at times.   It's 27º outside, some blue sky now, at 6:50 but mostly cloudy off to the east.  We missed the snow storm, unfortunately, but parts of southern Ohio did not.  I still cannot figure out how a storm hits Chicago, misses us, but moves on to Washington, D.C.

I began yesterday with yoga at 9:30, only one other person there.  It was quite a difference from last Saturday when we had 14 in the same classical yoga class.  I think I am beginning to get how to bend without straining my back, both in standing and sitting positions.  We worked on shoulder and chest openings, very popular for some people, not me.  I like to focus on my back, my legs, especially my thighs, which are always tight.  When I got home, Evie had done quite a bit around the house, and she was ready to drive to the YMCA for her work out.  She wanted to get things done early, which is why we went separately.  There is not a problem with our marriage!

Either yesterday or the day before, I was bemoaning the grayness of our days here at the lake.  Well, the weather gods must have heard me, as early afternoon, the sun came out, the sky a brilliant blue, the lake as white as I have seen it.  Fishermen were out, even a couple of snow mobiles, the wind died down, the sun warming.  I was not sure if it would be good for cross country skiing but I decided to try.  When I first got on lake, especially in front of our house, my tracks were slushy, and I would stick at times, as the water on my skis froze.  But I kept working at it and it got better as I moved down Woodlawn, towards the campground.  Eventually, it became easy, smooth, so that I went down as far as Whitney Bay and back, avoiding the area in front of our house.  It was amazing to be out on the lake, sun shining, blue sky above, working up a sweat, basically alone except for a lone fisherman, his son and dog, in front of Millers (friends of Tom's from State College).  I was out for about an hour, came in and had to change my sweaty shirt.

Before dinner, Evie was reading how terrible sugar is for us, almost like a poison.   And the article suggested that even wine was bad for you, that you ought to drink vodka instead.  So, I decided to go the healthy route, make a Bloody Mary instead of having a glass of wine, to ensure my health.  It tasted marvelous, just tomato juice and various unnameable ingredients so it will last on your shelf for months.   It makes you wonder what to eat, if anything is healthy.

We had the leftover chicken picata and Brussels sprouts for dinner, even better than Monday.  We love left overs, often find that they are better a day or two later.  We watched Charlie Rose, a duel between Morning Joe and Paul Krugman about the deficit.  After the initial ten minutes, it became tedious as they made the same points over and over.  Joe had obviously prepared by reading some of Paul's writings from the 1990's, kind of a 'gotcha' journalism.  Paul tried to suggest that times were different now but Joe did not want to hear it.  Nothing was clarified, nor solved.  Surprise.