Oh My God, Oh My God, Oh My God

Generally I define the phrase "winter fun" as an oxymoron of the highest order. The idea of "having fun" at temperatures below 45 degrees F is, well, nutty. The only activity I engage in during the winter is waiting for spring. It's not that I dislike winter (much), it's just that Michigan  winters last so long. I mean really -- we can get snow here from September through mid May. It just wears me out. More so for my blushing bride, who said to me the other day, "I'm tired of winter!"

The season was but 5 days old.

Each year when the mercury dips below 70 my significant other pulls out the long underwear. She's got a full length Nanuck of The North "wooly bully" coat that she wears full into June. We play thermostat ping pong until well after Easter. And I usually sweat out at least 3lbs a night from the heavy covers she keeps on our bed. She only leaves the house for emergencies.

Today we went snow sledding with our good friends the Arthurs. There's about 18 inches of powder on the ground and the temperature is 25 degrees. Perfect weather for polar bears. Not so much for S.O. and I.

We had a ball.

Naturally The Artist was in heaven. Being "the family daredevil", no risk is too great for her. And even I managed to tamp down my natural disdain for cold temperatures. Besides I love speed, and the hills were fast.

To my surprise and delight, S.O. -- after much consideration and calculation ("just how fast will we be going?")  -- deigned to take a ride with me. The run started out smooth as silk, but somewhere about the middle of the way the front edge of the sled dipped into the side of the hill. We didn't wipe out but we kicked up a cloud of snow to rival the Oklahoma Dust Bowl. I was snowblind for the reminder of the way.

We must have been a sight; a swirling ball of snow and ice swooshing down that hill; me coughing up snow in the front, S.O. calling upon the Lord behind.

We had a good laugh at the bottom.

I'm not saying she's ready to train for the Olympics but my wife is already talking about buying some new sleds.