I got brave enough to take Sadie for a walk

It's bitter cold, but Sadie and I both had cabin fever today. I'm the poster child, you know, for S.A.D.; and I really needed to get out in the fresh air. It took all the effort I could summon up, believe me.

I left with the intention of avoiding the drifts, but that was impossible. I knew I wouldn't walk the full distance we always do, because it's very hard to walk with boots and coveralls on. I glanced down in a "holler" and realized if I went down there, I'd be out of the wind. I descended into the quiet woods; it was, indeed, quite pleasant there. Sadie found a stick and I threw it for her several times.

And then I realized that I was going to have to climb up out of there, through the snow. That's when it hit me that I'm sixty-five years old, and if I'm going to do stupid things like this I should take the cell phone along; I could have a heart attack!

Then I remembered there's no signal down in the holler anyhow.

I consoled myself with the knowledge that at least there was snow on the ground, so Cliff could track me and find my cold, dead corpse.

Oh wait, with the wind blowing so hard, tracks fill in about as quickly as they're made.

Evidently the freezing rain last night coated the path before snow fell, because I'd take one step up and slide back down two. Puffing and panting, I'd sit down in the snow until I got my breath, with Sadie poking a stick in my face trying to get me to throw it. Once I got my breath, I'd proceed with my ordeal.

That may not look like much of a hill to you, but you should have seen my struggle; it was nothing short of heroic!

Finally I got over to the side of the trail and pulled myself up by those brushy plants you see on the right. Looking down, the slope seems more formidable, doesn't it?

I won't be taking that walk again; not in the snow.

My knees are killing me.