I can’t remember a winter during the past 10 years in which my outdoor romps along the winding New Albany paths were so curtailed. The more-than-usual snowfalls produced slippery surfaces that discouraged my outdoor pursuit of fitness. Give me 10 inches of that white powder and I am good to go; no slippery surfaces about which to be concerned. However, trying to walk on a 1-inch layer of snow resting above the asphalt evokes images that elicit my worst nightmares. That broken bone in my wrist as I fall forward, or worse yet, the concussion I suffer as I fall backward, unable to stop my body from using my head like a basketball being dribbled on the playground concrete, are thoughts that transcend every neuron lodged inside my brain. Walking on 1 inch of snow, to me, is just as slippery as having to walk on a surface lined with banana peels resting above a layer of WD-40 lubricant.
I detested this past winter so much that I spent more time than ever visiting friends and family in California and Florida. But now I’m pumped up. Spring is just around the corner and I no longer have the desire to migrate to the temperate climates on the west and south coasts. I’m breaking out from the winter doldrums and appreciating what awaits me in New Albany.
In perusing the calendar of events in this issue, I am motivated by all of the outdoor happenings that can now take place. Reading about Suzanne Lucas and her involvement in the New Albany Farmers Market and Community Garden evokes thoughts of upcoming warmer weather activities. My enthusiasm for taking advantage of the warmer days ahead has returned, and I’m jumping for joy.
