Sunday, December 6, 2009

A winter's day

The snow- and ice-coated branches on all the trees glitter in the sun. Blue skies today. Not a lot of accumulation, but definitely snow. Look out the window -- you live in a place that snows. Look out the window -- you know that winter has opened the door and stepped through the threshold.

I keep thinking about the homeless man who's been sleeping near the boathouse along the river. Heading in to the party last night, I saw someone shuffling along the river, I suspect him. Did he find shelter? Did all the homeless living outdoors find shelter, even in this era of budget cuts and shelter cutbacks? I wonder. I don't know how to help this problem that we've all come to accept as a part of our modern world, me as much as anyone.

***

I look at the weather for the next 10 days. Hi, winter. Highs in the low 40s some days, mostly 30s, lows in the 20s. I look at hourly weather for the next few days, I see low wind ... and cold. What's a cautious rower to do? For now, row cautiously, realize I'm in my final rows until March.

Took a fun fieldtrip to Pawtucket, Rhode Island -- my first-ever time there! Enjoyed a friendly pub, attempted to walk along the river in Providence but it was brrrrrrrr out -- turns out, winter's doing more than stepping through the threshold. Wound up stumbling upon RISD (that's said riz-dee, W Coasters, as in Rhode Island School of Design) Museum's free holiday open house. My favorite was the exhibit inviting viewers to make a clay pot in remembrance of someone lost. I made one for Michael. As with most of my crafts efforts, it wasn't pretty -- but it DID have good thought/meaning/story behind it. I intentionally allowed some of the clay at the bottom to split and tear, my reasoning being -- loss ISN'T pretty and neat, it's a hole torn open, gaping, jagged, painful, not pretty to live through, messy, like life and emotions.... Now, if only I could've written an essay and left it alongside, right?? It was cool to see all the other pots there from folks who had passed through.

Driving down to Rhode Island was such a classic winter postcard. The trees alongside the road prettily snow-dusted, sparkling in the bright sun, the ground beneath dusted with bright-white snow. I WAS the born-and-bred- Californian exclaiming "wow!" "oh my GOD!" and even "it's fucking beautiful!" Yes, I was that girl. It was gorgeous. But cold; I had gloves in my coat pockets, even if I didn't bust them out quite yet.

Planning on rowing tomorrow afternoon at its warmest, mid-30s.... Not much water time left, not much.

2 comments:

  1. I did the same/opposite thing when I went to California. "Oh my god, palm trees! And look at how nice it is outside! Is that an actual desert?". Oh, to be a tourist =)

    I miss you! Killing time until 5:00 just isn't the same anymore :)

    ~Michelle

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  2. I love it, apparently it's a universal transported-to-other-coast marveling. And, aw, miss you too, girl! But I have such confidence in your ability to waste workday time - you can rise to the challenge!

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