Bringing out the kid in me
Yesterday was nice. We woke early to find Sunderland had had a 6" covering of snow overnight. We'd had snow here and there for a few months but nothing that ever settled. In fact I can't remember the last time there was a serious snowfall worth talking about, usually putting it down to global warming.
Wanting to make the most of it we headed for our local park where there's a steep embankment, made for sledding. It's been years since I sat on a plastic bag and hurled myself down a hill. Not to mention, years since I had a snowball fight. We had a great time, almost remembering what it was like to be a kid, back when you were guaranteed a week or two of snow a year and some days of school when the boiler packed up.
Needless to say I took the camera and have a few photos to share. There's even a video of me going down the hill face first, with Quinn on my back (9MB MPEG with sound). Turn your sound down before playing, as there's a screaming girl at full volume. Then have sympathy for me, whose ear was right next to her mouth.
Much fun was had and I did feel like a kid for a day. Today I am slowly realising I am not a kid anymore. Every time I move or stretch I seem to find a new ache or pain. Giving people rides down the hill and clambering back to the top has taken its toll on my aging body...
Plastic sacks? Ouch! Didn't the little bumps and knobs hurt a bit as they zipped by?
I remember growing up there was a family down the road that had THE sledding hill. Not only was it steep and long, it had a double swoop in it like a roller coaster and the trick was always to go fast enough to get all the way to the bottom (clearning the last rise). What made it REALLY great was all the trees you had to dodge on the way down. Had one or two kids crawl home with cracked ribs (cough), nothing more than that. Good clean fun.
It didn't hurt at the time. It was the day after when all the little bruises appeared.
Each one a badge of honor. ;-)