Spring is coming. For New England, with our shift in seasons, it means the heaviest snows still lie ahead of us. Where January and February were deep winter, now it’s March and April. Northern winter has crept closer, the wind currents that protected us from the coldest winds disrupted as our climate changes. I don’t make that statement lightly. I work in an industry that places bets based on weather events, and the world of insurance embraced the reality of climate shift years ago.
For me, it’s not a matter of politics. It’s a matter of profits and trips planning, product development and budgeting for heat. It impacts both my work and my personal life, and so if you read a great deal about weather in these short messages, there’s the reason.
Training has begun. There will be back-packing again this Spring, and resuming my duties patrolling the boundaries of the Appalachian Trail. There is the treat of Yosemite in July, but also the hikes I’ll take with my new Scout troop of young girls who prefer tents to cabins and making fires to learning about fabrics. And then, Scotland and hiking the highlands in Fall.
So far, five pounds down and another fifteen to go. I’ll switch back to my skinny jeans and I’ll be resigned to skin that doesn’t snap back the way it used to. In another four weeks, I’ll give myself a break, scaling back to four days instead of six. I’ll scale back the protein, and resume my quest for the best red wine made in Connecticut. (So far, it’s been an elusive hunt, but I keep trying)
My best to all of you, and my gratitude and thanks to Ms Buffy, who got this chapter so late, but took time out of her day to make sure it was back so I could post it. You are a wizard in your own way, and I gratefully acknowledge the skillful editing that makes this chapter read so much more smoothly. Thank you!