“February is the uncertain month, neither black nor white but all shades between by turns. Nothing is sure.” ~ Gladys Hasty Carroll
I guess I agree with Gladys, it seems February was kind of “wrangy”! Yo-yo weather patterns, strange range of activities, work-a-day / holiday / snow day routines, flashes of time with family and friends mixed with runs of solitude, the quiet of a drive and the ebb and flow of the Olympics… the shortest month sure tested us in almost all ways. I’ll try and shake this out with just the right amount of detail.
Lots of snow for a first weekend of February visit to Camp Lumsden. It was almost a total redo of the prior weekend, requiring shovelling of parking space all the way to removing snow from the solar panels. The benefits, however, were just as keen with great snowshoe conditions and quiet evenings by the fire. Perhaps a few more of those can be snuck in prior to the collapse of weight bearing ice in the spring.
Health “matters” became thematic during the second week of February, with several of my closest undergoing hospitalization and even major surgery. Lots of checking in, several visits and family communication / navigation rounded out the week. In the foreground, prognosis for all parties was positive and moving in the best possible direction. In the back of my head, through all this, rested the notion that having one’s health and doing everything he/she can to maintain is a worthwhile goal.
Nicely timed, the NS Heritage Day Weekend rolled out mid-month and we were lucky enough to have Monica and Evan make the journey to the ‘Nish. The original plan was a camp trip, but we backed off on that and mustered for a couple nights visit to enjoy a weekend of food and fun, getting out to a show at Candid, outdoor skating on the Figure 8 in Guysborough, squeezing in a hospital visit and, of course, lending an eye to the ongoing Milano / Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Nice to connect as an antidote to heart of the winter in Nova Scotia.
On the heels of another “snow day interrupted” school week, I headed west to a long awaited Mt Allison gathering in Halifax. The “MtA Lads”, as they are lovingly referred to in my group chat, are in good health and it was excellent to catch up. Good food (led by Andrew & Monica’s recommendations), entertainment (Andy had purchased some AUS Basketball Ball Tix) and the “buzz” of the big city had us up early and to bed late! Whether it was pizza corner or Uno before crashing, it was a fun weekend getaway. Friendships seemed to pick up exactly where they left off and we still find ourselves managing regular communication / yearly visits some 35 years after graduation. I have great friends!!!
The last weekend of February saw Janie and I moving in opposite directions, as she took the opportunity to hang with the kids in the city while I snuck off to finish the month at Smelt Lake. She caught what was a very musical Saturday and I took advantage of snowshoeing conditions over ice / trails on a sunny AM/PM. As this month ends, attention turns toward March Break and travels abroad as planning hits the ground and we head, once again, for Europe. Should the travel Gods align, we’ll be posting as we make our way through the Balkans in a couple of weeks.