Baby, it’s cold outside
This post was going to be a rant about the evening news on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, but we woke up to such a pretty coverlet of new snow that all the piss and vinegar went out of me. You’ll have to wait for my vitriol about the immorality of devoting the first half hour of the ten o’ clock news to shootings, beatings, kidnappings, robberies, accidents, and the impending apocalyptic doom of a little winter precipitation on a day when we’re supposed to be remembering one of the great human forces for peace and justice, a man who (according to a recent poll Mr. Garter read) the bulk of American schoolchildren think might have had something to do with the end of slavery. (And don’t get me started on the bullet points for the eleven o’ clock news: 1. DRUG-LAYING CHICKEN 2. GIRL FIGHT)
Anyway, it was beautiful this morning. Beautiful and treacherous, as it turns out. Mr. G. was to drive me in to my Art History class on the way to an early dentist appointment. After we slid around a corner and bonked into the curb — blessedly missing a sign post or anything else more substantial and higher off the ground — we realized we’d better take it very easy. Downtown Portland is hillier than you might imagine, and as we watched other drivers begin to slide on the first hill, I told my hubby to go home and let me walk the rest of the way. I got some entirely enjoyable wintry exercise and slid into my seat just a few minutes late. We discovered halfway through class that the university had officially closed, but the professor was willing to keep teaching and we students were willing to keep learning, so we used the full period.
The snow hadn’t stopped, and the quad was hosting a snowball fight among about twenty Japanese students. A boisterous bunch of young Pakistani men had started a pick-up soccer game. I didn’t hear English spoken for three blocks: the only obvious Americans out were the photography students, silently and seriously composing shots of the shrouded trees in that irresistible queer snow-light.
The library was locked up tight (apparently they really mean it when they close school here — they don’t just cancel classes), so I went to the art museum. My term paper this time around involves studying their holdings by George Inness, Ralph Blakelock, or Thomas Eakins, so I thought I’d take the opportunity for an early look. I also saw the rest of the wonderful Egyptian exhibit that’s visiting Portland. I went a couple of months ago with Mr. G. and his father, but I took so long that they both lost interest and wanted to go home, so I had to hurry past the reconstructed tomb of Thutmose III and some other fabulous material.
Now I’m home by the fireplace, listening to gangs of jolly kids squealing all the way down the excellent sledding hill behind our house. It’s a perfect knitting day. I’m not going to allow myself to dwell on giant folders of legal documents. I’m going to go watch adorable little tots bundled from stem to stern enjoying the snow for an hour or so first.
Posted: January 16th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Sounds like you had a nice day! I love the quiet of snow – even though the kids are out and snowball fights are happening, the snow seems to make everything quieter. We got a lot of snow too!
Posted: January 16th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
I almost understand the “slavery” mix up, at least on a lower-elementary level; in trying to explain to my 5 and 7 year olds why people with dark skin were persecuted in the first place (thankfully, they think it’s a bizarre as singling out brunettes or blue-eyed people,) I had to mention slavery, which utterly appalled them. I’d imagine it stuck in their memory more than the things MLK did. Poor little babes, to have to try to comprehend such things.
Nice to hear you have snow, hope you enjoy it!
By the way, thanks for replacing the blathering song playing on unendingly with “Baby, it’s cold outside…” I don’t even know if that’s the title, but I like the tune…
Posted: January 17th, 2007 at 5:01 am
mmm, sounds like a great way to spend an evening… in front of the fireplace listening to kids playing outside. damn near perfect!
Posted: January 17th, 2007 at 5:19 am
sounds like a wonderful way to spend a snowy day! the egyptian exhibit sounds so interesting!
Posted: January 17th, 2007 at 6:32 am
Sounds like you managed to turn what could have been a boring snow day into a lovely, productive, yet relaxing day! The thought of knitting in front of the fireplace while listening to children play sounds heavenly!
Posted: January 17th, 2007 at 9:02 am
Mmmmm, Thomas Eakins. Checked out an excellent book on him from the public library, maybe 10 years ago? If you look at the portraits of the women in his family, they don’t look like happy campers. I got the impression he was a classic crazy-maker. But did that boy ever know how to paint.
Whenever I get bored here in my one-woman convent and want to remember what a naked man looks like, I drove over to Fort Worth and go memorize “Swimming”. Ever so much easier on the nerves than dealing with one in the flesh… I don’t have to pick up after them or repent.
Posted: January 17th, 2007 at 9:05 am
Oh, a fireplace! *sigh*
It’s cold in NY too, but I’m stuck looking out at FDR drive from my window, with the sound of ambulances rushing in. Not quite the bucolic life you have!
Posted: January 17th, 2007 at 9:21 am
That sounds like the best snow day ever! Even though we don’t have any snow here (yet) I’m taking a snow day today and curling up on the couch because it’s about 20 degrees outside.
Posted: January 17th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
I am envying your fireplace! It’s cold here too, although we haven’t had snow yet. It sounds like you had a perfect day and made the best out of bad weather. Mr. Garter must be missing his bike…
Posted: January 20th, 2007 at 1:27 am
I’ve been reading your blog for a while via Subway Knitter (which I happened upon during an internet search for seaming sweaters). Just wanted to comment on how much I enjoy your writing, and your knitting adventures as well!
Posted: January 20th, 2007 at 11:29 am
i like reading your posts becuse i once lived in portland and now i get the occasional twisting desire to be back. it has such a lovely feel, the streets and bulidings in the city, the little gems one comes across unexpectedly. but you are right, the evening news is atrocious, it almost rivals the inanity of our l.a. broadcast. anyway, bundle up and stay warm and be cautious on those streets. maybe invest in a subaru outback…they will get you anywhere in the pacific northwest.