When I first got to Berthoud, I used to always walk the morning rounds which first led me to meeting Claire and all of the other wonderful creatures that fed the imagination and led to writing TWA.
Given now that I have less time in the early morning, with blogging and writing being a second full time job, I have taken to driving my rounds, especially on those early mornings of sub-zero temperatures.
I don’t think we ever broke Zero, yesterday, which was a first time experience for this East coaster.
Today started out even worse, at -18F when I went out to feed Claire and Honey. It was so cold that Blue’s paws froze up, which led to a lot of foot rubbing to get her back to the house. No way I was carrying her. Too heavy.
But while out on yesterday’s rounds I was traveling along the back stretch of CR 6, where I set some of the scenes in The Claire Trilogy, and was suddenly struck by the pristine snow-covered roadway before me.
My road less traveled. Now, while that line never actually appears in Robert’s Frost Poem, “The Road Not Taken,” it certainly draws its power from that poem.
Yesterday, that moment of looking at that cold, snow covered road before me made me realize that it was my traveling this road, and others like it in the area, that led me to my new life as a writer.
“And that has made all the difference.” Thank you RF.
But before I got to do my rounds, I had to make sure that my feral cat had survived the night.
Smokey is the toughest cat I know.
I made sure to lift Smokey up and hug and rub until I got that wonderful Purr going before I placed the food out for him/her/they. Smokey has the most wonderfully thick and long fur coat. And that makes me happy. That photo has a Big Foot feel to it.
Well, I’ve got miles to go before I sleep. Lisa and I are driving up to Breckenridge to visit Jackie, Zach and Lucian, who have been spending a week at the Fairy Godmothers’ Ski Chalet, snow boarding during Christmas break. Given the weather, it’s going to take me 3 hours to get there.
The good news is that I’ll be able to see that branch of my family for the first time in a year. And that will be just wonderful.
The bad news is that it means driving through the mountains, in sub zero temperatures on what I’m sure will be snow covered roads. I am dreading that part. But as the Brits say, “Needs must!”
So let me get going. My daughter Jackie has promised me breakfast if I make it. French toast.
Now the rest of you fine, five readers get those last minute Christmas gifts wrapped and under the tree.
And it’s Friday, so I expect nothing but smiles on all of your faces as we head into this wonderful Christmas weekend. But please stay warm.
The great news is that I’m not torturing myself this morning. Fuck that treadmill, it will keep.
So let’s get out there and make today a great one.
4 Responses
That road and those fences look exactly how my minds eye pictured them in TWA… only missing horses hanging their heads over the fence!
Good eye. No surprise there. This is the back stretch where the buck clears the road in two leaps in TWA and where the coyotes first appear in KMAG. Well done you!
Keep us posted on your safe arrival to the ski chalet.
Merry Christmas Tom!
Like every talented Hobbit, I made it there and back again. Had a wonderful time seeing my daughter, her man, Zach (who appears briefly as the character who runs the school bus company in FJM) and my wonderful grandson Lucian, the basis for his namesake in TCT. But I’m glad to be out of the mountains and just wore an old set of Claire’s blinkers while driving through the mountains on I70, lol.