Hello, My Name is Kerry and I am an Idiot

You've all heard me complaining about the cold and snow. A lot. Because it snowed a lot here and also it's cold and I do not find that particular combination of meteorlogical events to be particularly wonderful. You may not know that I have been attempting to improve my attitude about snow--or maybe I mentioned that. I can't remember exactly because I'm on pain killers right now (that was the upside of today--the doctor gave me the good stuff). Why am I on pain killers? Because in an effort to improve my attitude about winter, I went sledding today and broke my back. I thought that if I did enjoyable winter activities, I would enjoy winter more. Yeah. Thankfully, I didn't break my back very badly--I just have mild compression fracture in one of my vertebra. Not bad enough to require a brace or any kind of major medical intervention, just bad enough to hurt like hell. And now that that particular vertebra is compressed, it will never un-compress. This is the kind of fracture that old ladies with osteoporosis get and that make them shorter. So at the ripe old age of 33, I now have my first one and Moses estimates I'm about a millimeter shorter than I was before. All this because I was really trying my darnedest to have fun in winter. From here on out, I'm swearing off down-hill winter sports. If I can ever move again I might, might try snow-shoes on level ground. Otherwise, I'm just hunkering down some good books and few movies for the duration.
If you're wondering about the idiot part: I sustained this injury by sledding down and icy slope with a bump in it. I did my best to avoid the bump by choosing a path well away from the bump. When I noticed that I was heading toward the bump, I tried to steer by leaning away from it which had the effect of shooting me directly toward the bump--which now that I give this some consideration makes sense, but while hurtling down the hill at a million miles per hour didn't occur to me. I then failed to bail out of my sled in time which resulted in my hitting the bump, catching air, and coming down hard on my back. Not my most graceful moment (not that I really have a lot--or maybe any--graceful moments). Another interesting note: I am not the only idiot in town. There were at least five other people in the emergency room with an injury similar to mine and the nurse told me that in winter they average 22 sledding-related accidents per day. I also learned that when sledding you should lay down (back or stomach) and not sit up, and should also wear a helmet (just for the record, I did not hit my head).

I'm Moving South, Who's Got Room?

This is the 7 day forecast for Flagstaff as of this afternoon:

Wind Advisory

This Afternoon: Partly sunny, with a high near 51. South southwest wind around 13 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. Southwest wind between 8 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Saturday: A 30 percent chance of snow showers, mainly after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43. Windy, with a southwest wind 13 to 16 mph increasing to between 28 and 31 mph. Winds could gust as high as 43 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Saturday Night: Snow, mainly before 11pm. Low around 27. Windy, with a southwest wind between 25 and 32 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Sunday: A 50 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29. West southwest wind between 16 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18.

Monday: Snow, mainly after 11am. High near 32. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Monday Night: Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25.

Tuesday: Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36.

Tuesday Night: Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25.

Wednesday: Snow likely. Cloudy, with a high near 37.

Wednesday Night: Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 27.

Thursday: Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34.

People, that is 7 DAYS worth of forecast in which the word "snow" is prominently featured. AND, highs that don't creep out of the mid-30's. I don't think there's enough hot chocolate in the universe to get me through.

First Snow of the Season

In keeping with my "better late than never" theory of blogging this month, I thought I'd share some photos of our first snow. Which happened on November 9th. But it's supposed to snow again this week, so in some ways, I'm really just letting you know what it's going to look like around here a few days from now. I am so far behind, I'm actually ahead.
Needless to say, Garion was beside himself with excitement to see white stuff falling from the sky. He put on his heavy coat and gloves and essentially wandered around the back yard for half an hour marveling at the miracle of snow. I wish that I could be more like that. Because I, on the other hand, was wishing for a warm cave within which to hibernate until spring.
I do have to admit, it is pretty. Maybe if I really bundle up and hang around Garion enough, I'll re-discover how much fun I used to think snow was. Maybe what we really need is a sled. And a parka. And lots of hot chocolate.