Pale Raisins in the Sun
It’s hard enough working inside at a computer on a 60-plus-degree, bluebird day, but it is downright torture to be sitting here recounting the glorious time we pent-up office women here at TQ just spent out reveling in the prime weather. When my iGoogle weather widget told me that today would be so sunny and warm, I immediately declared it an office-wide picnic lunch day.
Since our ski lunch a few weeks ago at Diamond Peak, we’ve been craving therapeutic fresh air and activity to break up the workday. So around noon, girls and dogs all piled into two cars and headed up to the Mount Rose summit. All snow-booted up—except for poor Nicci, shod only in tennis shoes because we kidnapped her on our way out—we headed up a roughly packed sled run. The tumbleweed-like bundle of dogs defied gravity, somehow rolling and tackling each other up the hill. We came out atop the ridgeline on a nice, boot-packed trail.
The going was easy until I decided to lead us along the scenic route. Barring a few trap doors, the snowfield crossing was relatively firm. We came out on a sunbaked slope peppered with warm boulders and patches of sand and brush peeking through the snow. The view was spectacular and the entertainment unparalleled. There are few things more hilarious than a dog gang in the psychotic throes of a snow high.
Belly rumblings reminded us it was lunchtime. Elaine V. pulled out her bento box packed with brown rice, edamame and egg rolls complete with mini condiment dispensers and tiny utensils. Lis snacked on her veggie sushi, and Elaine D. demurely crunched crackers while Nicci and I mawwed through our sandwiches.
With the sun starting to burn our pasty winter complexions, we turned reluctantly back. Trekking back through the ever-softening and aptly dubbed (by Elaine V.) “memory foam” snow left us with enough snow on our cuffs to drag a little hint of nature back to our desks.
As I sit here typing, I can still feel the slight burn on my cheeks, the warm tingle in my quads and the mountains calling me back. And the only reason I am back inside, staring whistfully through the glass, is to share this moment with you. So grab anyone who is looking a little droopy and get out there already!