Hiking Heaven

What a difference a few degrees of temperature make to a hike!  This morning Kim and I went up Mt. Wachusett, one of our favorite and most frequent hikes (930' climb, 3.6 miles round trip).  When we started out, the temperature was 41 (5 for my international readers) and had only warmed up to 46 (8) by the end of the hike.  By contrast, last week's hike was undertaken in the 80s (28/29).  Today, it meant that, not only was it supremely comfortable for hiking, but the combination of cold and wind meant there were no mosquitoes!  We all had a wonderful day, especially Pixie (Madison) who rode most of the way up on Kim's back in her new Outward Hound backpack (see photo) -- that's real Hiking Heaven!  But Pixie walked all the way down, so she definitely can hike when she wants to.  

Meanwhile, all of us enjoyed the day, even the cool stopover at the summit.  Here's Cindy during our lunch break (see photo).

But, generally speaking, this is the time of year when I pine for England's green and pleasant land.  There are no mosquitoes there.  Well, very few, assuming Global Warming and immigration haven't changed things.  Plenty of midges (tiny little biting insects which can swarm all over you) but I really prefer them to mosquitoes.  Well, I'll admit that midges in Scotland can be really bad.

But what makes it so bad here for me?  I have a couple of hypotheses.  First, not growing up here, I didn't build up the appropriate antibodies (or whatever).  Second, I think that the mosquitoes can distinguish between local and exotic blood.  I give them a taste of exotic blood and so I become a mosquito magnet.  It's possible that they think that my blood will be a better meal for their offspring because it lacks some factor (maybe those antibodies).  These hypotheses have not been tested.  But when Kim and I have been in France, she becomes the mosquito magnet, not me.

Of course, our lifestyle of living in Carlisle, where our local newspaper is called The Mosquito, having dogs (that don't go out on their own) and going hiking isn't the best for someone like me.

Life isn't all bad, however.  Our wonderful lilacs are in full bloom (see photo).  We're still enjoying having Pixie (Madison) here, although we have become canine nurses, giving her pills, drops, ointments, etc (even on our hiking trip).  She's doing pretty well with it all.  Doesn't complain too much!  And it looks like we might be getting another foster dog soon!

And last Thursday we went out for dinner followed by the Boston Pops (their 125th anniversary).  Those musicians are so good!  They had three great segments in the first half honoring the three recent conductors (spanning the last 80 years): Fiedler, Williams and Lockhart.  These were followed by a Beatles sing-along.  The second half was given over to Idina Menzel (of Wicked fame, as well as other Broadway and Hollywood hits).  That was Kim's favorite half for sure.  I would have liked it more (she can sing!) if she had done more songs that I knew.  Whadyagonnado?  But all in all it was a terrific evening.