a dreary day

2008-05-15 16:11:51.000 – Stacey Kawecki,  Meteorologist

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“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary…” the first line in Edgar Allan Poe’s famous poem, The Raven.

It’s the only thing I can think of when I look out the window. Granted, it’s not midnight, I’m neither weak nor weary, and I’m not in particularly pondering state of mind, however it is severely dreary. I think that will be coded on our next observation, in the Present Weather column. It is raining with some extremely dense fog, at one point I could barely see twenty feet in front of my face. This is a somewhat different experience than yesterday’s weather, which included 130 mile vistas, cloudless skies, and an abundance of sunshine. Whereas yesterday, some of the crew took advantage of the fair weather and ventured on a hike, today some inside activity will prevail. A board game, a movie, possibly some cribbage.

One of the most important qualities required in a person who resides on the summit is the ability to remain indoors for some lengthy periods of time, in conjunction with the ability to keep oneself entertained. Days like these make this sentiment crystal clear. Hiking is not really an option when cairns are not visible, and when it’s cold and rainy. Playing catch on the deck might work, if you stand really close to the other person. This is the perfect day to curl up on the couch with Marty by your feet (if he feels so inclined to grace you with his presence) with a novel or the complete works of the aforementioned author. I think, come five o’clock, this is precisely the activity I will be participating in. Hopefully Marty agrees and will thoroughly enjoy the timeless classic written by Victor Hugo, about an ex-convict, a saintly bishop, borderline evil inn keepers, and an innocent girl and her mother. I know I will.

Stacey Kawecki,  Meteorologist