Bridge over Troubled Water

My friend Helen will tell you that the game of bridge is an excellent antidote to the winter blues.  

My friend, Wet Dishrag No. 1,  will tell you that colorful posies sent by a thoughtful daughter do the trick too. She felt an uplifting yesterday when those flowers arrived.

Well, today I knew I was going to provide Helen's information about bridge on this morning's blog, and then I thought about my first trip to the barn. 

We could have used a bridge over all the troubled water bouncing around in the rippled ice blanket from the house to the barn. 

Fortunately, I had my Yak Tracks.  So, I survived the trip to the barn and the subsequent journey out to get the papers that have not yet arrived.  

My mail carrier, who drives a jeep,  told me yesterday that she's been driving her entire route in 4-Low.  

She said when you're aiming toward a mailbox, you've got to have control, and that's the only way she can guarantee not crashing into the mailboxes with these conditions.  

I can imagine the challenges she'll have today.

It's dangerous out there, and I wish I could send my Yak Tracks over to my sisters (home today because of another school closure).  

Their pathway to their barn,  always shaded by huge trees,  presents a challenge on ordinary days.  I can only imagine how bad it is this morning. 

Who knows where this weather's headed, but for now it's presenting some rather formidable challenges for all who have to venture out.  

My thoughts have taken me back to the January after Bill moved here from Louisiana.  It was 1974.  We had a bunch of snow, followed by more heavy snow, followed by rain.  That led to a full-fledged  "troubled water" period.

Bridges around the region washed out as streams overflowed their banks.  Some even found new routes to flow.

It was a mess, to say the least.  That was the year we handed out the yearbooks in late June because we had missed so much school in January.   This could be a repeat.

I saw Matt, the organizer for skijoring yesterday, working his heart out at the fairgrounds.  He was remaining positive that the event will happen----that was because he's clinging to the "50 percent" chance of rain through the weekend, hoping the glass will be half empty, so to speak.

For Matt, I hope that Mother Nature will give him a break.  He has worked so hard to bring a nice event to this area.  So, Mother Nature, please smile on Matt and keep some winter at the fairgrounds, please!!!

Now back to Helen and her bridge.  If you can get over the troubled waters, which I'm sure they'll recede in a day or two, she says you should consider learning Bridge to help you through the winter months.  

Here's what she told me after reading yesterday's plea for secrets to overcome winter blahs (when you can't escape this area, that is). 

One sure fire activity is playing bridge!  One forgets everything but the hand you’ve been dealt and get to play.  I substituted at duplicate bridge Tuesday with a group of 11 wonderful ladies in one of their homes.  

It was a delightful day surrounded by delightful women!

Organized bridge is available at the Sandpoint or Clark Fork Senior Centers 4 afternoons a week.  In addition, there are any number of other small and large groups playing every day of the week.  

If you don’t know how to play and want to fight off Alzheimer’s, call the inimitable Mary Faux (Howard).  Mary teaches privately so anyone interested should give her a call.

And if you can’t get out to play, there is Bridge Base Online – playing 24/7 with people from around the world and all for free!  

So, there ya go.  Give it a try. 

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Guess that's all for now.  Gotta get my Yak Tracks and make my way to the barn again.  Maybe the papers will have arrived.  

Have a safe Friday.