Denial

...is not a river in Egypt to kayak down. However, when I was forced to admit I stowed my kayak in the garage to make room for the trailer to escape the rain.... I denied it was storaged for winter! Twice! What I was thinking was I would never say I would be unavailable to go kayaking if the opportunity came up and the day was good, and the water suitable. I have missed the opportunity this year to trip Spring Creek when the leaves would have turned color. Perhaps next year the window won't be quite so narrow, or I won't be dragging my feet to make it happen. In a way, it's good that things don't turn out perfectly all the time, and instead, leave a little seed behind that gets watered by determination for 'next time...' There are however, other signs for the casual kayaker that the season has closed down. In Sunday's paper, on page A3, was the title "Campgrounds, launches now closed". Fourmile is closed due to snow and downed trees; water is shut off in campgrounds; and gates have been swung shut to traffic wherever they have been placed across campground and day use areas. It's time to hunker down for winter, upgrade my sweater to a jacket, and set out more candles for the darker, colder corners of my house. Yet, I hold out hope, that a warm spell, a fall Chinook wind might make things bright on a day I have off work, and I would slide my kayak over the trailer onto my car and enjoy a fall paddle. Even if it was 'just' down at the lake near our house-what could be more satisfying?