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⬅️ Previous capture (2023-01-29)
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A rainy start to this morning left us with fields too muddy for ultimate, but I only discovered how wet it was after venturing several blocks from home in an effort to retain some semblance of regularity in my weekend workout routine. I ended up running along Sligo Creek Parkway from Domer Ave to Maple Ave, then walking briskly the rest of the way back to the house.
Yesterday's ultimate game provided longer and more varied exercise, but also its share of disappointment. Even without the help of the rain, the cold air on its own was enough to diminish the responsiveness of my finger muscles, and I must have fumbled at least four passes that on warmer days almost certainly would have been caught. Perhaps I was too quick to follow the example of hardier souls who went onto the field with ungloved hands. Just because their circulation is fine in these frigid temperatures is no reason to ignore the quirks of my own body.
This afternoon I watched the third installment of the Anne of Green Gables miniseries, borrowed almost two weeks ago from the PG county library. While the first movie invited the audience to identify with the childish dreams and motives of its 12- to 16-year-old heroine, the second and third movies featured more adult situations, such as navigating the insular politics of a small town, earning the respect of a frosty boss, and caring for the injured and grieving families in a nation at war. I related more easily to the latter two installments of the trilogy, even though my current stage of life doesn't raise any dilemmas about starting a family or volunteering for a war effort. The first film did help to set the scene and define for viewers the pastoral landscape that would serve as an anchor for the grown-up Anne and her friends. The director made a smart choice to close the films with an early-evening shot of the Avonlea meadows, easily the most poignant image of unhurried country life and a stirring reminder of what the protagonists give up when they pursue further studies, literary fame, or the honor of serving their country in wartime.