Friday, December 19, 2008

Snow Pants

When I was a kid I remember being mortified by unfashionable winter clothing like hats, mittens and snow pants. For some reason it was much cooler to freeze your ass off (punny, I know).

It is still unusually cold around here, and today in Vancouver I noticed several adults wearing snow pants. My 12-year-old self was mortified for them, but my 32-year-old self thought it was a damned fine idea. I pulled a pair of David's ski pants out when I got home, and they made the evening chores much more comfortable. I didn't even need my bomber hat.

6 comments:

Black Jack's Carol said...

Too bad. I love that bomber hat!

I've been wearing my bike rain pants the last few days when i take the bus. I used to be mortified in some of the things my mother made us wear. (You haven't lived until you've had to wear long brown stockings to school, with a garter belt, while all the other kids get to wear knee socks.) But now, I seem to have no shame and less sense of fashion. I wear whatever will keep me comfortable. I didn't think twice about my attire, but now I'm wondering. No one looked at me strangely, as far as I can tell, but would rain pants mortify you too?

dp said...

Haha, BJC. My mom made most of my clothes when I was a kid. I know all about real mortification (smocked dresses!), though not of the garter belt variety.

I used to care a lot about looking cool, but it has faded with time. I still probably wouldn't wear snow or rain pants walking around the city, but I wouldn't begrudge anyone else their warmth and comfort. By the time I reach your age I will probably be wearing a full-on snow suit!

EvenSong said...

To stay partly on topic, but also update for those who might be wondering...
My $40 Kmart insulated pants, a la Carharts, are worth their weight in gold. It hasn't been out of the teens all week, much of the time in single digits, and even the young vet that helped with Corky the other day was envious.

As for Corky, after a rough night and another day on fluids Thursday, it was found that his intestines were starting to seep blood into the belly, meaning his disestive system was failing. The sun had come out in the afternoon on Thursday, so he and I went for a quiet walk outside, then we had him euthanized. As dp commented to me privately, there is now a huge hole in my life.

Because the ground froze so quickly and hard, my neighbor the contractor doesn't think even his humongous excavator will be able to dig a grave, and I promised Corky a spot under the willow at the south end of our property--I wouldn't feel comfortable hauling him 100 miles to the rendering plant. So we will be trying something that WSU extension service is promoting these days: "above ground burial" aka, "large animal carcass composting." If done right (2 to 3 feet of composting material surrounding the body), it produces no odor to attract scavengers (or upset neighbors, if we had any that close) and the remains actually decompose faster (six months to a year, depending on management) than in an inert ground burial. I will not spread this particular batch of compost on the pastures, but rather I will probably create a little wildflower patch. We did a similar "memorial" when our good old Australian Shepard, Chewy, died a few years ago--we planted a small evergreen above her grave: the ""Puppy Tree." So now, just outside the baby pasture we will have "Corky's Garden."

allhorsestuff said...

That is too funny DP...I am getting ready to try for the stable today...and I caught myself trying to match my colors..I am hopeless!!
You are sooo cute in that fluffy hat!
KK
NEDIALO = this is when I get stuck in the snow and need to call for help...and forget about 911 and dial O instead

Anonymous said...

EvenSong- My heart goes out to you!

dp- I was always mortified by snow pants too! We didn't have them growing up just south of Seattle as it rarely snowed enough. I did get used to all the kids and babies wearing them in Alaska. Mine did. I just never wore them. My drivers would wear Carhartt union suits and overalls to stay toasty. I guess I was just to vain too. Wishing I had some today though...

LatigoLiz said...

If this weather keeps up, I will wear my ski/snow pants out to the barn, too! Wish my Sorels didn’t give me ankle blisters. Today was painful preparing for the wind. The Uggs my mom gave me fit MUCH better!

Stay warm!!!!!!!