Incongruity: wheeling your bicycle out of the basement past the piles of snow under the deck. Yesterday was the first bike ride of the season, which is probably not a season yet but just a two day anomaly. I have two key words for riding a bike in cool weather: fleece camisole. I rode around the lake, about 15 miles. The temperature was in the low 50's, sunny and bright. There's still lots of snow around, and everywhere the sound of melting, trickle of running water, rushing of brooks that are suddenly white water. It was insanely great to be on a bike in the sunshine. Cadi and I went for a long walk in the woods this morning over soggy ground and crusty snow patches. Near the end of the walk I wanted to test the lake ice. Cadi walked out over the ice in her usual way and fell through about 20 feet out. She had her front paws on the ice edge but had no idea how to get out. It took me a few minutes to talk her into going to the other side of the the hole where she could climb out more easily. While I was talking her out, a timer was running in my head set for about 4 minutes after which time I'd have to wade out and get her. Fortunately she figured it out in time.

Yesterday was the annual Unity town meeting at the elementary school cafeteria/gym. Everyone gets a copy of the "warrant," a list of all the resolutions that will be voted on, then they thrash it out at one daylong meeting with lunch served in the middle. As far as I can tell, the two political parties in town are the Curmudgeons and the Geezers; from these two factions are elected the Selectmen; qualifications for selectman include having nothing but plaid in your wardrobe. Geezers know how to drive heavy equipment and fix things. Curmudgeons are Geezers who have lived in Unity all their lives and are deeply angry about it. Geezers are Curmudgeons who have been to Portland a couple of times. A third category, Geezer Wannabees, are folks "from away" who've been here a few years, think they understand the dress code, and are getting involved in the sitcom we call Unity. Our neighbor, Bill Russell, shines in this role. For a meeting like this one, he is like Madeline Albright thinking, hmmm what should I wear to meet with the Serbs. But, alas, Bill could never be elected selectman, because his dog Watson doesn't understand Geezer apparel. Dogs with bandanas: Harrumph!