You may not find this terribly rewarding unless you're included here, so this is a good time for casual and random browsers to turn back before they get too caught up in the sweep and majesty of the proceedings and can't let go.
A February gallimaufry
The Roanoke Airport: Grandma Kristin's off to Chicago to provide counsel and experienced hands for the newest member of the family (7 February 2023).
For someone accustomed only to intercontinental uses for airplanes, there is some latent doubt about whether that schoolbus-with-wings can make it all the way to Chicago -- more experienced members of our party are not troubled by any doubts whatsoever.
As usual, we've shown up at the airport with a lot of time to spare. Just in case.
The Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport looks virtually new, and very attractive, but evidently it was completed back in 1989.
Fun is where you find it: this hot drinks machine carries a solemn warning -- for California residents. 'Cancer and Reproductive Harm'. But we're not California residents, so that's all right.
The plane took off on time, yay.
Mid-winter competition for the best spots to catch the beneficial rays
Choupette, who hasn't learnt yet to speak intelligible English, wishes Dad to remember that, in Mom's absence, he is the catfood chef pro tem.
And she's really not kidding!
-- Now!
Oh, poor Frederick Street -- will our troubles never cease?
The whole gang is here -- it must be serious.
Somebody's six feet down in the hole. It's time to check if our water and electrics are still on.
In the meantime, in a small downtown that's constructed round a maze of one-way streets, this could be a nuisance. [But it wasn't; they were gone by noon, and now no one's the wiser.]
A walk up Reservoir Hill, 13 February 2023. Back in the day, the city pumped water from the springs around what is now Gypsy Hill Park into a reservoir at the top of this nearby hill, to be transferred down to the residents by gravity.
It's serving today as a knee-test for one of our party, who's been knee-poorly for some months.
A quick check in the Montgomery Hall jungle, 15 February, to see whether any springtime greenishness has come here yet.
Ha ha, no way.
A private door from our study leads out to the top of a stairway 3½ floors down to a back door to the alley behind the Old Y. It's virtually private for us, and the cats like to sit outside the study and challenge us to chase them down a few flights of stairs to round them up.
But recently, they've been much better behaved and therefore get a little more latitude. On mid-winter mornings, that's almost the only direct sunlight in the flat.
Forsaking all of their own conveniences, the cats have retired together for this afternoon's nap to the master bedroom.
Back to the Roanoke Airport, 19 February, to take a delivery.
Acckk! Down! Oh . . . never mind.
Rather a long wait, but in the end . . .
. . . we're headed for home.
An ever-watchful eye
Back to Sherando Lake
The Offensive Flag Guy has been letting his side down recently -- just rags up there now. Which is an improvement.
Sherando Lake is a stunner in every kind of light. It's to be noted that the previously half-emptied lake is full again now.
We've taken the easy eastside lakeshore path to our reading bench by the swimming beach; now it's time to go back over the 'Cliff Path' (21 February 2023).
One of our party darts back to the bench for his overlooked book, whilst Kristin proceeds up the path; we'll meet up again soon.
A nice long gentle ascent to . . .
. . . the high point of the walk, looking . . .
. . . back down at the lake below.
From the high point, there's a bit of the cliffy parts of the terrain, but . . .
. . . our trail cleverly zig-zags amongst the unrecommended bits.
Zag
Mind the step.
Still another long zag leads to . . .
. . . a switchback for another zig.
Such fun
The final long zig and then . . .
. . . the final zag
The Cliff Trail, up and down, takes scarcely more than 40-45 minutes at a relaxed pace.
The dam on the Williams Branch of the North Fork Back Creek
The fisherpeople's carpark, usually accessible even when the public facilities at the far end of the lake are closed for the season.
A change of shoes
More drama on Frederick Street
Pro tip: if you're planning to run a red light at speed, have a wary eye out for the sheriff's car in the intersection.
We noted one probably unhappy fellow sitting in the ambulance, but at least he wasn't dead.
Instead, something like the famous Jaws-of-Life are being used to pry the two cars apart.
Soon, the traffic between Richmond, Virginia, and Sandusky, Ohio, up US Route 250 (N. Augusta St) will be able to resume with no more delay.
Webpages about Ascoli Piceno are presently three months overdue. Buckle down, mate.
Another amble through the Montgomery Hall jungle, 24 February, where . . .
. . . the only spring greens in evidence so far are the parasitical vines.
Back on the legendary Yulee Trail
Cats at rest . . .
. . . conversing quietly in cat murmurs
Time for telly
Next up: Slightly interesting springtime events, and Choupette's Avocado
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All rights reserved, all wrongs avenged. Posted 31 March 2023. 
