Because

This picture makes me think of the little kid who's favorite question is: "Why?" Dripping with cuteness, the little guy's "Why?" almost becomes two syllables.

RIP Mel Parnell who died today at 89

Somehow, this 1953 photo of Mel Parnell, the Boston Red Sox' winningest lefthander  in history, and ace of the Sox' staff during the Ted Williams Era, sums up my winter. I wouldn't call it "The Winter of My Discontent" exactly, but it is different on outside, looking in. Baseball in the snow, while not this year's reality (It's in the 80's in Arizona where most of the ball I care about is being played this week), still the juxtaposition spoke to me.

Perhaps I'm just tired...the ol' BodyClock isn't perfectly reset just yet...the other morning I was surprised when the alarm went off at 0600...and I hadn't closed my eyes yet. It's been a week full of errands, the last of the post- wallet loss phone calls, and fitting in some yard chores between rainy days.

It's been a tough couple of weeks for the Tahoe Sierra Ski/Snowboard Community...not enough snow, then snow enough for fatal avalanches, then 36 hours of Biblical-Style rain, then it started to snow, and more drama including more fatalities...

The deep fresh snow claimed a couple of people who fell into tree wells or deep powder and suffocated. Tree wells are the newest peril on the slopes, gaining purchase alongside snowboarding.

This past weekend, there was a fatality at Sierra-At-Tahoe, the type of fatality I've never heard of before:  "In Northern California, a skier fell into a hole created by an underflow of water at the Sierra-at-Tahoe resort. The El Dorado County Sheriff’s department said the victim was 54-year-old Yiwei Hu of Gold River."

The linked article wasn't clear if the "underflow of water" was a known hazard that escaped marking, or if the near-torrential rains made a "new" watercourse below the piste that failed and caused the victim's fall.

There certainly was enough rain on the resorts for the runoff to make mischief. I guess it goes without saying...Don't ski alone.

I won't lie, if I had to get laid off in Mid-Winter, this year couldn't have been a better choice...too much heartache and drama...bad business, any way you cut it...

Finally, I'll end with a "brighter side" factoid. Tickets for September's Reno National Championship Air Races are now on sale.