Running. Falling. Skinny Dipping.

I grew up in a coastal New England town just south of Boston. I love my home town. And, I have always maintained plenty of consulting work in Boston to allow me to go back often. The last eighteen months have been the exception. Chemotherapy and radiation treatments have a way of keeping you on the ground. But, new work will begin take me back regularly this summer. Can't wait.

Alpine, UT : April 2011

Early this morning I drove up to the top of the ridge above my parents little cove. I planned to run the winding roads to their house. It would only have been about five miles total. But, the winds were too strong and way too cold. I had to lean with all of my weight  to keep upright.

The wind whipped my hair in to a Medusa-like mess. The length definitely works against me on days like this. It reminded me of one of my favorite memories of one of my favorite people.

We had a huge storm come through New England during the summer of 1991 (I think). All I know is that I had my mom's car, so I had my license. That summer I met someone I'd end up dating on and off for several years. One of the first real dates we had was the night the storm hit. We spent most of the night standing on one of the many sea walls, along Jerusalem Road in Cohasset, and simply falling in to the wind. It would pick us up and bounce us around a little bit and then drop us to the ground.

This was taken on that very sea wall a few months after the storm. I'm on the left.

The power was out all over the coast that night. I didn't bother to check a clock. I think I got home around dawn and I remember not really fearing the wrath of Nan. Maybe it was because it was totally stupid and badass and dangerous. Or maybe it was just him. He was always very persuasive. 


Jumping off of see walls in to wind is rather mild compared to some of the things he liked to do. Some day I'll write about scaling the walls of the Glastonbury Monastery to skinny dip.  I said he was persuasive.  He was definitely not a Candyass. Still isn't.