Cabin fever cures, Fox and geese, anyone?

Cold and snow got you down? Finding it hard to get out of bed in the morning? Is the air in your house so dry you give yourself static electricity shocks?

It must be the dead of winter, prime time for cabin fever, seasonal affective disorder and itchy, flaky dry skin.

As I was scooping snow last Sunday, clearing out one of the cave-ins on my sidewalks that face the street, I felt a sense of claustrophobia. I realized that the pile at the end of the sidewalk came up to under my arms. Looking around town, it struck me that the entire town looked like an elaborate playing field for a good old fashioned game of Fox and Geese.

I realize I am revealing my age by mentioning the game, which was played by children from the pioneer days up through the baby boomers, but the snow piles and the paths we have carved out make it look like a ready made playing field awaits.

Fox and Geese was popular during the days author Stephen King referred to as the time when winter fun consisted of exercising your body instead of a two cycle engine. The game is simple. It requires four or more players and a large, open area of unspoiled snow. To prepare the game field, stomp a big circle in the snow and two intersecting paths through the middle of the circle. Where the paths meet, stomp out a small safe zone. The figure should look like a circle with an x in it, with a stomped-out circle in the center. One person is chosen to be the fox; all other players are geese. The fox chases the geese and tries to tag one of them. All players must run only on the paths, and geese can't be tagged when they're standing in the safe zone. As soon as the fox catches a goose, that goose becomes the new fox.

We played it for hours when I was a kid. But it appears that we are playing a version of it every day as we go about our activities. The paths are carved out well enough, thanks to the efforts of the street department. I doubt we are chasing each other, but the intersections are very interesting. Lately, I wish I had a neck as long as a goose so I could see into the intersections.

The trick lately to safe driving is balancing speed and inertia, as well as looking out for and anticipating the actions of other drivers. It all gets a bit nerve wracking, like a game of fox and geese.

So what are you doing to while away the time spent indoors? Have you cleaned and organized the place? Busy preparing receipts for income taxes?

How about baking? Warms the house, involves the kids, gives you all something homemade and warm. It can be a good way to pass the time, but with precious little physical activity, it can also be a recipe for tighter fitting clothes.

Reading is a good way to pass the time, as long as you can find a good book. The mind can provide escape from nearly anything, if given some good material to help it along.

One thing I have noticed is a resurgence of board games. Once written off as passe in the electronic age, it appears that the Parker Brothers' marketing campaigns and the need for human interaction have brought them back into fashion.

When we visit our children, we often end up playing a board game. Whether it is a card game or a game of strategy, we always seem to have a good time. The basic competitive nature of people rises to the surface and that can be as much fun as the game itself.

As to the seasonal affective disorder and dry skin, getting as much daylight in as possible, lowering the temperature of your shower and adding a humidifier are probably your best bet.

Hang in there, there's a lot of winter to go.

As always, I welcome your comments. You can reach me by email at tstangl@lemarscomm.net, telephone 712-546-7031, x40 or toll free 1-800-728-0066 x40.

Thanks for reading, I'll keep in touch. Feel free to do the same.