Into each life a little #@*& must fall.

In the ski world - at least at Okemo - we refer to it as the "r" word. and it is most certainly a four-letter word. On most days, it's an easy job to extol the virtues of Okemo's weather and conditions (in fact, the readers of SKI Magazine rated Okemo in the Top Ten in the East for snow, grooming and weather, plus seven other categories) in our snow report but there is the occasional day when we just have to acquiesce to Longfellow ...

Be still sad heart and cease repining;
Behind the clouds the sun is shining,
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life a little rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

My second day on skis, ever, (30 years ago) was spent wearing a black plastic garbage bag at Sugarbush North, and it is still one of my most memorable days on snow. Hard-core skiers and riders know that gray-weather days generally offer up sumptuously soft snow, short or nonexistent lift lines, and wide open trails. It's all about dressing for the weather. Okay, so maybe a snorkel and swimming goggles is a little over the top, but breathable waterproof clothing - or a garbage bag - is amazing on a damp day.

I absolutely delight in the creative writing artistry of snow reporting that fills the blogosphere on days filled with precipitation.

My friend Karen says, "When I worked at [undisclosed ski area] I couldn't tell people it was raining -- I had to say there was "moisture in the air."

What's your favorite euphemism for the "r" word? Have you ever worked as a snow reporter? If so, what was your company line? How would you handle it if you were a snow reporter on a rainy (there, I said it!) day? Cheers.