Welcome, March

In like a lion. Hope that means we'll go out like a lamb. All I know is I feel a bit like a polar bear right now. Why couldn't it have done this back in December. I like white Christmases. Not March so much, tho!

We're All Going To Eat Well

I've had this violet for 14 years or so, and it hasn't bloomed for a while. It's nicely decided to share its color with us during these frigid winter days. It's been a crazy week--subzero temps with snow and the promise of major nastiness tonight and tomorrow. We have been busy every day at the store-- I can't imagine that there isn't a house in this town without an overflowing pantry. Just how much milk and bread does everyone need? But my boss is happy.

Oh, Not Again.

The squirrels are moving like crazy in our neighborhood, hiding their winter supply of nuts absolutely everywhere! Squirrels with big, bushy tails. I've been told that both are signs of a harsh winter. I haven't gotten my hands on any persimmons yet, but I've heard they all sport "spoons". Every old wive's tale that predicts the weather is pointing to a repeat of last year. The Farmer's Almanac concurs. I'm already dreading it.

Since Winter Continues

Ha, I got my next project done in two weekends! I think that's a record for me, but I guess there is a good side to this lousy weather we continue to get. If I can't be outside, I might as well put my time to good use. This is The Tiger-Spider and his butterfly wives. It's a story by Noel Fielding in his book, The Scribblings of a Madcap Shambleton. Color makes me happy and paintings on the wall don't have to be dusted, a double win! I may add some more butterflies and thicken up his face, but for now I'm just going to live with it and decide later.

Now, which wall is next?

Florida or Bust? Bust

I should be in Florida right now. I'm not. It was a trip I really can't afford right now, but such an opportunity that I couldn't turn it down. So I looked for the cheapest way to get there and it turned out to be Greyhound. Tickets bought, arrangements all made. And a feeling of impending doom all week and the inability to envision myself there. I've always seemed to have an over abundance of empathy but I don't consider myself very clairvoyant; but this didn't really feel like the seasonal depression I usually suffer from in late Winter. Just this feeling of "not going to happen".

So what happened, you ask? The bus terminal is small, just a closet at a Pilot station with a McDonald's on the other end of the building. No personnel on the weekend. I got there early. And waited. And waited. And waited. And started making phone calls. It took me an hour to find out that my bus had been cancelled due to bad weather further up the line. You would think in this computer age, I would have gotten some kind of message earlier in the day. If I had known, I could have driven to St. Louis and caught my connection there, but by the time I knew what was up, it was too late. Plus, I don't actually know if my connecting bus made it out. So, back home and sitting on the floor, making phone calls and digging around in my luggage for the little bottles of booze I was taking to drink at Disney (their drinks are pricey), on the verge of tears. Rosco must have sensed something because he ran through the house, took a flying leap and parked himself on my shoulders.

I suppose I gave up too easily. Everyone kept saying "can't you find another way there?" but it would have taken another day to arrange things, probably be Tuesday before I could have gotten there and then turned around on Friday to head back. Again, maybe it really is just seasonal depression, but I couldn't even think by then. The thought of it just exhausted me.

So now I have the week off, although I'm going to go talk to my boss about working Wednesday through Friday. I think I'll see about getting my taxes done tomorrow and some other things I've been wanting to get taken care of. And today? Well, make some of those phone calls. Oh yeah, and watch the freezing rain that is supposedly moving through in the next few hours.

This winter really sucks.

Long Winter Days

The days have dragged this week. It was endless. And I'm in a funky mood, which I realized this morning feels like depression creeping in. I have a problem with it, especially in the Winter. I've detected enough of a pattern over the years to know it sets in about now and it's probably sun deprivation. As soon as we get a sunny early Spring day that I can go out and bask in I'll feel the shift. Knowing this doesn't make it easier, however. My mind scatters, I can't seem to move in a straight line, mentally, at all. Every hurtle seems bigger. But.... I have a chance to go to Florida next month. Definitely can't afford it, but it isn't an opportunity I care to miss. I'm going, even if I have to hitchhike! I'm just hoping that the Florida sun does the trick!

The Sun Rises on a Brighter Day!

We have water! The plumbers got here yesterday afternoon and it was an easy fix. My husband said he got done in less than an hour. While one plumber was under the house fixing the problem the other one was in the drive way, getting his truck unstuck! We have a narrow drive way and he slid off of it. Anyway, got home from work and was able to take a hot shower. Best shower of my life! It's supposed to get warmer today, maybe into the low 40s (heat wave!) with rain. My concern is the fact that there is no where for it to go. Somehow, I don't think the City crew is going to drive around this morning digging out the sewer drains. I had almost hoped to wake up to freezing rain and use it as an excuse to not show up to work. I could use a day off--such a long week!

Just for a taste of the fun we've been having, I'm sharing this video. I think you have to go to YouTube to watch it. The last 30 seconds or so are our stretch of road. People have talked about the "Snow of '82" for years (18" that year) but I think this is worse, just because of the colder temps.

Mark Your Calendar!

The continuing saga of Winter Storm Ion is making my life miserable interesting. I live10 miles from where I70 and I57 crosses in Illinois. It's a trucker's haven, lots of truckstops and restaurants. The authorities have asked people to avoid parts of the town because of the congestion caused by the truckers getting off the Interstate to rest and refuel which has become a problem all on it's own. Check it out here and here. My husband works at Menard's, which is in the middle of all of that mess. He hasn't gone in the last two days (we couldn't get the car out of the drive) but he's tried it this morning.

On other fronts, I've decided people are just stupid. We have been asked to stay off the roads--so of course the store was nuts busy all day yesterday with people who just wanted to get out and see if they could! We did get milk and bread (but no eggs) but they were both later than normal. I stayed in a good mood and handled it well but its stressful and gets exhausting. And then a half hour before the end of my day, my husband called to ask me to call the City office and see if they could turn off our water-- we had a pipe break. Oh lord. I was almost in tears by that point. We had left our facets dripping, hoping to avoid such an occurrence. One good thing, we had been collecting that dripping water into jugs so we have water to drink. I've got snow melting on the stove right now so I can flush the toilets, but no shower. I left a call with the local plumber--hopefully he doesn't have too long of a back list. I'm trying to keep my sense of humor, but it's a wispy thing right now!

How Is It Already November?

I bought this lawn chair at an auction two months ago for $2.00. I used to have one that we got as a Wedding gift 25 years ago and I hunted and hunted for it in the garage until my husband told me it fell apart a couple of years ago. (I don't remember it falling apart--I bet it's up in the rafters and he just didn't want to get up and find it!) Anyway, I bought this chair. Almost every evening after work, I've sat in it, catching the sun shine that hits perfectly there at 4 p.m., popped a Corona, put in my earplugs and read for about a half-hour before going in and starting dinner. Well, I think we're done for the season and I see withdrawal in my immediate future. I usually look forward to early Winter, shorter days, cozying up with a blanket on the couch with a cup of hot tea watching TV or reading. This year I'm dreading it. I'm not ready for cold weather. I just want sunshine! I keep thinking I need to put the chair away before we get bad weather, but there has been the occasional nice evening. We got a new schedule at work, tho, so I'm going to be working until 6 p.m. most nights. (That's another story for another time.) I guess I'll fold it up and find a place for it this weekend. And probably cry a little bit.