...The Storm

It's freezing today. The temperature is currently 19 degrees. I am home now, weathering the snow day we had. Last night it sleeted and iced and rained, and today we will have 2-4 more inches of snow to cover it. B had to work-- no snow days for computer doctors, especially those that doctor computers that control money.

I've been freezing all day, even with my sweatshirt and wool socks, under my quilt with the kitties. I'm watching it snow virtually sideways, and I can hear the wind chimes being thrashed around in the wind. Gusts of flakes come around the south side of the house as the north wind dumps them in drifts, defeated by the mass of the house. I watched a bird a few minutes ago, maybe a crow, maybe a hawk, flapping frantically in the air, as it went nowhere. It reminded me of someone running up the down escalator.

Thursday's pictures showed a soft, gentle brown. Today's view is of a cold, hard brown, topped with the icy white of winter. The Old Man's back.

I'm off to the barn to feed an early supper. I want to get out there when it's light! If it can't be warm, at least it will be light.

Tomorrow's high is 9, and the low is -3. I imagine the low will show its face about 5:30 am when I am ready to make breakfast for the "daminals" (my new term of endearment for them). When the weather forecast says, "Partly Cloud. Bitterly cold" you know you're in for it.

I'm dreading frozen buckets, the wind poking at my scarf, trying to find an end to loosen, and cold toes. Runny noses on rosy, numb faces and frosty breath you can see. I've had it! I can conjure up enough winter images to last me the rest of my life-- I don't need the real thing!

But I'm spoiled. It's mid-February, and it's only the second cold spell we've had. It had to come sooner or later, right? Just get me through March. April can have its cold spells, but I'll take my chances and bet it won't be -3 in April.

Send me some warm thoughts over the next week, friends.