My workplace and most schools and colleges are closed today. That's four days of the past five...effectively giving us a six-day weekend.
How could that happen? Well, the storm system that came through Monday night was so cold that it threw down 2" of sleet on this part of North Texas, and the lows over the past three days have gone from 9 degrees to 19. So everything is frozen and impassable. Our cities don't begin to be equipped to deal with roads in these conditions, and for the temps to stay this low, this long, is just an anomaly. It hasn't happened in the 15 years I've lived here.
I'm sitting looking out my library window. My computer is to the right of the window and the snow is falling outside. Last night we had 7 inches and it's piling up.
I'm watching a squirrel dig up the sunflower seed I threw out for the birds yesterday. I never saw the birds find it, but a bonus for this fellow. Great example of casting your bread on the water...so to speak.
Can you see the squirrel? Just to the right of the hot tub.
I was to attend a Stephen Minister training tomorrow, but it's been cancelled. I'm sorry because I'm really looking forward to it, but I'm not crazy about the idea of driving to Dallas before temps go above freezing, which isn't expected before midday tomorrow. Especially since Ken is in Nashville for the National Pavement Expo, so my hardy rescuer is not available!
Conveniently for the Great Gods Mammon and Football, for whom a grand festival is currently being prepared down the road in Arlington (Sunday afternoon), the weekend will bring us highs in the 40's to 50's. Though more snow possible on Sunday.
It's quiet around these parts. I've nearly finished my library books (which I don't like...need a stockpile of books!) but have been reminded I can check out books on my Sony e-reader (I forget about that...) and am digging into some other reading, including Reframing Hope, the book for the RevGals cruise (in 22 days, woohoo!). Also am casting on a knitting project for the trip. The dogs are going pretty stir crazy...they go outside to pee and get all caught up in galumphing around (Boudreaux) and eating snow (Josie). Then they have to go out again & bring in more snow.
Reading: I've finished the Maisie Dobbs series, which is wonderful...a million thanks to Jan for turning me on to these. And yesterday I read Keeping Time by Stacey McGlynn. Very, very highly recommended. I also read the latest (for me) Stephanie Plum book, Sizzling Sixteen. Good, but not enough Grandma Mazur for me.
Writing: I have a few RevGals posts to put together, and I'm writing this (a miracle, first blogging in a long time!) And I have a Friday Five to post...with all the time in the world to consider it.
Watch this space.
oh, bonus photo:
these are some Aunt Lugenia slippers. Made by my Aunt Lugenia Culbreath, my Memamma's sister. These are at least 25 years old. Aunt Lugenia made hundreds, maybe thousands of pairs of slippers like this. I tend to prefer barefoot, but in an old house with wood and tile floors, on a really cold day...these rock. Here's to you, Aunt Lugenia.
