not complaining about the weather

I vowed at the beginning of this winter I was not going to complain about the weather and the dark so much. I have been doing fairly well at that...and in trying to embrace the cold and gray. This is not my favorite kind of winter, however. Too much of the same. I want a blizzard, I want some action, I want 4 feet of snow and a bright blue sky.

On Saturday when I was coming home from Mankato at 4:45, I saw the sun! The actual round yellow thing in the sky! And it was bright enough to cast shadows at almost 5 o'clock! Regis and I went to the grocery store and at 5:30 there was still enough light that you could see. It was not pitch dark. Oh, what a relief. The sun will come back some day!

I've been awake since 3:30 am. I was doing pretty well at not napping and sleeping better at night but the influenza kicked the legs out from under that table. (I almost said the d word that means short person.) I slept and slept for two weeks and now I need to get back in the habit of being vertical all day. It's so nice, though, on these cold days, to climb back into the blanket fort for a while in the afternoon.

I moved the furniture around in the house. Men don't seem to understand the need for this but I get so tired of things in the same places. I moved the dining table back into the dining area and the couch back into the living room. The cat was quite amused and leaped onto every piece of furniture I moved, sat up on the bow, and peered over the edge like we were heading into the big waves. I suppose if you never leave the house, anything is cause for excitement.

A couple months ago, my friend Amanda, posted a photo on Facebook of her son with a Hobbes (Calvin and Hobbes) toy that they found at Target. I was so envious and wanted one in the worst way but since I never go to Target, I gave up on the idea. When Elliot and I were there the other day, who pops up in a clearance bin but Hobbes! It was meant to be. Here he is with Kermit. Regis says Hobbes is telling Kermit to stfu.

The other thing I did on Saturday was to stop at Mary Lu's Yarn Shop and buy the materials for this fox cowl. The woman working there assumed I was making it for a child. I said, no, I am making it for myself. Well? What's wrong with that? I started it last night and I got about halfway up the second tier of orange. I love the yarn. Like most textile art enthusiasts, I have a stash of yarn that might embarrass me if someone inspected it. They don't so I'm not worried.

Regis and I are going to pump some iron at 7. We have a busy day: coffee with friends, an AARP tax meeting, transit driving, blanket fort. Wahaha! Make it a good one!

P.S. Tom and Betty, We were at the hacienda yesterday and all is well. Call us one of these days when you are tired of sitting on the warm beach and we'll tell you some stories about the temperatures in Minnesota these days!