my absence here only means i'm nuts: surviving winter

Winter is oppressive this year. Even people who normally like it, are weary of the never-ending snow and bitter cold. We had a few almost spring like days this week, then woke to subzero temperatures with a biting wind again yesterday.

Here's the forecast, Miles:

Winds: W at 4 MPHBarometric pressure: 30.63 in. (Hg)

Sunrise: 7:42 amSunset: 5:11 pm (That's about 9.5 hours of sunlight...if the sun isn't obscured by clouds.)

Wind chill advisory posted from 9 pm tonight through noon Saturday - wind will make it feel like -20 to -40 F

Temperatures tumble today - and struggle just to reach 0 Saturday....expect 4 more nights below zero.

First time since 1994? Possibility of no January thaw for the Twin Cities (defined as two days > 32 F.)

Friday night: WINDCHILL ADVISORY. Mostly clear - bitter. Low: -12 Windchills from -20 to -30. Saturday: Numbing sunlight. Winds: W 10-15 High: 2 Saturday night: Clear, frigid. Low: -14 Sunday: Bright sun, still very cold. High: 5

I've had a tough week with my insurance company and health care providers. I always assume people who are paid to care for my health have my interests at heart. Oh hello, cruel world. Not so. The insurance company doesn't give a flying fig as their big interest is preventing me from using the money I've paid them in premiums for the 30 years I've had a policy. Even the clinic has pissed me off. I've been a patient there for 5 and a half months and they've sort of washed their hands of me until the insurance company comes through with the $$$. It's all big business and it tends to make one cynical and cranky.

Speaking of being cynical and cranky, I have an appointment with my head doctor on Tuesday. Generally appointments are about an hour but I have a list of 14 things to talk about with her. I will say it's a step in the right direction to identify those things and have them written down in logical order. I'm not headed for the ward yet.

I had a nice talk with my mom last night. She's a hoot...Regis says an older version of me. Maybe I'm a hoot, too. Mom claims to have gotten her coping mechanism, "It could be worse" from her mom and now I believe it, too. I'm sure it pisses people off sometimes. Anyway, it made me feel better to talk and laugh with her. She said she felt like going to the Legion Club and getting drunk at the bar the other night when it started snowing again. This would be REALLY OUT OF CHARACTER for my mom. You can see how tired we are of winter.

Tiffany and Emily have about a month to go with the baby gestation. They're into the can't sleep more than four hours at a time, can't tie your own shoes, can't bend over stage. Uff da. This is why young women have babies. Aside from those effects for Tiffany and Emily, the baby arrivals will be wondrous events for us. Little miracles.

I'm going to make mushroom barley soup today and maybe a loaf of bread. I refused to leave the house this morning to buy groceries so that means we make do with what we have today.

Lily Tomlin: Reality is the leading cause of stress among those in touch with it.