Hunkered down, part II

We are experiencing more weird weather, with more to come. Today it's snowing and the temps are dropping to the single digits. Later this week the prediction is for warmer temps and rain. Ugh. But maybe then the ice will finally melt off the roads.

To safely walk the dog on said ice, I purchased some Yaktrax. How this came about is I noticed footprints in the snow that were obviously from a jogger and that included an odd tread pattern. A trip to Dick's Sporting Goods resulted in my leaving my own odd tread pattern. These things really work, too!

I have seen only two(!) starlings at the bird feeders so far this year (knock on wood), but they are in the area, so I'm sure their absence won't last. From on high, sandhill cranes have been migrating, uttering their odd gargling song. They fly very high, barely visible on a clear day, invisible when there is cloud cover.

A neighbor's cat has taken advantage of the unused-but-full-of-straw doghouse in my backyard. Better a kitty than an opossum or - gah! - a skunk. I love wildlife... but not too up close and personal.

THIS is WINTER

The weather has actually been very winter-like for a change. Today's dog walk was just about perfect: temps in the high 20's, no wind, light snowfall. The only problem was the icy patches beneath the snow.

Even though my neighbor blows my driveway, I enjoy shoveling when the snow is light and powdery, especially in the dark when it is so silent. So peaceful.

While I am not doing much outside, some things have been fixed inside. The landline died, and when Frontier came to fix it, I decided to just do away with it. The end result was upgraded equipment and a much lower Frontier bill. Now I'm chasing down all the accounts that use my old phone number.

The microwave started making zapping noises, as though there were metal in there, so I had that replaced. It took a while for the unit to be delivered and installed, so I had to "rough it" - use the stovetop for reheating food, making popcorn, cooking bacon, etc. That resulted in more pots and pans being used, so more dishwashing. Glad that is taken care of.

The other pressing matter has been getting my RMD started. Having three different IRAs complicated things, but I think everything is ready to go now.

Today's "helper".

Happiness is a warm lap.