WEATHERING WINTER

People are starting to talk about this winter. It's not that we aren't used to cold and snow, but the "cold snap" we usually get in January turned up in mid December and has yet to leave. It's been a long, cold time of it. Well, I guess we did get a short break this week when it warmed up enough for it to rain an inch and then cover that whole slippery mess up with about eight inches of snow. Not that we're going to complain about the extra moisture to fill dugouts in the spring, but it's still not safe to walk or drive anywhere out there! Now it's right back to being very cold. At these temperatures I don't know how long it's going to be before the highways melt off the ice. Getting to and from work this week was a challenge, to say the least.

There are encouraging signs of spring being on its way, though. The one that made me smile this afternoon was the sunbeams on the livingroom floor. Good warm spots to place the big bowl of bun dough I was rising. That's what I did for my Valentine today - a batch of cinnamon buns. Now there's a wonderful comfort food smell for you! And, they are already half gone - I did give some away, though, and made a mental note to self "we can't afford that kind of calorie intake on a regular basis!"

There is also a big pot of homemade soup brewing up on the stove tonight. Glen's dad is very ill with congestive heart disease and, although he is managing to stay out of the hospital, the wear of ill health is starting to show on both him and Glen's mother. We'll take in the soup and buns tomorrow and visit for a while - don't want to play them out even further. I wonder if I'll be that independent and matter-of-fact when I walk in their same shoes? They're tough as nails.

I've also been leafing through seed and nursery catalogues lately, dreaming of greens, pinks, blues ... any colour but white! It's called spring fever and I've got it bad! Too bad that the Weather Channel is predicting another two to three inches of snow tomorrow, and another potential system drifting in after that. Oh well! It means water for the cattle and moisture for the crops!