Standing at the Trailhead of Winter

-10 the high for today. Right this very second it is -20 with a real feel of -48. I can't remember the last time it was this cold. Because of how dangerous it is to be out in these temps, the college closed for today. It's a relief to know I don't have to carefully prepare myself to be out in this weather. I can't imagine standing at the bus stop, waiting for the bus. I'm not even sure the transit system is running today. I'll have to check. Just checked and yes, the buses are running. Much like the furnace for this little apartment. It's been running nonstop since around nine last evening. I am not looking forward to the next gas bill. And since around 2 am, the wooden structure that is this apartment has been popping and thumping. I just want to stay in bed and pull the quilt up over my head. But I can't. Ado needs me. So I bundled up to take him out this morning. Three layers. Still, the cold seeped through before we'd even gone a half block. ...

Another 7 inches of snow. Another day of canceled classes. Tomorrow is supposed to bring another dip in the wind chill, the kind of dip that can bring on frostbite within ten minutes to exposed skin, so most likely, we're looking at either another day of canceled classes or a late start. Sigh. I'm really okay with not having to get up this morning. For years and years I've been getting up at 5:30 am, but the last year or so, I've found it more and more difficult to rouse myself when the alarm wakes me up. I set my clock 15 minutes fast just so I can snuggle under the covers for a bit and prepare myself mentally for starting my day. Even after 15 minutes, I don't feel ready to face the world. It's not like I don't get enough sleep. Since going caffeine free, since going soda free, since reducing my refined sugar intake (an area of my life I'm quite pleased with--it's been tough, slow going, but I'm making progress), and since getting back to t...

Nearly 8 inches of snow gave me the elusive snow day I've been pining for. And the only thing to do on a snow day is build a snow person, so that's what I did. Lovely Beautiful Daughter arrived home from work when I was finishing up and laughed, asking, "Where are the boys? Why aren't they helping?" That's okay. I enjoyed doing it myself.

Here we are, March 24, and the snow is falling, the wind blowing. Nearly all day. This after yesterday with temps near 50, a slight breeze out of the NE, and lots of sun. This after being able to get 33 miles in--33 lovely, wonderful miles. I'm officially over winter. While I love winter and being able to slow down, collect myself, I'm tired of being cold. I actually went to the thermostat today and kicked it up five degrees because I just couldn't get warm. I'm the one in the family who usually runs warm and can't stand anything over 65 degrees. Not so today. Shivering, even wrapped in a cozy sweatshirt, I punched it up to 69 much to the surprise of my family. I didn't hear any complaining happening. Yesterday's ride did put me at the 10% mark for the number of days I'm hoping to cycle this year. My goal is 200 days, and I am now officially at 20 days. Slowly but surely I'm making a dent in the mileage I want to reach as well. My goal of 7000 mi...

For the kids anyway. Not for me. But since I have several personal days I need to use before the end of the semester, I went ahead and took one so I could stay home, too. I'm glad I did. While the plan was to sit here and work all day, getting these papers read, responded to, and ready to return on Thursday, I still haven't started. I've been doing everything but sitting here working. I'm not so different from my students. Just as they put things off, so do I. Just as they don't feel guilty about procrastinating, neither do I. The work will get done. Just as it has in all the semesters I've been reading and responding to papers. Instead of working, I read an article about staying motivated in Runner's World . I helped guide my husband through a lasagna recipe; said lasagna is now filling the home with a most delicious aroma. I spent twenty minutes at 11 mph on the bike then twenty minutes at 5 mph on the treadmill, increasing the incline until I reached 10% ...

The snow came during the night, putting another thick layer on top of the layer that fell right after Christmas. The clean of the white sparkled under the street lights. Looking out our upstair's bedroom window this morning at dawn, I thought maybe three inches. An hour and a half later, when I walked out to go to work, I found the accumulation was more like six or seven inches. Our street hadn't been plowed, and even main street was a mess. Most (all) of the local schools had declared a snow day, so the kids were home for the day, but my place of higher education remained in session. Since the students are not back yet, and only faculty are there preparing for next week's first days of the spring semester, the higher ups decided we should report. Thankfully I have a four-wheel drive vehicle, so I was fine getting to work. Most of my colleagues, though, decided the snow day applied to them and didn't come in. I took advantage of the situation and completed the copying o...