Compromise

We have had a few warmish days over the last few weeks. Not many. And not VERY warm, but you could feel the hint of spring in the air. You could go outside without a jacket. I even wore flip flops one day because I was overheating! But then it turned cold again. Yesterday was REALLY cold. A nice "haha" from Mother Nature. But I'll tell you what, when I'm longing for spring, and I'm so sick of cold, and I really just want it all to be over with already, there is one way to still make me happy about a lingering winter...



A giant snowstorm!.


Ironic, I know.





Nothing tastes as good as fresh snow...





Someone has to protect these little (dead) plants from the blizzard!


Mom, I'm ready to come in for some hot chocolate now...

The Storm of the Century

For those of you out of state, or those of you who didn't happen to watch the news last night, Utah battened down yesterday evening for the worst blizzard to hit the state in at least a decade. Some were predicting the worst winter storm in a century.

Schools closed early.

Universities called off evening classes.

Concerts were cancelled.

Hospitals postponed surgeries for another day.

Holiday travel plans were forfeited in lieu of staying safe.

There was a rush on emergency supplies like flashlights, batteries, and thermal blankets.

Grocery stores were flooded with people doing their Thanksgiving meal shopping a day early because, as the weather reports foretold, there would be so much snow on Wednesday that you would not be able to get to a store.

By 4pm yesterday evening, nearly the whole state, from top to bottom, had shut down and people could talk about nothing else.

So, for the enjoyment of all of those of you not able to look out your window and see it for yourself, I give you...

THE GREAT BLIZZARD OF 2010!!!
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Wait a minute. Let's try a close up to see if we can see that snow better.


Hmm.....maybe let's try the back yard instead.


Ummmm....uh.....no...WAIT! I see some! There on the wicker sofa!


Boy, I sure am glad all those weather guys went to meteorology school for all those years. But, hey, it is 13 degrees out, so maybe we should give them some credit?


Nah.

They're all fired. I hope.

That Was a Nice Week of Spring

I love summer. I really do! It's my favorite season. I love how green and leafy the trees are. I love setting up my patio furniture on the deck and enjoying breakfast or dinner in the shade of the striped umbrella. I love napping in the hammock. I love golfing. I love making watching my kids run around outside. I love the picnics and BBQs, the hikes and gardening, the fresh veggies and fruits, the exercise, the ice cream (the counteracting of the exercise with the ice cream)....there are so many things to love about summer!

But one thing I don't love is the sweat. It's unavoidable, living someplace like Utah, where you are 5000 feet closer to the sun, and where the desert climate makes everything bake during the day. I could deal with it if there was more of a respite from it inside. Unfortunately, I live in a house with only partial A/C. We had the Mr. Slims put in on one half of the house 2 years ago. It helps...if you sleep in Daphne's room, the playroom, or the kitchen (which I've considered. It does have a big island.) Our bedroom, however, plus the dining room, living room, and Beck's room, have no A/C. There is a swamp cooler upstairs, but on a really hot day, or during a really hot night (when I'm too paranoid to leave the windows open to let the swamp cooler do its work), it's not enough. I just sweat. And sweat. And sweat. And then I get sticky. And then I sweat some more.

I really hate sweat. Love summer, hate sweat.

I would say my favorite season was spring, if it would last more than 8 days in Utah. But since we had snow last week, and 95 degree temps yesterday, I just can't vote for fickle, fleeting spring.

So summer gets my vote for favorite season of the year. But can someone just do something about the heat???

When Mother Nature Gets Depression

What the fuh?!?

Pull yourself together,woman! Seriously! Can I get you some Zoloft or something? Geez.

Why I Hate August

It's not poor August's fault. It tries to be a good month, on the whole. Warm without being as blazing hot as July. Sometimes even pleasantly and cool and balmy. Its mornings are milder. Its evenings are softer. Its skies are just as blue in the day and just as sapphire in the night. Its stars shine just as brightly and its crickets chirp just as loudly. But August has one majorly glaring fault: It is the harbinger of death. DEATH of summer. DEATH of warmth. DEATH of vacation. DEATH, in short, of all that is virtuous, lovely, and of good report and praise-worthy.

When I was a kid, I hated August because I knew that school would be starting soon. When I was a teacher, I hated August because I knew that school would be starting soon. And now, even though I am neither student nor teacher, I can't help but go into a sense of panic when August hits. In fact, the fear hits earlier than August. It hits about late April. Because late April is when things really start to warm up. And once they warm up, it means summer is almost here. And summer, as we all know, has less hours and minutes and seconds in its days than all the other times of year. It flies faster and is over sooner. So as soon as it turns May, summer really has one foot in the grave. I mean, it's practically winter already!!!

I know that this is neurotic of me. I know I should just kick back and enjoy May, June and July. And I try! Honestly I do. And I usually manage to hold back the hysteria.......until August. But then it unleashes itself it it's full joy-killing glory. After August comes bare trees, dead flowers, cold weather, ice, snow, scraping the car, wearing bulky coats, getting sick, cold weather, putting on weight, having to leave my warm house, having to leave my warm bed, cold weather....everything I hate about life. And it all begins to begin in August.

And that, my friends, is why August and I will never get along.

Raise Your Hand If You Woke Up In Alaska

I did.







Is it April 16th or December 16th? I can't tell.


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So Over It

This was the scene yesterday morning when I got up. You have got to be kidding me! One of the reasons I hate March. You get all psyched over the warm weather, and then THIS happens...

Wishing for Spring. Or Snow.

Hooray! I can see my grass! Or, rather, I can see this disgusting marshy brown area where my grass normally is. But it's better than the grey, black, and brown flecked snice (snow + ice) that's been covering my entire yard for months. I was so sick of it. SO sick of looking at that hard, crusty, filthy mess. And sick of biting it (that is to say, me falling on my arse) on my driveway every other time I walked to my car. I know, I know. I could have shoveled. Or thrown 15 lbs of salt down. But I needed to work on my aerial dismount anyway.) Now I just need some spring. I know that this is wishful thinking. No only did the groundhog say more winter, but I've lived here long enough to know that you're in for some serious disappointment if you start expecting spring in early February. So if I can't have spring, can I at least get some fresh snow? I hate winter. I really do. I despise being cold. But somehow, in some strange paradox I cannot explain, I love snow. Falling down in flakes the size of fists, piled 12 inches high all over the yard. I love to drive in a blizzard or in fresh, deep, drifts that crunch under your tires. So really, I'm not being that demanding. Mother Nature can take her pick--50's and sunny or deep, fluffy snow. Just not this icky blechy nasty dreary marshy crusty dirtsnow. NO MORE. Do you hear that, Woman??!! Now, get to it! I don't want to have to talk to you about this again.

If you don't live in Utah, here's what you're missing.

We have had a very snowy December and January. November was depressingly gray and brown. No snow. The ski resorts had to open late and make fake snow for quite a while. But then in December it got very cold. Colder than I can remember it being here (with highs in the teens a few days). And it began to snow, finally. And since then it has snowed once or twice a week. It even was so cold a few weeks ago that the same snow stayed on the ground for a couple of weeks. That hardly ever happens here where it's quite warm for a winter location and very sunny.

I love the snow. I hate the cold, but if it's cold I want it to be snowy. It's so quiet and peaceful and still. I love it when the flakes are big and fat and heavy and fall slowly in zigzag patterns. I love it when the trees are heavy with fresh snow and even the littlest branches are holding an inch or two on them. I even love driving in the snow. It gets your adrenaline going and you are hyper alert. It's like a mini rush. It's my version of bungee jumping, I guess.

The kids (well, Daphne) really like the snow too. I bought them snow suits this year, and the first big snow I got them bundled up to go out and make a snowman. Beck just sat there, unable to move from the thickness of his coat and snow pants. Eventually he fell over and couldn't get up. It was kind of funny. Daphne set right to work on the snowman. Ever since, she's called snow "snowman" as in "Look Mommy! Snowman outside!"