Six More Weeks? Hah!

We don't pay attention to Groundhog Day in these here parts, except for a ceremonial viewing of the movie, which I love unreservedly. If we only had six weeks of winter to look forward to from the beginning of February, we'd be thrilled. As it is, we could have snow on the ground until April.

This is what my world looked like last night, before sunset.

This is a 6' drift in our side yard, carved and shaped by the wind.

This was the path leading to my front steps, which is covered entirely this morning with new drifts. The Hub took the pickup up the half mile driveway (which is actually a township road), and got stuck near the end and had to be towed into town, where he will remain until the snowplow opens our road. Which may not happen today given that we're the only ones at the end of the road, it's not a through-street, and there are no children needing the school bus tomorrow.

So for now, and maybe for a couple of days, I'm here by myself. Just me and my computer, and lots of work to do. (well, I do have electricity, and plenty of food, and the TV and the Olympics, and a bunch of DVDs to watch... it's not a hardship, unless I continue to lop pieces off myself, as I did to my thumb this morning while slicing up a pineapple. Or I lose power).

Life on the Prairie- it's an adventure, fer shure.

In the meantime, I'm listening to The Mysteries of Udolpho, by Ann Radcliffe, the gothic novel referenced constantly in Northanger Abbey (which I finished on the treadmill yesterday. The assorted readers pronounced Northanger in many ways, rhyming it with manger, anger, banger, and in one memorable case: lunger). Northanger is a wonderful book, smart, funny, and a delight from beginning to end, though I still harbor a bit of suspicion about Henry Tilney's true leanings (only falling in love with Catherine because she fell in love with him, and because his father treated her shabbily, not to mention his deep and detailed knowledge of fabric, fit, and fashion). Udolpho is starting slowly, taking its time to set things up, but I suspect they're going to become spooky soon, what with the avaricious uncle rubbing his hands in glee over the beautiful niece who could be married advantageously.  I'm looking forward to some plot, any plot, developing.