So here’s the update I tried to publish yesterday morning:

UPDATE:   Well, this worked out well. The hospital called and asked if Alison needed a ride; I told them to put her on the list and we’d call if I made it out. I made it out – one foot from the garage. The snow is up above the middle of the wheels  to the bumper – and, gee, I have to go check the tailpipe before we do anything else – and I couldn’t even get back into the garage.

Fortunately, the snow has supposedly stopped, but the temperature is going to plunge really, really low. Maybe, with daylight, we can shovel in front of the front wheels and Cameron and push from behind and I’ll make it partway into the garage, at least.

Oh, guess who came to get her? The CEO of the hospital.

Of course, with the storm with blowing snow and sub-zero temperatures, Alison works today and tomorrow. I am at this moment starting to prepare for this outing to deliver her to the hospital. Trapper’s hat and big mittens time. You know, holding car keys with mittens is not too easy.

I may or may not update.

FROM A LOCAL WEATHER BROADCAST:

The intensity really begins to pick up this afternoon and evening, with snowfall rates of 1-2″+ per hour possible. This will bring dangerous travel conditions. Additionally, winds will pick up and cause some blowing/drifting snow late this afternoon and into this evening.

While this storm will move off to our east late tonight, our snow chances continue thanks to the potential for some lake effect snow, especially northwest of Fort Wayne. Some additional accumulations may be possible. Total snow accumulations for much of our area through Monday morning are forecast to be in the 10″-12″ range with isolated higher amounts u

Oh, and the temps tonight – below zero and windchill around -26. 

It is 31 degrees outside, not bad at all, except that it makes the snow wet and heavy. Our driveway entry is a pain in the neck when we have snow. For some reason between the ruts made by our car wheels turning in and the snowplows pushing snow mounds across the wide mouth of the drive, it is a good place to get stuck. (A lot of other car also use our drive to turn around in and so the accumulated muck gets pushed up a lot.)

With just this morning’s snow, I turned into the driveway and my Buick said, “Oh, I don’t think so.” But it wasn’t hard-headed about it and I managed to back a little and then move forward. However, I felt a line had been crossed. Why today would be different, I don’t know, but I grabbed a snow shovel and slowly cleared the ruts forming, although the snow is still coming down.

It was kind of satisfying and since it was warmish I thought I’d just do the path to the front door. So I did. Slow pace, use your legs. It was a Sarah Grismore morning (Mother)

We completely reorganized all of the Christmas stuff, taking pictures of what was going in each box and numbering and labeling it. Then I finished reading my book about spies . . . and am wondering if I should have labeled the boxes in code.

Cries of sorrow are coming from the other room because the Colts are losing. I had a strong psychic feeling that they would . . . and now I am a pariah. Sometimes it is better to let my gut feelings not burp up into my mouth.

UPDATE: Oh, thank heavens, with the Colts Win (45-44) I escape the glares of people thinking “JINX!”

I opened up the notification about the Kindle Daily Deal and saw a group of books, so I clicked on LEARN MORE and  . . . Oh no, it’s inspiring books again for $2.99 or less. But it wasn’t; you had to click on a small new Kindle book deals link to get there. I didn’t see that immediately, obviously.

I scrolled down the page of inspiring books and found The Art of Procrastination: A Guide to Effective Dawdling, Lollygagging and Postponing – like I’m not a master of that already. Then, two rows down was The Procrastinator’s Handbook: Mastering the Art of Doing It Now. They want $7.39 for it; I think I can put that off. The former one was priced at $9.39, which is obviously an inside joke between the author and procrastinators.

The prices were what tipped me off to the fact that maybe this wasn’t the daily deal. Here, look at the page yourself:

Don’t you think it’s misleading? Well, I’m inspired to be more alert when deals are offerred. (And, yes, 2 r’s in offerred – take that, modernized computer spelling guides.

I’ve seen colder. Minus 7 this morning and I wouldn’t want to be outside for long. Were I a mailman, I would be so bundled-up I would look like a toddler in two snowsuits and I can’t imagine putting my mittened-hands into the mail pouch. Well, for one thing, I wouldn’t be able to bend my arm.

Shane appears to like the cold and snow; he goes out and embraces the cold and snowflakes, flashing his big, big smile. Of course, he knows that he isn’t really on the high plains and all he has to do is turn around and trot back inside. Maybe there’s some Walter Mitty in that dog.

I am here, warm and snug, looking out at a night that is not at all dark because the ground and most other horizontal and somewhat horizontal surfaces are white. The sky is also white. It is also cold, soda pop-freezing cold, so we have had to take measures. There are always some measures to be taken: When we lived in Palatine, Illinois we would leave the cabinet doors under the sink open to prevent the pipes from freezing. Just that one little thing – so important.

That kitchen sink wall faced east and was elevated and big plate glass sliding doors were next to the sink.  Those glass doors, which opened onto a deck, have gone down in infamy as the site of the huge raccoon sighting during one of WGN’s late shows. So long ago, so well-remembered.

I think the raccoon memory was pushed out of its cubbyhole because I saw a headline today about a snake living in a sofa. I’m really glad I reminded myself about that this late in the day and as close to bedtime as it is. What dreams may come? Have you ever thought that  one  letter altered to another makes the difference between Shakespeare and snakespeare? Probably not, but there it is, just a little musing that breached the defenses of my mind.

I have earphones in (my ears) and am listening to Count Your Blessings because I am weaning myself off of Christmas songs, but am not quite ready to really rock and roll, so to speak.

The roads are slick and while I was stopped at an intersection, the car 90 degrees to my right was spinning its front wheels, trying hard to get a grip and go. Just as the light turned green for me, I saw the car get some purchase and nodded as the driver guided his now barely-moving car in front of me. It was the least I could have done . . . and probably in my own best interest. It’s a small town, after all.

Coming out of the Wal-Mart parking lot onto the curving drive that borders the retaining pond/ditch, I noticed the plowing people had left mounds between the edge of the road and the ditch and probably saved quite a few people grief.

It was a balancing act today with the slick roads: I made certain I had no holes in my underwear, but did wear the robin’s egg blue fur-lined trapper cap, which isn’t the most flattering head topping I have, but it is warm – especially with the ear flaps down and snapped.

I am just rambling here and suppose I will reach out and grab my Kindle and settle down to some good read. That reminds me that yesterday’s Daily Deal was a choice of 20 romance stories – nothing like starting the New Year with a shudder. Or maybe it was the day before and maybe yesterday was 20 inspiring stories; anyway, you can tell it was unsettling.

But I am supposed to be settling . . . so here I go.

I am up at five in the morning, and I have been up for about 30 minutes. I’m not sure what woke me and I don’t know why I didn’t snuggle in deeper, but I turned on the light and moseyed around and then looked at the news . . . and the weather. Of course, I already knew about the weather – even the vestibule was pretty d_____ cold, to use a meteorological term.

I glanced at the forecast for the weekend and although the high reaches 30 degrees, it quickly goes down to -2.  I think I know why people inevitably talk about the weather, despite other newsy events – it just keeps whacking you up side the head.

I’m thinking about putting the pillow back up side my head . . .

Although I wrote in the post just below that today and tomorrow are really just the same, I have to admit this year is going to be a challenge and each day is going to have to count for something. I don’t know what yet, or how much, but I’ve got to keep focused on at least an iota of some gumption every day. This is sounding intimidating, but we will see – maybe from somewhat farther away since I am already feeling myself back away from 364 days of “something” looming before me.

When I lost weight I walked every day to the theme from The Longest Day; I later would figure out that as I got more fit, the cadence held me back some and didn’t lend itself to sprint walking then regular walking and so forth. But, that was not much to pay for the constant reminder of the men on that day . . . and in other battles. The fact that I had interviewed men who had landed in the bloody water of Normandy – sat right next to them, heard their voices drift back to that days and the ones that followed.

I guess I can start thinking on Tom Brokaw’s Greatest Generation and get up every day thinking of all the years of The Great Depression and World War II and do something on the days of this year.

I have to use good sense, plan, be ready for setbacks and retain my determination. I know I can do that. Yes, I know it, not think it. Thinking it is a weaselly way to put it, leaving room for sniveling out; I know I can do it.

I know statements such as this are often the definite harbingers of failure. I acknowledge that and still say, I know I’m going to go at the days of this year. You can hold me to it.