Hiding

In my basement, with a pack of dark chocolate Pocky, while working.

There are worse ways to commute. It's darn cold down here, though, despite the space heater.

The Weather Report

Outside:

UPS men struggle against 45 mph winds and driving snow.

Inside:

I decided my basement office needed more tangled wires.


It's not even as cold as it was, thanks to a space heater! A balmy 65 F. This morning it was 40 F.

The Siege of Pyatograd

The wind blew off our milk door!

So, after shoveling the walk and porch, I remained outside as the light failed, boldly screwing it back into place as the wind howled. Claire also remained outside, in the backyard where she and Elizabeth had been playing for the previous 45 minutes. Elizabeth had retreated indoors about 15 min earlier, but Claire insisted on staying outside. She was "digging for a 'tick," by which she meant that she was trying to uproot a shrub.

20 more minutes pass as I work on the milk door, then:

"Dad!"

"Are you okay, Claire?"

"I'm 'tuck," she replied, in a faint, plaintive voice.

I walked round back, and found she'd worked her way about ten feet through the snow, before getting stuck in a drift that came up to my thighs.

"Do you want me to pick you up?"

She nodded.

"I'm cold. I'm tired."

Poor little sprout. It was all very tragic. Though, now she's had hot chocolate and she and Elizabeth are hiding under a blanket, and all is well with the world.

And, for pwnedkitten, photos of snow:

Wind-shaped drifts in front of the garage.

( Snow! )