Oh, (S)No(w)!

MONDAY MADNESS aka MONDAY MEMORIES

Seriously?!

As I posted on Facebook this morning...

Dear Mother Nature,

What the (fill in the blank)?

Yes, I know February is one of the winter months.  I expect cold and even snow.  But the past week has netted us 13 inches of the white stuff.  9 inches last Tuesday, which had not melted away, only melted a little and froze...harder and harder throughout the week.  And now another 4+ inches over night.  One sweep of the car with a broom last week was quite enough.  This morning invited another, and I had no excuse not to accept.

I'll admit that snow can be pretty.  I've seen the beauty of Jack Frost's artistry.  But I'd really rather see it in pictures, not deal with the stuff.  My three oldest daughters and I once spent five hours sitting on a country road, two miles from home, and no way to get there, thanks to an unexpected blizzard.  The road grader/snowplow had gotten stuck, and five cars full of neighbors and friends, including ours, sat and waited, while he hoped help would arrive while we tried to stay warm.

At that time, my girls were 3, 5, and 7.  I'd left work early and picked them up at the babysitter, then drove ten miles farther--sliding sideways once--to meet their dad at a small gas station.  The plan was to follow him and the road grader.  Until the road grader got stuck.  And so did all of us who thought we were smart by follow the snowplow.  Uh, no.

We had no snacks, no drinks, and just enough gas to keep the car warm enough so we wouldn't freeze.  After four hours of waiting, we all walked more than half a mile to the closest neighbor's house.  They offered all us warmth and friendship, fixed us sandwiches and drinks, and assured us that help was on the way.  Help came from two other neighbors, who drove their four-wheel-drive tractors and picked us up to take us home, when they could have stayed snug and warm in their own homes.

No driving the tractors on the roads.  No one could see where the road ended and the deep ditches on both sides began.  We traveled cross-country over winter wheat fields.  And let me tell you, a driver (my brother-in-law and the only one seated), plus five of us in the cab of that tractor was not a picnic on the plains of Kansas.  (Hint: Tractors in fields are not smooth-going.)  The girls were bounced around like billiard balls, and I lost track of how many times my head hit the top of the cab.

When the driver let us out across the road from home, we headed straight for our house---only we forgot about the ditch.  We couldn't see it.  I nearly lost the youngest in the 4 feet of drifted snow.  I kept telling my daughters that we were on a great adventure, and that someday we'd look back and laugh.  I chuckle now, but a laugh is hard to come by.

We're not the only ones who've been dumped on this year.  The Pacific Northwest has had more than its share, as has the East Coast, the South, the Midwest, and most of the country.  Really?  If I wanted Canadian weather, I'd move to Canada.  It's beautiful there and they know how to deal with snow and blizzards and cold and...  All those things I'm not so crazy about.

Frankly, Mother Nature, I've had enough, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one.  While Spring is not my favorite season---thanks to tornadoes---I really wouldn't mind if it came early.  This is one of the longest cold spells in winter that I can remember.  So cold, the City opted not to salt the streets to melt the snow and ice for two reasons.  Isn't that an oxymoron?

1. They're low on salt.  It's all sitting at the salt mines, fifty miles away, and the roads are too bad to go get it.  
2. It wouldn't do any good.  The temps have been in single digits, making the use of salt, well, useless.

But we'll thaw.  By the weekend, temps are expected to hit 50 degrees.  I'm not sure I want to look beyond that.  In spite of wishing for spring, we have at least five more weeks of winter.  I don't expect my feet to thaw until July.

What's your weather been like?  Have you been snowed in?  Spent far too much time clearing snow from your car so you can crawl to work, hoping you don't get stuck and/or no one slides into you?  Or are you basking in the Florida/Arizona/etc. sunshine?  (If so, a resounding raspberry to you. ;) )

A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water. ~ Carl Reiner

How to Survive Blah Season

Yes, the photo on the left is a black hole.  That's how I feel about this time of year.  You know, the holidays are over, the weather is, well, unspeakable in some parts of the country right now.  We're looking at at least another month and a half of dreary and probably closer to two months.  Around these parts, our worst winter storms tend to happen in March.  So if January is shutting down the South, I'm really not looking forward to what we'll get in the middle of the country before spring arrives.

Weather is changing.  Yes, January is supposed to be cold, at least in my neck of the woods.  Cold weather means staying in more than usual and bundling up when going out.  It means going out less, if possible.  While I'm not a big outdoor person--I spend most days at my computer, working on projects, no matter what season or weather--I still like breathing fresh air.  But I don't like going out in the cold.  Let's face it.  Most of us aren't kids anymore.  And just why can the younger ones deal with cold weather so much better than adults?

Aside from the weather, I consider this Blah Season.  Yes, Valentine's Day is coming up soon, but other than that, we're on a slow boat to spring.  Punxsutawney Phil will or will not see his shadow on February 2, issuing another 6 weeks of winter, either way.

Seasonal Affective Disorder
Yes, SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is real.  Let's face it, we need SUNLIGHT!  The Winter Blues affect millions of people.  But there are ways to effectively deal with them and get through Blah Season.
(Found on SmartPeople:  10 Cool Ways to Beat the Winter Blues)

1. Exercise  Okay, I'm not a big exercise fan.  I enjoy a nice walk, but this isn't the season for it.  Numb  and sometimes throbbing fingers don't make me smile.  I'm also not a fan of gyms.  So what to do?  I have a treadmill that doubles as extra "closet space."  By that I mean that I have a tendency to hang my clothes on it. ;)  I'd get some exercise by reducing that particular closet space, then I could actually use that treadmill for exercise.  And let's not discount the small collection of exercise videos that collect dust on the shelf.  I guess that means I really can use #1 after all.
2. Eat a Healthy Diet  I'm allergic to the word "diet."  Each time I hear, read or type the word, I want to rush out and get a shake at Sonic.  Or eat a container of ice cream.  Or a bag of candy bars.  Yeah, you get the picture.  Still, it couldn't hurt to eat more veggies and cut down on the sweets.  Couple that with #1, and it might be a win-win situation.
3. Get Some Sun  There are two windows to my right with sunshine coming through.  I make four trips a day to two different schools, so it's not like I never leave my house.  And I leave early on those trips, so I have a good parking place, then I sit for 20 minutes, waiting for the school bells to ring and the students to come rushing out.  (I spend that time working, reading, or even listening to music.)  For now, I have this one covered.
4. Act on Your Resolutions  Remember those New Year's Resolutions we made four weeks ago?  Or have they been forgotten.  I did work on one of them this morning, although I don't call it a resolution.  If I do that, I set myself up to fail.  What one did I work on?  Being grateful.  After Max the Dog woke me this morning, I realized it's Wednesday.  Hump Day.  Hump Day in Blah Season.  Is that an oxymoron?  My first thought, after saving my fingers from Max's playful bites, was that I'm grateful it's Wednesday.  Get through this day, and there are only two more days to make those school runs.  Now that's something I look forward to.  Yes, I'm acting on my resolution to start the day on a positive note.
5. Avoid Binge Drinking  Really?  And I was thinking this might help.  Shucky darn.  Bummer.  My binge drinking amounts to nearly nothing anyway, so where's the fun in that?  Okay, this one is taken care of. :)
6. Treat Yourself  Hmm, this one is tough.  Then again, I do manage to do this, now and then.  Last night I watched my two favorite college basketball teams on TV.  Because they played at the same time, although not each other, we flipped back and forth between channels.  Both teams won!  One of those teams, Wichita State University aka WSU, is ranked #4 in the nation.  Yes, watching them win 22 straight games has been a treat.  I also downloaded a book to my Kindle that I've been wanting to get for some time, found it discounted and am reading it.  I'm reading!!  Now that's a real treat!
7. Relax!  Yeah, sure.  I recently finished revisions on my August book, jumped into writing the next book which is due in less than a month, and received line edits on that first one on Monday.  Relax?  You've got to be kidding!  By the time I make it to bed at night, my brain has quit functioning.  Meditation hasn't been happening for several days, so that's off the list for now.  Still, I've been reading that book in #6, so I do get some relaxation.  Another winner.
8. Embrace the Season  This one is hard, but since I'm determined to be more positive, I'll try to stop complaining about the cold, terrible roads when it ice and storms, and enjoy the beauty of snowfall at midnight.  Okay, I admit that I enjoy nature, even during Blah Season.
9. Get Social Support  Isn't that what Facebook, Twitter, and email is for?  Not to mention the telephone.  And because my youngest daughter lives with me, I'm rarely alone.  No, being lonely isn't something that comes with Blah Season.
10. Catch Some Zzzz's  Okay, now I'm really rolling on the floor laughing.  Writers on deadline sleep?  But I have been sleeping in later on weekends and not getting up nearly as early on weekday mornings, gaining me a half hour.  If Max doesn't decide it's playtime at 7 a.m.  On rare days--and I do mean rare--I'll sneak in a nap.

If the above list didn't help point in the wrong direction, try Buzzfeed's 13 Simple Tips and Tricks for Beating the Winter Blues.  If nothing else, the photos are fun and at least chase the blues away for a few minutes.  Sometimes that's all we need.

Before we know it, the snow and cold will be gone, garden season will be in full swing, trees will be budding, and we'll all be getting out more.  Until then, if Blah Season or the Winter Blues are getting you down, try the tips above for some strong offense.  And remember, March Madness is just around the corner!  Go Shox!

I like these cold, gray winter days. Days like these let you savor a bad mood. ~ Bill Watterson

Snow and Ice and Blizzards, Oh My!

If you live in the 2/3 of the U.S. that isn't experiencing the enormous winter storm that's creating havoc in the other 1/3, count yourself lucky. After reading comments on Facebook by those getting hit the hardest, I've decided not to whine.

It's strange that less than 10 days ago, my daughters and I were talking about the time we and several of our neighbors were caught in a blizzard 2 miles from home. Home at that time was a farm, where the nearest neighbor was 1/4 mile away.

The snow had begun while I was still at work, and for once the company owner gave permission for those of us worried about getting home safely the choice to leave. I left, drove the 10 miles to pick up my three girls--ranging in age from 3 to 7--from the baby-sitter, then started for home. We were halfway there when the station wagon I was driving decided to do a complete 360 in the middle of the road. Shaken, I made it slowly to a small gas 'n go, where we met up with my husband. We followed him the 2 miles north to our road, then turned west, but hadn't gone half a mile when we learned that the snowplow was stuck on the road...and blocking it. We and 6 of our neighbors who used that road to get home were stranded. The closest house was over half a mile away, and it was blizzarding. Not ideal conditions for small children who weren't dressed for walking around in that kind of weather. But then neither were most of the adults!

A neighbor who lived farther away heard about the trouble and drove his 4-wheel drive tractor to our line of stranded cars. A few at a time, he took us to the nearest house, where those neighbors had made coffee, hot cocoa, and sandwiches. By now we'd been stranded for over 4 hours. My brother-in-law showed up sometime later in a second 4wd tractor and took us home. Believe me, 2 adults and 3 kids in a tractor cab is a crunch! He drove across snow-buried wheat fields that were like washboards, causing us to hit our heads on the top of the cab several times during the 2 mile journey. Finally coming to a stop across the road from our house, he let us out. We tromped through a deep ditch full of snow that wasn't recognizable as ditch, crossed the road, then another ditch, and were finally home. By the time we were inside the house, it was after 10 p.m. Our 6+ hour adventure was finally over!

Times like these don't happen very often in our part of the state, so we're usually caught off guard when they do. I won't lie and say we had a fun time during that long ago blizzard, but we certainly did have an adventure we'd always remember.

Kindle and Me pt. 3

My Kindle is currently resting while I read my new paperback copy of Susan Elizabeth Phillips' Fancy Pants. Her latest, Call Me Irresistable, waits on my Kindle to be read. Why? It's complicated.

I haven't even come close to reading all the thirty-some books I've downloaded, and I'm itching to buy more. Such as?

1. The next two books in Amanda Hocking's Tryle Trilogy.
2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
3. Room by Emma Donahue
4. After by Amy Efaw
5. Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Those last two are YA books. Since discovering and reading Sarah Dessen's YA's, I'm drawn to them again. When I first started writing (as an adult), they were the kind I read and wanted to write. Instead, I ended up in romance, because I love the HEAs!! Still, I enjoy reading in other genres and discovered some fantastic YA and Middle Reader books available that by far surpass anything related to Twilight or The Clique series. Someday I'll compile a list of my favorite books and authors. Someday.

But no reading today, even though it's snowing outside, the temp is currently 5 degrees, and the windchill is all the way up to -17. Instead, as soon as I hit PUBLISH, I'll be making lunch for the four grandkids who are here for the day, because school is closed, thanks to that lovely windchill.

If you're in the area being hit by this huge winter storm, make use of it. Curl up with your favorite blanket, a hot drink, and a great story, whether in hardcover, paperback, ebook, or audio, and enjoy!

Happy First Day of Spring

Ahhhhh, Spring! Yes, it's the Spring Equinox on this side of the world. Autumn Equinox downunder. Winter, here in Kansas, where overnight, after a beautiful 60+ degree day yesterday, a storm dumped 2 or more inches over much of the state. Typical.

Today is cold. It's 30 degrees at mid-afternoon, but the forecast says the temp will be in the 40's tomorrow and quickly climbing back into the 60's the rest of the week. I can accept that, but I'm really, really hoping this was the final blast of winter until much, much later this year. We've had more snow days than I can remember, and that's a long time.

I know there are a lot of people out there who pooh-pooh Global Warming and Climate Change, but I've been saying for the past 20 years that the weather as part of the climate has been changing. It's been slow, but it's been happening. I don't want to debate GW or CC. I'm not a scientist. But I have experienced the weather for many decades and have a fairly good memory of, at least, the past.

When I was a young girl, we had seasons. I remember Spring, especially in high school, and experienced many days of Spring Fever. I loved Fall and still do. It's my favorite of all the seasons. But the change in seasons, at least where I live and have always lived, has been slowly changing. Now the coming of Spring means a slow back and forth between days and days of bitter cold, interrupted by a day of warming. That back and forth continues as the bitter cold warms a few degrees for less days and the warming lasts for more days, until cold runs out, and it's hot summer. The opposite is true between summer and winter. Disagree, if you will, but I'll stick by my experiences. And I just don't like losing my 4 seasons.

So I'll stay inside today and avoid the snow as much as possible. At least the roads are clear, but wet, and driving isn't dangerous. There's plenty to keep me busy, and by the time I'm done with all that, the temps will be hovering 80 degrees. Deadline hell has arrived.