Today’s blustery and beyond-brisk temps remind me that the prediction by the Farmers’ Almanac of a cold and snowy Winter here in the Midwest sounds pretty darn credible. Yesterday, the weathermen kept touting 40 mph wind gusts and plummeting temps for today. This didn’t sound too inviting to take a walk, thus contemplating a few extra hours of shut-eye sounded much better, and I didn’t even set my alarm last night. I woke up about 7:30 and curled up in a little ball under the warm covers while I listened to the wind whipping around and rocking the house ever so slightly. I shut my eyes and fell right back to sleep and as I drifted off I know I wished I could hibernate until Spring. Speaking of hibernation, or otherwise dropping off the grid, did you miss me at the tail end of the week?

Some cyberspace shenanigans or evil voodoo was afoot the last few days trying my patience and wreaking havoc with my homeostatic condition and the internet as well. Wednesday we started the day with no internet or phones at work. Comcast in the entire building was down for about 2/3rds of the business day. The morning break was nice at first and I had an extra cup of coffee, then an early lunch, then a snack, all between trying to remote in, but everything was still out of commission. I had just started writing Wednesday’s blog, and my boss called to say we were “up”, so then alot of scrambling ensued to get some stuff done which had languished all morning. There were a few urgent items which got finished up but I was still pumping away with a big chart into the evening hours, so I decided to forego my blog post. The next day, I was working away and lost my remote connection. Big sigh on my part and after I tried to reconnect a few more times, I picked up the phone to call my boss and half-way through the call I noticed it was MY internet with the yellow shield on it. I fiddled around, pulling out plugs and plugging them back in to no avail. I decided dinner was in order and I would come back later, hopefully with my stomach full and patience intact. I was successful that time, so I worked fiendishly as if the internet connection was a parking meter and I wanted to get my chores done before it expired. I finished up, and was grateful to shut down for the night. About a half-hour later, I realized I had not done my blog post. Now, how could I forget you ask? Well, it had been over twelve hours since I walked, albeit a measly two and half miles, and walking and writing about it had slipped my mind somehow. I decided to just give the blogging another rest and return with great gusto on Friday. Yesterday, the work internet was intermittent and problematic through the day and it exasperated me. I lost my connection at least thirty times and was more than happy to terminate all keyboard activity when I finished my work day. I figured I’d better post something today in the event the power went out with this wind and you thought I was rolling along the street like a tumbleweed, never to return.

I trust you are tucked in your house clad in your cozy sweats or PJs and sipping a warm beverage with someone special by your side. As I write this, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is playing on the radio and Buddy is trying his very best to keep up and hit all the high notes. He is doing an admirable job and I told him that soon the radio stations will turn their playlists into all Christmas tunes. I’m looking forward to those songs, especially the old favorites, as is he.