White Lightning Axiom: Redux

The drive back to the manor yesterday was the standard rolling slugfest down the turnpike. Semi Trucks in the passing lane, Mario Andretti passing on the shoulder. The strange thing was that my hands got cold. I mean the "Oh wow, that hurts!" type of cold. I did not notice it at first because I was much too busy trying to find something of worth on the radio. Okay, I'm not a big MLK opponent or anything, but cant NPR have something else on for a few minutes? Anyways, after a bit I start to notice the ashen color of the skin on the back of my hand and then the realization that my hands are chilled to the bone. Well, ok. I could turn on the heat, but it wont make a difference by the time I get to the manor. I'm starting to think that winter has really arrived. The real kind of winter where you step outside and the first breath of near-zero air makes you cough in shock. The icicles under the train tracks are starting to get long enough that they look more like massive cave formations than slender traces of ice. It is looking more ominous every day. Ahhh, my kind of winter ... except the damn furnace is running all the time now. When I get inside, I immediately light a fire to help bring the heat up a bit. The hounds are happy to see me and are content for now to do their happy dance about me as I load the wood into the fire box. I think their excessive joy is probably because they are a bit chilly more so than they have to go relieve themselves. In the evenings, I see them sitting next to each other in front of the wood stove just staring at the fire.

While I was taking out the trash and recycling, I noticed that my neighbor's van was no longer parked in the street. He had apparently come back from Greece and moved it to his driveway. There were are few other cars parked about his property, so I guess I will be seeing him sometime soon. I wonder what he thinks about coming back from a balmy Mediterranean state to this little corner of the arctic. At least he did not have to deal with a driveway full of rock-hard ice and snow.

The evening with the kids is ... frustrating. Alexis refused to take her vitamin. She refused to do a lot of other things too, but this was the last straw. Eventually, mommy bargained with her to take a different colored one. Jake, however, was more than happy to take his and was interested in additional 'treats'. I supplied him with some jellybeans instead. While they mixed it up with the Mrs in martial arts combat, I went down to the wood stove to reload and bring in some additional wood. I am nearly done with the stacks of wood out behind the manor now. I'll have to bring up a fresh supply this weekend. Last months heating bill was 160 and the month before was 133. Not that bad considering that we were home for nearly 2 weeks. Although this month has started out pretty warm, the recent cold snap will probably put a smack-down on the savings and the bill next month will be considerably higher. Oh well, looks like the Mrs will not be getting that Reardon-Metal Flying Cold-Fusion Hybrid H2 fleet for valentines day after all.

This morning, Alexis wakes at 0300 ... again. This time, I let her complain for a few hours and she goes back to sleep. I, however, cannot fall back into a restful sleep. I do recall a strange dream though. I am apparently smoking cigars. One of the cigars is shaped like a Thunderer Whistle. To light these cigars (which have become invisible) I light a wooden match and put it to the back of my mouth. After doing this, I blow billowing clouds of smoke. Oddly enough, it goes out after a few puffs. I put a new match to the back of my throat and this time, it hurts a bit. I try this a few times and then wake up. My throat is sore. Weird.

Bleh. Eventually crawled out of bed at 0615. Fed dogs and let them out. Set up the makings of PB&J. Got kids, fed and changed them. Threw Mrs out of the bathroom so I could shower. Blah-blah-blah. The car tire was flatish this morning ... need to call Mike about an appointment. It's cold out. The kind of cold that only 14 degrees can provide. There is no snow. Just the frozen, dead and grey landscape that the early morning dawn light can illuminate in such a melancholy way. Even my fellow motorists have lost their zeal. Perhaps something at work will perk me up this morning.

# posted by mdmhvonpa @ 10:47 AM