Four, then three days 'til Christmas

 Wednesday, a day in waiting

Waiting for the storm, I could see the cats getting a bit on the antsy side.  A cat fight on the dining room table is not something I like to see.

I scolded Rubia for messing with the tree, and she was watching me with caution ears pricked.

Wednesday was a gray and dreary looking day.  Cold, spitting a few flakes now and then.  All day long it was waiting for the predicted storm to start.

I ended up like a bump on a log for a couple of hours, in front of schmaltzy movies on the TV.  As happens in times of anxiety with not so great food choices available, I dipped into Frosty the Demented Snowman cookie jar, and I made grilled cheese sandwiches (2).  Tasted wonderful, but more than I need for the day.  I decided the best thing to do was to close the eating window early.  I brushed my teeth and carried on.

The mythical son had a work thing, out of town, and called me around 3 p.m. as he was on his way home.  That broke the spell of "bump on a log" and I started stirring around the house, folding and putting away laundry and starting the dishes to wash.  Sometimes you just need something to jog your elbow.

I tucked myself under the covers while Zelenskyy was addressing Congress.  Honestly, thinking of the people in Ukraine losing power while my own part of this country is under siege from Mother Nature?  Yeah.  Makes his speech even more powerful.  

Thursday, the coldest day of 2022 (I think... might January have had worse?)

Harking back to the Zelenskyy speech:  How would I survive without power, in a Winter like this?  It was -11℉ out there, with a predicted high of -4℉.  For those of you who speak Celsius, that's -23.9℃ at nine a.m., headed for a high of -20℃.  Add 20 mile an hour sustained winds with gusts up to 35, and I am not going to even look at the wind chill factors.

I know if we played "can you top this" many of you could laugh at my temperatures.  I also know that there were times in the not so distant past when I went running outdoors at -10℉.  Don't care to repeat that today.  Stay inside, my friends.  Those of you in Arizona and Florida?  Don't rub it in!

I slept in Thursday morning, until 5:30 or so.  Considering that I turned in early, and even counting the wake-ups that the watch detects, Fitbit clocks my sleep at nearly 9 hours.  In my opinion, this is a good way to spend time on a cold day!

I resisted at first, but did eventually cave to The Prisoner's demands to be let outside.  I did not want to open the door at all, because of course that lets the cold inside until the furnace catches up.  He was smart enough, within five minutes, to respond to my calls to come back inside.  Cats!

Due to Wednesday's emotional eating I found (unsurprisingly) that I was not at all hungry when I got up.  I decided to defer eating until the body truly sent physical hunger signals.  That took until 10 a.m. and I was credited with a 20.5 hour fast by the little app.  I broke the fast with something a whole lot healthier than Christmas cookies!

Here's breakfast cooking, just after I added the egg beaters to the sauteed veggies.  It was ever so yummy!  I followed it up with my coconut mocha coffee.  

Fully satisfied, I decided to finish wrapping the last few presents for Sunday's Christmas gather.

A little later, I moved the cookie dough and the olive cheese balls down from the freezer to the refrigerator.  I figure that gives them two days to thaw before baking.

I'm waiting for the temperature to moderate a bit before I make even an attempt at clearing.  You can see that the wind has already been moving it around, though.

Can't tell it from prior year shots?  Not surprising, this is the pattern the wind around here paints with the snow on my steps!.

Here's the funny one:  the frost invaded the door jamb.  This photo is from the inside of the door!  Yes, like a freezer in need of defrosting!

Bottom line, I'm about as ready as can be, just waiting on time and weather!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a warm and healthy few days leading up thereto!

You're worth taking care of, every day!

Life is good.

Spark on!

🎄🔥💖