"WINTER"

Winter and more Winter.

As most of the family members know Stucko and I have had a very interesting Christmas this year with our snow storms, closed roads, and in my case a couple of blizzards. The question was if we would receive our Christmas from our family members in the lower USA. I know, I know, but that is how it has felt. 3 days in a row that streets and roads were not plowed here and then Stucko had the same thing, plus rain that had turned to ice and her state is not equipped at all to handle the ice and then the snow. And in my case to think that January and February are the biggest snow months in my part of the country, I truly shudder at the thought.

Sat., early I put my little pickup into 4 wheel drive and got to the grocery store for milk and bread. It was like, "FREE AT LAST". When you are house bound like this and have no control over any of the conditions outside you truly have Cabin Fever occur.

Friday (I think it was) Telluride and Silverton received 83 inches. Just one storm mind you. One of my neighbors is the head of housekeeping at one of the lodges in Telluride, she commutes from here each day, and she has had several days that she has had to go North to Dove Creek then out through Disappointment and around to Norwood and then on into Telluride as Highway 145 has been closed just outside of Dolores.

Needless to say the people in Silverton have been totally isoloated receiving their medicines and mail via helicopter whenever the weather conditions present themselves. This is not unusual up in January or February for them, but more than a little unusual in December.

All of this weather started back on December 13th. The first week the storms came in 4 different waves. Then the last one came in 3 waves.

I have played a lot of computer games, done a lots of reading and this Friday I will start taking down Christmas decorations. I am so glad that I ran out of time and did not get decorated outside this year. That would be a real bugger to try and get down. You can't move in the snow and everything is so frozen.

SNOW

Please look at the header of my blog which is the Sleeping Ute Mountain. Now, please imagine it covered from the top to the bottom in white. It is beautiful.

SLEIGH BELLS RING -----

A beautiful White Christmas we are going to have in my little part of the world. Got up to at least 9 inches of snow this AM and a neighbor gentleman was shoveling out large paths for me so I can get from point A to point B.

I shoveled out the West side of my house for the doggies as Sassy was dragging her belly in it and on the small black dog if she got out there I wouldn't find her again until Spring. So they have a good exercise area going at this point in time.

Fed the birds. Last night before dark I had 20 Doves feeding. I'm feeding Juncos, House Finches, Gold Finches, and the Doves. The Sparrows are a minority this year and I have not figured that one out for you always have Sparrows.

There is no school today in the Dolores School District nor the Montezuma County School District so the kids are experiencing a snow day, though there were a lots of school plays this evening and those have been canceled as well. The kids are out in my street playing in the snow and having a ball.

DAILY CHANGES

Just wanted to let everyone know how a day can change things.

I had to speak to my Doctor on a prescription and in the course of the conversation I asked how long she wanted me to stay in rehab. that I have been going twice a week since September 4, 2008. She told me that was long enough.

I was so very happy to be able to call and cancel this commitment because with it being scheduled when it was along with my other obligations it was making each week more than a little awkward. Now tomorrow I can do my exercises here at the house and then get my house cleaned and a few other things done.

I am more than thrilled and I did learn things at rehabilitation that I did not know. When I called and canceled I thanked the therapist for the classes and told him there is the possibility that I may return on down the road for you just never really know.