Daylight!

We can finally see daylight at the end of the long, snowy tunnel.

We should be able to get out tomorrow.  And not a moment too soon.

Bill's finished with the driveway, at least to the point that I can get my car out.  His is still buried, but his car is parked close to the end of the driveway and won't have that much snow behind it.  It's the deeper part of the driveway, so it won't be easy if he should decide to shovel it out.  But since he's probably off tomorrow as well, it's most likely not going to be an issue.  We won't go anywhere on Saturday anyway, and if we do get out for Church on Sunday we'd be in my car.  Sunday could be rainy, which will help the snow.  But will also increase the mud factor, which is going to be a problem eventually even without rain.

Then Monday is cold again with a 20% chance of snow and the mid-week is also cold.  With another chance of snow towards the end of the week.  Monday's chances are not really supposed to be bad, but the forecaster was talking like he was apprehensive about the end of the week chances.  Well, I'm not going to worry about that now.  One day at a time.

After Bill got the driveway finished, I got out and defrosted my car.  The sun has been shining, which helped.  The remaining snow on the cleared off part of the driveway was melted because of the sun, and now there is a small patch of mud that is freezing back up.  But it's not a huge spot.  Just messy!

Otter wants to go to work with me tomorrow.  She wants to be reminded that she's still a part of civilization.  I totally understand that.  I don't think that either of us would make a good hermit, although Bill might.

I took the empty bird feeders down before sunrise this morning, and it was cold - literally 6 degrees below zero at the time.  I put two filled ones up and replaced one with a suet feeder.  The back yard has been popular with birds, we've had lots of feathered visitors for days.  I've seen several doves today, as well as several cardinals of both "flavors."

The dogs seem happy that we're home, they do go outside for fast runs but don't stay out long.  They've both gone to the bird feeders a couple of times, hoovered up bird seed and then run back inside as fast as they could.  When I went out to get firewood earlier, both dogs came out with me.  Maggie needed to answer nature's call, but Frasier didn't want her to.  He kept trying to play with her, she kept trying to squat and he kept grabbing her by the collar and dragging her a few feet in an attempt to get her to play.  I could tell that he was making her pretty mad, I finally told him to quit and Maggie was able to do what she went outside for.  Then she ran back inside faster than I've ever seen those 4 legs of hers move!  But she is low to the ground, and the snow is taller than she is.  Frasier has a routine, he usually goes out their gate and around the yard at the edges, next to the fence.  He still does that, but now he has to leap over snow that is about as deep as his legs are long.  He looks funny when he does it, Maggie just looks like she's swimming.

I keep finding tiny feathers stuck to me.  My coat is down lined, and it's very warm.  I have been getting quite a bit of use out of the scarf & hat I made for myself; Bill and Jessie have also been wearing theirs.  My gloves are problematic.  The really warm ones I have are 15% wool.  I do wear them, because they are very warm.  But after a little while, they get a little uncomfortable.  It's a trade-off, but I think it's worth it today.  I have other gloves, but the weather calls for really warm ones right now.  I think the fact that they are not 100% wool is probably why I can wear them at all.  I just don't wear them any longer than I have to.

Otter and I took a short walk this morning.  We went to the end of our street, where we could see the end of the neighborhood street.  The bigger road outside the neighborhood has traffic on it, we couldn't tell for sure what the road surface condition is but I do think it was plowed.  There have been a few cars go down the street, earlier this morning there were several that got stuck a few times but this afternoon I've seen a couple of cars that were about the size of mine and they were able to navigate.  They weren't in a hurry, and there are still high spots in the snow covering the road so getting stuck is still a possibility.  But I'm not even attempting to go anywhere today (although I really REALLY want to).  We'll attempt to get out in the morning, and I think we'll be able to.  Once we get out of the neighborhod, the main streets should be better although they might not have all been plowed.  We'll leave early and not be in a hurry.

We are going to the grocery store tomorrow, possibly in the morning on the way to work.  I don't need much, but I do want to get a couple of things.  If they have them!  We still have milk, oj, bread and plenty of staples.  But there is another chance of winter next week, so I don't want to take a chance of running out now and then either not being able to get out in a few days or the stores being out of stuff.  Also, we're going to take Otter's cell phone and see about getting it fixed.

She's been unable to use her phone since Monday evening.  No texting!  She's so deprived. :)