From Snow Globe to Ice Palace

You'd think, after all these years, that I wouldn't get so excited about a storm coming in.  I'm over 60 years old but when it comes to a winter storm, I'm like a little kid at Christmas.  When morning arrives, I can't wait to hop out of bed and run downstairs to take a peek.  It's the anticipation that always gets me.  Wondering how my ordinary world will be transformed to the extraordinary is the teaser that keeps me young at heart.

I'm sure that my neighbors must wonder about me when they see me standing outside in my nightgown taking pictures before the sun comes up.

However, if I waited until sunrise, just look what I would miss!  Isn't it lovely?  A world-class designer couldn't design lace as lovely as this.

I'm also selfish, I'll admit.  I so enjoy having the neighborhood to myself when the mornings are like this.  It's just me and my camera (and the drips from the gutters falling on my neck).

I run inside to warm up and to make sure that the coffee is going.  The Commander has already been up and about this morning and has a two-hour delay before he has to head over to the Navy base.  He's checked the news (and no doubt, checked it twice).

I still keep popping outside to take more pictures as the sky lightens and the beauty of iced branches changes with the light.

Fresca the Wonder Dog barks to entice me inside.  "What's the matter with you?" she seems to say.  "You can take pictures from inside this warm house.  Just aim out the window."

The Commander is going to have fun trying to get the ice off his car.  I can remember an ice storm in Colorado one winter when I was attending grad school in Fort Collins.  I actually poured very hot water over my windshield in an attempt to chip away at my ice-encrusted car.  It's a wonder that the whole windshield didn't shatter.  Ah, the ignorance of youth!

It's another good day to stay inside and get some more knitting done.  My Einstein coat is completed but it still needs some buttons.

I'm halfway through another square for my Great American Aran Afghan.  As usual, I've made a few errors as I got started but now I'm well into the swing of it and it's going much smoother.

I'll probably pop a few DVDs into the player and watch some more episodes of Buffy.  It's a cute show.  Now I can see why it was so popular.

I WON'T be doing any more cooking today.  We've got a lot of leftovers to clean out.  Speaking of leftovers, I think I'll have a nice big bowl of taco soup for lunch.  That will be just right for an icy day, don't you think?

There's only one fly in the ointment.  I'm completely donut-less.  Boy, I sure would enjoy a glazed cream-filled donut.  Don't you just wish Dunkin' Donuts delivered?