Winter Already - and I am NOT Ready!

 I find it hard to believe that winter started this week (that is astrological winter, or whatever the weather man said).  Granted we had snow before Thanksgiving, and even on that day as I drove to Indiana to be with the family.  But this morning I woke to freezing rain.  I almost decided not to venture out.  Then I remembered I have now taken the "big car" (i.e., the Pilot, "Chuck") to the mechanic and had him checked out.

Therefore, it was time to "put on my big girl panties" and head to town.  Only the first three roads were "icy" - and the rest were merely wet.  Good travel to town. 

However, the weather from the first of this year (as documented in the photos) continues to haunt me.  The "what if's" of winter driving always make me nervous.  I likely should take a winter driving course (annually would be best - sort of like taking skiing lessons before heading down the first slope of the year).

But what's the fun in that.  Maybe it would be better just to move to, say, northern Michigan for the winter.  I could definitely hone my snow/ice/slush driving skills then.  More than likely, however, I would be a winter hermit - only venturing out when the roads were clear enough to get to the local grocery/liquor stores.

Not only is it winter, but Christmas rapidly approaches.  Because this is my first one as a retiree, and because I have been making (limited) headway in clearing out closets and other "storage" areas, I have decided to make this one a "recycler" Christmas. 

I am a true believer that we all have way too much "stuff."  I stared with my desk a couple months ago, and rapidly eliminated several years of saved bank statements and cancelled checks.  What the heck - the seven-year period of tax record saving was well beyond these papers.  Naturally, my bag of stuff to burn was almost full, so yesterday before the freezing rain began I ventured out in the back to my "burn barrel."  When I moved it to the clearing away from the tall grasses I noticed movement in the bottom, from under the ashes built up from the last burning event.  Yep - field mouse!  He/she popped out of one of the air holes and dashed to the tall grass.  I lit papers and dropped them in - more mice!  Enough to stop a girl's heart! 

The mice have known about winter for many weeks.  They invaded my house and tormented the cats.  There have been a few "bodies" around - including one earlier this week (I picked it up by its tail and took it out to the far side of the driveway - coyote snack).  I have attempted to ignore these country signs that could be pointing to another cold, snowy several months.  Now it is too late - I can't make reservations for southern climes at this point.  I will have to tough it out.  Trips to Indiana may need to be maintained on an flexible schedule to avoid the truly nasty conditions.

Illinois winter could be similar to Northern Michigan.  If that is true, I will be the hermit. 

 

"There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you.... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself." ~Ruth Stout