There is a saying I’ve mentioned before that there’s no such thing as bad weather, it’s bad clothing choices, or something like that. For those of you who have unlimited experience in the frozen tundra of the northern tier of states, you know better than I the truth of this statement. I am the first to admit I am a weather wimp. I have not driven in snow since high school. Oh there has been the occasional Christmas at my parent’s house but never far and never long and always really really slow. Now I am willingly moving to a place that gets cold and I am wondering what I am thinking. I am not worried about being cold—I would much prefer to be cold than hot which is ironic since I willingly moved to what I hope is the hottest place on the planet (if anyone lives somewhere hotter they should consider moving because I just don’t think we are meant to live like that)—it’s just that I am a bit out of practice when it comes to dressing for cold weather climes.
I am worried about the learning curve. I just came in from walking the large hound. He has taken this short-term climate change in stride. He has more energy than ever. There are great new smells and animals—with neighbors in the shape of llamas, horses and angora goats, some are even bigger than he is—and terrain to cover and shrubs to pee on. He’s in heaven. On the other hand, I had to come back in three times to upgrade my outfit, adding first a scarf then a hat and mittens, and finally hot coffee. Bear, in the meantime, is sitting his delicate fanny directly on the frozen ground. I have to say the first time he did that he got up immediately and turned around to look at what he had been sitting on as if to say, what the heck? Shortly thereafter, after several runs pursuing the many sticks in the yard, he lay prone (Merriam Webster: having the front or ventral surface downward) on the frozen ground, looking up as he does, adoringly and he was happily cool.
We also got to play minor roles in Patsy Thompson's latest DVD (http://patsythompsondesigns.com/). And then, leaving my aging truck in NC, we drove back down together. Immediately following was the annual arts & crafts sale with Susi and Barb et al, and phew, now all there is to do is deal with the bajillion tourists. Oh wait--next week is a fund-raiser for Greg Mortenson who wrote Three Cups of Tea (he builds schools in Asia--FABULOUS book, wonderful org, send him money now at http://www.ikat.org/).
In the meantime, I have done some packing and some sending of things to others and some donating to worthy orgs like SWFAS and the Library, my two favorite local causes...and sometimes I wonder why I keep things and sometimes I can't imagine ever parting with every broken pencil and twist tie. What is the deal? I have to think on the meaning of this more and will get back to you if I come to any understanding...
So I just wanted to say I hope you all are staying well and that the return of the daylight (after that absurd ridiculous dangerous-to-children-boarding-early-buses, why-can't-they-wait-til-April time change--don't get me started, I am realllllly upset about it), is brightening your view of the world.
More pics below. More words in the near future I hope. (Got my taxes organized so there is hope for more interesting things in the future...)
Here are Bear and I after unloading the vehicles. We are very tired.
And another results-of-moving photo...
until we meet again...peggy
