Overcast, Some Rain, Perhaps A Few Flurries

7:30

It's an early Sunday morning as both of us are up at by 6:45. The lake is still mostly frozen with pockets of open water along the shoreline. It does not look like a very nice day so we will be sticking inside, watching March Madness, hopefully cooking up something good to eat.

Saturday Morning Fog

Saturday Afternoon Clouds

Saturday morning was a busy morning for me.  After getting the blog done and gathering the trash, I was off to the Transfer Station by 9:30.  I then drove to Jamestown, parked my car, picked up my taxes, and received a nice refund from both the federal and local governments.  I then stopped at Walmart on the way home and picked up a bird feeder for orioles as well as six dahlia tubers as they are now available in various stores.  Walmart was packed, as usual, basically the only retail store around now that the Mall had become mostly moribund. I ended my trip by dropping off cans and plastic bottles at the Can Man in Lakewood and donating the few dollars to St. Susan Center.  I often wonder if the kids really ring it up as a donation or just pocket the money.

And that was it for me for the day. I was home by 11:30, read some, and then had lunch ready in time to watch the beginning of the Baylor/North Carolina game.  I finished the last of the tuna hoagie along with another bowl of Evie's veggie soup.  I soon got tired of the game but taped it in case I wanted to watch it later, after my nap and reading my book.  Evie even got in a brief nap which is unusual but she was up early.  Around 3:00, I watched the thrilling last ten minutes of the Baylor/North Carolina game which eventually went into overtime with North Carolina winning after an amazing Baylor comeback. 

A Hungry Muskrat

I felt bad not going out for a walk because it was a decent afternoon weather-wise, with warm temperatures and some sunshine, Neither of us had the mojo and were happy to be sitting in our house, looking at the lake melt, the next-door neighbor's dock collapse, the muskrat ramble.

Going

Going

Gone

By 6:00, we were on our way to the Viking Club which opened last week and met Linda and Ron for dinner.  We found seats in the bar which we like even though it was fairly crowded for a Saturday night. Ron and I hoped for a fish fry but they ran out of it, so we both settled for Viking burgers as did Linda. Evie ordered bourbon pork chops, not wanting a burger, and by 8:00, we were full and happy to be once again at the Viking, a sign of summer's coming. We were home by 8:45, in time to watch Real Time With Bill Maher and some news before going up to bed.

 

I liked this poem from Writer's Almanac because it gets at some of the reasons we like winter,

A Northern Town by George Denham I grew up in a northern town Solemn people all around, Not so joyful, goodness knows, Except on morning when it snows. We wake to worlds all wondrous bright, Glittering particles in the light, Dazzling snow and shining ice, A January paradise. After school, down at the park, We play hockey in the dark, Grand Forks, Green Bay, and Duluth Vibrate to the love of youth,           Snow and ten below is sweet,           Skating, generating heat.