Checking In

I have been on a binge of quilt making.  It was good to make a fire downstairs and spend afternoons and evenings of the coldest weather happily cutting and stitching.

I have had a great deal of feline 'help'--the cats are lured by the warm fire.

Paws and whiskers too near the rotary cutter or the sewing machine needle are a bit of a worry.

I like it best when my 'assistants' decide to take a cat nap.

The sun came out long enough on Saturday to start melting the ice that encased branches, blades of grass and coated the roads.

This morning the air was milder and it appeared that maybe we would have sunshine.

Above is the look of the sky at about 7:15.

I drove into town at 10 as the chiropractor's office rescheduled my appointment missed due to the storm on Friday.

I felt the day was warm enough to lighten some of the clothing layers I've been swaddled with during the cold spell.

Accordingly I put on a long-sleeved T, a 3/4 sleeved thin pullover and a denim shirt.

As I left the driveway, rain began to spatter.

I considered backing up, unlocking the house and fetching a warm jacket, but hated to waste time.

When I came out of the doctor's office rain had begun in earnest and was slanting in on a cold wind.

I felt chilled to the bone merely crossing the parking lot to my car.

In Wyoming I always kept a spare jacket and/or down vest in my vehicle.

Here, I've grown lax.

I had a number of other errands to do and wasn't relishing the thought of darting back and forth from the car in the blustery weather.

I often stop at the charity shop enroute, and today had the brilliant idea to purchase--for 25 cents-- a heavy zip-front cardigan.  It is of the type that G. will say, "Oh, Mother, you mustn't wear that in public!"

Style-savvy or not, I bundled myself into it and completed my errands without shivering!

This is J.'s latest acquisition.

He and M. drove to Tennessee today to purchase the antique buggy.

I'm not sure of his intentions for it.

I don't suppose we are about to give up our vehicles and ask our old horse, Pebbles, to haul us about.

The man has 'wheelin'-dealin' blood in his veins which cannot be subdued!