Okay, let's admit it -
aren't you glad this Christmas crap is finally over? Don't you feel foolish for putting up all those tedious decorations and spending all your money on gifts, simply because Tradition dictates it?
Relax. I'm just trying to make you feel even worse than you already do. I meant no harm.
If I ever knew Tennessee has Siberian winters, I would have never moved here. I try to use the heat very sparingly - but I'm terrified to see my next heating bill. December has been a cold bitch.
There was sleet and then light snow on Christmas Eve, and it got down to 16 degrees here on the mountain .
On Christmas Day I jokingly said (to myself and the cats) "I'll bet we're almost as cold as Donner Pass".
Just for the hell of it, I Googled the temperature for Donner Pass. It was 29 degrees there.......and 22 degrees here.
We were colder!
Deriving inspiration from the Donner Party, I've been secretly sizing up the cats - deciding which one I'll eat first if bad comes to worse. I've decided to start with Bosco. He's huge and meaty.
Bosco
This is a rather old photo - he has grown since then.
The photo of my hat in the snow was taken in Texas. Despite popular belief to the contrary, parts of Texas can get damn cold in the winter. I lived on the high plains of West Texas (with an altitude of over 3,400 feet). The winters could be frigid - with blizzards, ice, and brutally cold winds. Fortunately the snow usually melted quickly.
I used to send my weather-related photos to a TV station in Lubbock and they occasionally used them on the news. Here are a few Texas winter photos:
By the side of my house
"Frost" on the pumpkin
In my back yard. I really loved this stone bench and birdbath (and paid a lot of money for them) but they were too heavy to take with me when I moved.
On the day that my mother died (in December, 2009) there was a blizzard and ice storm. I came home from the hospital and sat on this bench in the snow for over two hours, until long after dark.
Extremely painful memory, but I thought I'd mention it.
Jon,
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I am glad another Christmas season has come to an end. Now we can get back to normal activity. Of course we have one more week of endless recaps of "Best Of" accounts on TV and other mediums, which bore me to no end. Looking at the cement bench you had in Texas reminded me of the exact cement bench we had when we lived in Pennsylvania. I too couldn't take it with me because it was too heavy. Both Bill and I sat on that cement bench when our beloved pets died. All three of them (Pomeranian dogs; the mother, father and their puppy) are buried in individual freezer chests right behind that bench. The people there do not know that but Bill and I do. We often talk about how "T", Horace and Babydoll (yes, we had silly names for them but it worked) are always at "the props". You have probably buried some of your favorite cats in Texas too. Well, I've gone on too long with this sad nostalgia. Always good to read your posts Jon. Now to enjoy the rest of the year!
Ron
I really do miss that bench and birdbath, but perhaps it's best that they are left in TX. I did bury several cats (kittens) there.
DeleteThis has been an unusually cold December and it's supposed to get even colder by New Year's Eve (down to near zero!!!). It's a good time to hibernate, Ron.
I'm glad you did, Jon. (Mention it, that is.) Painful to envision; worse to be there. {{{HUG}}}
ReplyDeleteYour first photo and the pumpkin are wonderful ... frame-worthy, even.
I love that first photo - and I still have the hat. I really wish I still had the bench and birdbath, but it's probably best that they remained in TX.
DeleteI must admit I never thought it snowed much in Texas. Consider me educated now. LOVE the birdbath and stone bench. I can see why you liked them too. Glad you had someplace to quietly reflect when your mother passed.
ReplyDeleteIt is surprising that parts of Texas have harsh winters - most especially in the northern areas like Amarillo and sometimes Lubbock.
DeleteI used to like sitting on that bench just to think and meditate - - but unfortunately the neighborhood where I lived was noisy and annoying. It's a pleasure to be away from it.
When bad turns to worse, the cats will get you first :).
ReplyDeleteI hate to admit it - but I know you're right....
DeleteThat does look like a really nice bench and bird bath...but heavy!!! Such sad memories associated with it, so maybe better they were too heavy to move.
ReplyDeleteThat's crazy cold for you down there. We're at -11 right now (11:15am). We might get up to 2 degrees if we're lucky. Our high for the coming seven days is predicted to be only 8 degrees and we might get as low as -24! Brrr!
Happy New Year!
I saw your area of the country on a news weather report and they said it was near minus 20. It has been unusually cold here in TN - - and it's supposed to get much colder by New Year's Eve! Fortunately I have lots of food and supplies, so I don't plan to go out until after the holidays.
ReplyDeleteI hope you and Annie are staying toasty warm!
Jon,
ReplyDeleteIt has grown cold here, which brings back memories of how winters use to be when I was growing up. Today is both beautiful and bleak. The sun is shining as if it thinks it summer, but the air is on the verge of freezing. I did my morning walk in 14 degrees and some below zero wind chill. My affliction kept me from wandering far, and that might have been a blessing. A few years earlier and I would have walked up into a woods and for several miles. It is to be frigid here until after New Year's day. Next Wednesday the temperature will sour to a high of 30. I might have to get my shorts out of storage.
They say it will reach 10 below wind chill in Times Square New Year's Eve. I wouldn't care to be there anyway.
That was a wonderful slideshow with your playing of White Christmas.
Lar