It's weird. It's like everyone stopped using the internet yesterday. Where did everyone go? It's like there was some major event and I was sleeping and realized too late.

I am on the couch. Pluto just woke up and came to sit next to me. I should pet him quick....he's limping, and he has morning dog breath. I should give him a breath biscuit. [Gets up and retrieves a Breath Buster - Pluto happily chomps it down.]

Maybe it was the snow. I have noticed before that when it snows people tend to not be around computers. I have the shades drawn in the living room. I can see outside every now and then to see the snow. This mixture of icy slush and snow reminds me of my childhood. Of sitting in beat up old cars with the heater blasting and breathing in loads of second hand smoke (can't roll down the window because it's COLD!) with my brothers in our dirty winter coats. I think I only ever got 2 or 3 new winter coats growing up. In fact, in my adulthood I have only ever gotten one new coat - the same time that Tim got his back when we were dating. We have determined that we are going to buy new coats this year (like we have said for the last four years) because our 9 year old coats are looking like they are old. Although still serviceable -- buttons can always be resewn on (and they have - several times, as well as having the pockets fixed and resewed until they are tiny replicas of their former self).

Maybe today with this unplanned weekend, we will go winter coat shopping. I want to also buy a rug for the back door entrance. The one I had before had been used twice before (bathroom and basement) and I had to toss it because Innsmouth peed on it and it wouldn't take another washing. I would like to get something more sturdy...that would resist cat pee and washings. We need a rug there to prevent skidding dogs all over the kitchen tile.

I had my last MATC class on Thursday and was quite happy it was done. It wasn't at all what I expected and the five people that ended finishing it with me -- agreed. I did get one of the dude's cards though to ever call if I have questions. That's cool Tim said that Home Depot has their little seminars online - I am thinking of maybe checking it out to see. I wonder if my friend Laima started her Women in Trades program yet - I am thinking it sounds wonderfully interesting. I wish I was the kind of person that could build a house - and yet, I also feel that if push came to shove I could. But push won't come to shove, so I guess I'll never find out.

Today also reminds me of a Northern Exposure kind of day. As well as a day that I imagine is quite typical for my Dad and for my grandmother (when she was alive). Of course just thinking of that land is kind of timeless...I can always think that everyone is still where they should be, and that nothing like mortality has come along to change the landscape. I sometimes fantasize that I am really a loner at heart. That I am capable of living out in the deep sticks and not to talk to any living being for weeks on end. I'd have a cat and a trusty dog, and would tromp around with purpose in a no nonsense sort of way, feeding my horse, goats and chickens. I'd look forward to checking the mail twice (or maybe even once) a week, and would always have mail to send. My little wood house would be impossibly cozy and rustic with rugs everywhere, and toasty little wood stove.

There is a another Christmas craft show this weekend at a Church I've never been too over by the Harmony Bar and Grill. I was thinking of going over there to check it out. Although I can't ride bike right now, and I don't know if I really want to drive over there. Maybe I can convince the DH to go -- although he's still sleeping (the hazards of staying up until 1:00 for him and me going to bed at 9:30). I suppose I could take the stupid bus for that short of distance...oh wait, I could call Amy and see if she wants to go this weekend since she couldn't the week or two before. Perhaps I will still take the bus though, just have to think of it as a "little adventure." But first I should take a nice hot shower and get clean and give my hair time to dry (although now that it's winter I have to bust out the stupid hair dryer to at least get it not sopping wet...otherwise it takes 8 hours for it to dry). Besides, I am probably boring you to death.