Today is cloudy. It is still cold but at 32° warmer than it has been. The lethargy etched by the cold has permanently settled. I’m still in my cozies. I have nowhere I need to go or even want to go. Both dogs are quick to go out and quick to come back inside for nap time. They too are not fans of the cold.

I’ve been spending my days reading, watching movies, old movies, and checking out recipes and such on the internet. I fell asleep yesterday afternoon sitting on the couch with my remote in my hand. When it fell, the sound woke me up. I was surprised.

My front steps are icy, particularly the top step. I have to hold on to the storm door and gingerly step outside on the ice. Yesterday I had two packages delivered, all animal food. The heavier one had cans of dog food and cans of cat food. I couldn’t lift it. I slid it down the walkway and then turn it over and over to get it up the two steps. I managed the door, the boxes and the ice. I didn’t slip. I didn’t fall. That still amazes me.

When I was a kid, I loved to ice skate. I used to skate at the temporary rink built every year by the town at Recreation Park. When the cold came and settled, the town flooded a part of the field and then surrounded the rink with a fence. They placed a small hut on one side of the rink. A wood stove kept the hut warm. A guy always sat inside the hut to keep an eye. A bench was on each side of the hut so we could sit and put our skates on and off. Under the benches were piles of shoes and boots stacked high. When I had finished skating, it took a little time to hunt through the pile to find my shoes. I walked home with my skates tied together slung over my shoulder. It took a little walking before my feet stopped tingling. I was always tired.

I’m watching the Olympic Opening Ceremony. I do love pageantry.

This entry was posted on February 6, 2026 at 2:54 pm and is filed under Musings. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.