When I let the dogs into the yard this morning, I swear I saw an elf. The purported elf was wearing green and red and slippers like a genie wears. He had on a tool belt and had a toy in his hand. I shook my head and looked again. The elf was gone. Am I delusional? Has being inside finally gotten to me? Then I realized the elf had probably been lost. He was thinking this is the North Pole at 15˚ and -1˚ with the wind and snow, yes snow, a dusting last night. No doubt, he wanted to go home where I suspect it’s warmer. Whoosh! The elf is gone and so is my sanity!

Nala has a new thing. The last few nights she has worked her way under the covers, gotten comfy and gone to sleep with a happy sigh. Another boxer, my Maggie, always slept under the covers on cold winter nights. Both dogs have winter coats, real coats, not just fur. Nala has Gracie’s, and it fits perfectly. Henry has the one I bought his first winter with me. It was fitted at the store. I’m a bit hesitant to put it on him. New things make him nervous.

I’m watching disaster movies. Right now it is lava from Vesuvius destroying Pompeii again. I started watching a different movie, one about snow covering the pyramids, but decided it was too close to home. I’m liking the heat from the lava.

When I was a kid, on days like today, I wore my long winter coat to school. It had buttons instead of a zipper. My mother had us layer. Underneath my coat I wore a sweater, a blue sweater which matched my uniform skirt. Sometimes I wore ski pants while other times I wore knee socks. I still remember the pink long underwear my mother bought me. It was thermal looking and covered my legs to about my knees. Every time I wore it, I lived in dread. I was always afraid the underwear would slip below my skirt to my ankles in front of everybody. I dutifully wore my hat and my mittens.

The weather is erratic at best. Today is frigid. Tomorrow will be in the 40’s. I’m going to keep nice and warm by staying home today. I need nothing. My larder is full. I do want something which I definitely don’t need. I want chocolate. It would make the isolation more bearable, and I’d be smiling a whole lot more.