First off, I have tied the old record. The 17th mouse was caught during the night in the have-a heart trap. Unlike in the plastic ones, the mouse is pretty quiet: lots of room, a good view and plenty of peanut butter. I’ll reset the trap when I go back upstairs. Next up on our daily bulletin: weather. The news says we got 3.8 inches of snow, but I don’t think so. I went out in my shoes around 6:30 to look for the paper and had no problems staying dry or even finding the papers. The tip of the orange plastic covering was above the snow. Health is our last morning update. I woke up at 5:00 coughing loud enough for people to think it was an old-time TB ward. I came downstairs, took some medicine, drank the other magic elixir, coffee, then watched the news. I’m already tired, though, and am going back to bed shortly.

I braved the elements yesterday to bring the bird feeders inside where I filled them then I put them back outside. The birds are already having breakfast.

When I was a kid, I hated my rubber snow boots. My fingers always stung holding the tops so I could stuff my shoes inside, and, in the afternoon, if the boots were wet, they were impossible to fill. I’d just put my shoes in my school bag and wear my socks inside the boots. They’d always got wet and my feet were always cold. The only good thing about snow boots was they came in so many different colors. We always left for school a bit earlier than usual on boots days so we could get them off in time for the bell.

My father wore galoshes which had clips, metal rings, on the front which made it easy to open and close the boots. They were always black. Men weren’t into color when I was a kid. My dad wore a white shirt to work every day.

My father also had rubbers for rainy days. They covered his shoes except for the top. My grandmother had those see-through boots with one button on the side to close them. They had room at the back for the clunky heels on the old lady tie shoes. They were ugly, and they are always old lady boots to me.

The sun is beginning to shine behind the grey clouds. I can see its light.

I’m ready to go back to bed. Music will be late today.