UPDATE

This week is trying really hard to kill me dead. I might be able to handle negative temperatures, but combining those temperatures with snow makes everything feel impossible. I remember all the times I pretended to be Laura Ingalls and setting up a homestead in the tall grasses of our pasture. It was always summer. I never played this game in the winter months. You know why? Because even as a child I knew that I could never make it as a pioneer of the 1800s. My body would have crumpled up and given out during the very first winter. True winter weather turns me into a ball of hate.

This morning I woke up to more snow and sticky note from Michael telling me to wake him up to shovel the driveway. I did not wake him. Instead, I pretended that nothing was happening outside and I did my morning workout. Michael had checked the weather the night before and it said that we would only get an inch of snow. So I figured we didn’t need to bother with shoveling. He came out while I was doing the core section of the workout, peeked out the window and then went back to his room to bundle up. When he came in from shoveling, he was furious. He said that there was more like three inches of snow and it was still coming down. He drove me to work so I could take my weekly COVID test and as I climbed up in the truck, I started complaining about everything. I had no where to knock the snow off my boots because the runner was covered in snow. My seat wasn’t warm. My life was ruined.

Then I turned to Michael and said “Look, I’m really sorry, but I am super cranky about all of this and I’m going to probably whine a lot today.” I was preemptively apologizing for my bad mood and bad behavior.

We made it to work and back home on not really cleared streets and I made myself a pot of coffee. Then I reminded myself just how good I have it here. The rolling blackouts have yet to reach our neighborhood. We have heat and plenty of food. I am wearing a new sweater that is my favorite color and so so soft. The chickens are alive and even laying eggs. The eggs freeze and crack before we get to them, but it is a sign that the chickens are surviving this weather. I have ridiculous pink unicorn house slippers that are keeping my feet warm while I sit at my desk. I bought a set of aromatherapy roll-on oils and have slathered myself with the ‘awake’ blend. Occasionally I will bring my wrist to my nose and inhale the warm citrus scent of the oils. It is not making me more awake, but it does make feel like I’ve taken a break in Hawaii. The sun just came out from behind clouds while I sat here trying to think about what to type next.

Sometimes it’s better to not wait until Friday to find some gratitude.