Hey, we're freezing over here!

We haven't lost yet! Only 433 runs to get today. The highest ever total to chase - but Oz are world champions! It's pretty unlikely, but the Aussies are going to have a go! 117 runs made by the lunch break! Fingers crossed. Or praying for decent rain - that'll give us a draw.

Traffic after close of play at the Sydney Cricket Ground is an absolute nightmare. Takes about an hour to get out of the parking chaos! And then you hit the road traffic!

Talk about freezing, we've had a couple days of freezing rain. Little tiny grains of ice falling as rain more than as snow. Certain leaves and twigs are coated with a thin layer of ice - so are the steps and sidewalks.

Um, cocoa time...

Or in my case, indian food. I love an indian restaurant on a cold rainy evening... Ah, but there are no good ones at all where I live.

And a rum will warm you up, after!

Littlek -- are those like ice pellets? Nasty, lots worse than hail. I was once in an ice storm in Missouri. We were in the midst of a mild rain shower when all of a sudden the entire world turned white and icy... the roads, the trees, even the overhead wires... suddenly coated in ice. Even worse than this frozen hell we're currently suffering through.

Osso -- Indian food? I think of that as hot weather food, but I like the idea of it as something to warm you up. (To paraphase that song from Bend It Like Beckham -- Hot, Hot, Hot!) What I really like when it is chilly is a nice bowl of soup. And yeah, cocoa sounds good, too. Maybe some cookies... uhmm, maybe a little bit of chocolate. Okay, I'll have some ice cream, but only if there is hot fudge syrup. Wait... is that a fresh pie? Well, OK, gotta try the pie. Can we have that ala mode?

We're all waiting for the snow to start falling here. Then it is supposed to start raining again. I can hardly wait.

Talked to a friend tonight in Chicago. It's 1º! And that's why I left that place!

The SCG is the Sydney Cricket Ground. Margo was referring to getting out of the place with the other 43 000 people who were there.

I've actually got a very red semi-circle on my chest where my tank top didn't cover. I thought that part of my body was shaded by the wide brimmed hat I was wearing. I must have been wrong. Arms and shoulders are OK as I used plenty of sunscreen.

Oh, dear... sorry you got SUN-burned, Wilso! Noxema is good for that. (I went to the Noxema website to show you their cure, but they either don't know it, or won't say because then the FDA would make them prove it with tests. Here's a forum of people who discuss sunburn. Interesting, I thought.

sunburn discussion on Free Trainers Forum

It's been snowing here since about 3:30 am and we're getting the full monty on TV. Mr.P says that people from Minnesota (namely him) scoff at the weenie-ness of Puget Sounders. It is true that watching the newscasters point to a 2-inch drift is a little bit embarassing, but we're not used to this. All the schools, a lot of the businesses are shut down. We've had three years without any snow at all in the winter. (OK, we did have a day-long snow storm last spring.)

Whoops, another snowplow just went by. We are breaking records for cold and the extent of the cold spell. The uniqueness of it reminds me of last summer & our record-breaking heat, drought & the number of days it lasted. <sigh> I should go clean out some cupboards.

We haven't had much snow here in the Northwoods yet this winter ... coupla feet in two different snowfalls. Today, the temp got up to 9 ... a veritable heatwave. Couple nights ago, it was about 15 below ... with windchill, around 40 below. Hasn't been real wintery around here for several years now. Oh, well ... that'll change. Mild so far, but nothing one should become acustomed to.

N. GA temps are headed to the teens tonite, this is closer to a Jan. temp for us though a little low for the norm.

eoe, it's all the way up to 6 now. -15 windchill.

We have a beautiful blanketing of snow, though, about 8 inches I think. REAL cold plus no snow and I'm grumpy. REAL cold plus snow I can deal with.

Snowing here, as promised. I live down a hill; driving is an absolute impossibility and walking will be an adventure. I'm bound and determined to get out though--cabin fever is starting to set in. Wish me luck...

Good luck! :-) Wear sturdy rubber-soled shoes with good tread.

Check! Thanks, sozobe!

It warmed up over night, now we are sitting at a positively balmy -15C. Doesn't that just warm the cockles of your heart.

Our 20 year-old daughter drove across the Narrows bridge a couple of hours ago. She said she wouldn't do it again! The cars ahead stopped so she had to and had trouble getting her little sedan to start moving again. The bridge arches; she was headed uphill, people were in difficulties all around her. Then a man in a large white Caddy cruised by everyone in the outside lane. He was stopped on the other side by the State Patrol, I think because they only wanted people traveling in one lane on the bridge until this storm is over. We're very cautious here today! The temperature has risen from -5 to -1 and they say we're moving into freezing rain.

Mourning Doves in the Pine Tree


Snowmobilers coming up our steep road

It looks like you live near some beautiful land.

Thanks, Ceili. We have a lot of fir trees and a lot of hills. Have you ever been to western Washington? There are many places with spectacular views of the salt water or the mountains (which I wish we had).

How do you handle having it be so cold where you live? When will it warm up? What kind of heat do you use? You must have to get dressed in full winter gear everytime you go outside. This has just been exhausting for me. I do love the glow from the snow though and how it makes everything look so fresh and clean.... but I hope it will be gone tomorrow!

Mourning doves! I haven't seen them since I lived in LA, I miss them.

We are going mapping tomorrow in the rain.. on purpose, to see where the low points are as we site the horse arena. Well, we will know from the grades of course, which haven't been surveyed yet, but want to tromp around ourselves and get a feel for it (I haven't been there yet myself.) Light rain, ok, pouring... ay yi yi, slog.