Long Hollow

Tom made chili tonight. He used my recipe, but of course, it tasted better than when I make it. 

He's so irritating that way.

But I forgive him, because it was really, really good – the kind that makes your nose run and beads of sweat pop up on your brow (a picture of my Daddy just popped in my head, pulling out his handkerchief, wiping it across his forehead and saying, Mmmm, that's good!)

Anyway, the chili hit the spot. And the fire in the wood burning stove is keeping the cold outside where it belongs. I'm supposed to be paying bills, but instead I've been playing with photographs, finally posting those frosty images from last week over at Confessions.

I'm hoping for snow. Not as much as the northeast is getting. Just a few inches would make me happy. A blanket of light snow, maybe some ice, that would force us to hibernate for a day or so – our roads aren't made for cold weather and we wouldn't be able to drive up the surrounding hills to the highway. We'd be in our own little world…

It might happen by the end of the week. We'll see. The forecasters are getting really excited and talking about breaking records. But all I know is, tonight it's really, really cold – temperatures will drop into the teens and, with the wind chill, down in the single digits. (I can feel you Montana and Kansas people rolling your eyes, but that's still cold!)

Tom and I have had a debate about bringing the puppies into the house. He argues they have a great doghouse built into the hill and up against the house, and if both of them crawled in there, they'd be toasty warm.

I argue that they're my puppies and I worry about them. And I'm really not sure they're smart enough to crawl into the doghouse together.

So I'm headed downstairs now to puppy-proof the laundry room. 

And then I'll pay bills. I promise.

Hope you're warm wherever you are!

P.S. I tried to get the dogs into the house. Max came gratefully, but Belle stopped at the threshold and wouldn't come a step farther! She was afraid! Max finally re-joined her outside and the last I saw them, they were running and playing, headed in the direction of the pond. Goofy dogs! The wind is howling and it's so cold I could see my frosty breath right there at the door! I'll try to coax them in again a little while. I really am paying bills now. And then there's that book I'm writing…