It is snowing something fierce out there. We were supposed to get 8-12 inches last night. When I woke up this morning it had snowed about 6-8 (how do they measure that?) and was still going. I walked to work like I do every day, but I made sure I was outfitted with my super uggs and my umbrella. It sounds silly, and I'm sure it looks silly, but walking under an umbrella keeps little piles of snow from collecting in all the tiny nooks and crannies of my jacket, scarf, mittens, hat, and bag. When my student worker got in a couple hours later, she remarked that it was really snowing out there. I looked out the window in the next room and whaddya know, everything is totally covered in fresh white snow. I just love a good snow. I figure that if it's cold enough to snow, everything might as well be dressed in jaunty white caps instead of the gloomy gray deadness of frozen trees and grass.
Speaking of the gray gloom, I'm very excited that we have all survived past December 21, the winter solstice (and my dad's birthday, happy birthday dad!) and now the days are sloooowly getting longer again. It is no longer pitch black when I leave work. Instead, the sky is a deep inky royal blue. If it has recently snowed (like today, huzzah!) then the sky is much brighter with the white snow reflecting off it. This winter has not been as bad as last winter...yet. What I mean to say is that last winter, by this point, had been much colder much longer than it has this year. We got snow before Thanksgiving last year and this year the ground was bare almost until I left for Christmas in Texas. So I vote we continue this trend and have a mild, short winter and a long, temperate spring and summer. Who's with me?
I'm very much looking forward to the next couple days. Tonight I'm going to the symphony with D to hear Bluebeard's Castle. I got him a Rick Bayless cookbook and symphony tickets for Christmas and both were a huge hit. He made us the Authentic Mexican Tortilla Soup for dinner the other night and it was the best homemade dinner I've ever had. Just amazing. My stomach is rumbling just thinking about it (the cookbook has turned into a gift from me and also to me, since he now is inspired to make us amazing authentic Mexican dinners-YUM). Anyway, the symphony should be cool. Then tomorrow I'm hanging out with some girl friends to be girly and figure out what we're all wearing for Saturday night. On Saturday I'm having brunch with a friend who's been out of town since September and then we're going to hit up the GAP to spend some giftcards and Christmas money. Saturday night a good friend of mine is getting married to a great guy. The wedding is at an Italian restaurant rumored to have very good food, plus there's going to be an open bar and dancing. I can hardly wait.
