This is just wonderful!!  Seriously!!  They had been predicting for a
day or two some winter weather so I told the kitties yesterday to purr
for bad weather so Meowmie and Daddy could stay home with them and
build a big fire in the fireplace.  It worked!!

When we went to bed last night, the weather guessers were predicting a
wintry mix of precipitation to start around mid-day today. So we
thought we would have to get up and go in to work and then try and
leave when it got bad.  Not such a great thing, since we now live off
of 2-lane country roads.  However, joy and bliss!  When we went to
leave this morning, it had already started!!  No sense trying to get
in to work!!  We went back inside, I fixed a big breakfast and Eric
started a roaring fire.  After eating, we bundled up under blankets
and kitties and read our books.  I'm in my study now, listening to the
ice pellets hit the window and looking at a beautiful junco perched in
the crape myrtle tree outside my window.  I've seen quite a variety of
birds at my feeders today, 2 species of woodpeckers and a Carolina
wren as well as the usual visitors (titmice, chickadees, cardinals and
this time of year, finches and juncos).  The kitties are loving having
the fire and laps available at all times!!  It's a veritable
purr-fest!!!

It's also very cold for us....It was 29F this morning when I first
looked and, at last check, it was 19F (-1C to -7C for you folks on a
reasonable system...)  So we anticipate having several furry "bed
tumors" appearing when we go to bed tonight!!

Well, speaking of bed, I think it's time for a nap and then, perhaps,
an apple pie to bake?

Stay warm....
Eric, Kim and the Chigger Ranch Crew