it's snowing...

Snow has never mesmerized me like it has this year. Perhaps I'm becoming a winter person. January is such a relief as a "breather" month. The busyness of the holidays is abruptly over, there's not a lot going on socially, and the yard and garden aren't demanding any of my time. This year I am perched in a new spot in the world, in our new home, just in time to enjoy the snow on the trees. At work today the huge white flakes were falling again, and while others were moaning, I couldn't wait to get home to soak in the beauty. One night I was out in my robe at midnight taking photos as the snow fell. (this photo is what you see out the livingroom window...little twinkle lights on the picket fence and shrubbery, with the dark expanse of the woods further out) It's weird to suddenly love snow. Cross country skiing might be fun, as I could take off right out our kitchen patio door...

I'm currently sitting right next to a roaring (though gas) fire. Our fireplace is next to the dining room table, so I'm on the floor, back up against a leather ottoman that has been dragged from the living room. The arrangement is my fault. This end of the room used to be the living room, and the dining room was the southern end with its wall of windows. I couldn't imagine not sitting and staring out, so we put a ceiling fan where the chandelier had been, and had the electrician cut in a chandelier for the new dining room. (both are in one long rectangular room) So...I sit on the floor by the fire. Or at the dining room table, which is often my morning spot. Fire versus view of nature is my daily dilemma. I am blessed. But tonight my spot on the couch was too cold, even with a blanket and Boomer, so here I am.

I just finished eat pray love. I loved 2/3 of the book. I had the hardest time with "love" which is set in Bali. It got a little too crass for me, and also just lost some of its interest. But overall, I loved the book. The beginning chronicles the end of a horrible marriage, followed by the author eating her way through Italy (and gaining 24 pounds...at least it's honest!), followed by 4 months in an Indian Ashram studying with a guru, and then finally to Bali to experience ...laziness I guess. She just lounges about. She does fall in love with prince charming, who is 17 years older than her and Brazilian, (sigh), and the postlude says the next book, due out in 2009, will chronicle their intercontinental courtship and marriage. Traveling vicariously is great: I learned a ton about other cultures and religions. I also appreciated her chatty narrative. Let's see...maybe a 3.5 out of 5. A week ago it would have been a 4.9...oh well.

So...now I've finished "24 " (season one) and the book...WHEW. Life may resume as normal. :)

Normal? What's that? I have no idea! Ha. I am off for the next 3.5 days, so I'm hoping that a burst of energy hits me and I whip things back into order. (my disorder is never so bad, but it still feels like disorder to me!)

And so, good night. Without the distraction of a never ending TV series or a great read, I might actually get a good night's sleep. That is, if I can pull myself away from the fire...