Already winter blue

It's barely winter and already I've gone shack wacky. It was 4 degrees yesterday morning. I have to stoke the fire every morning and every night before I go to bed. Since I've put plastic up blocking off part of the access to the upstairs from the cathedral ceiling in the living room, the downstairs is incredibly warmer. Not attractive, but warmer. I'm into oversleeping in the morning because it's too dark. So I'm all set for winter, darn it. I guess that's to be expected as the days grow shorter. Once we get past the 21st, by January there's a noticeable difference in the amount of daylight each day and I start to perk up ever so slightly.

I finally finished the crocheted mitten I started trying to make at Liza's. I was determined to crochet a pair of mittens for a change of pace but could not, could not keep track of the count of stitches. I started, ripped out and started again the damn mitten at least 25 times. Finally finished it and man, was it ever ugly. Can never make that pattern again! Makes you look as if someone has lopped off your fingers, absolutely square at the ends. Mondo ugly. My mother wants a pair of knitted mittens ("No! Don't crochet me a pair of mittens, I want you knit me a pair!") so that's what I'm working on now. I lost the really good pattern I got from somewhere online--tons of great free patterns I'm always getting for bookmobile patrons, but I found one I think will be pretty good. Only time will tell. Meanwhile I continue to work on the endless blanket I'm knitting for myself or for the boathouse porch, whichever I deem appropriate. It's so I'll have something to do while I watch TV.

Today I'm cataloging worthless crap for member libraries. I started working, but stopped cold at the video "Godzilla vs. Megalon." Copyright 1976. Who knew they still made Godzilla movies? (which, by the way, is a legitimate subject heading). These libraries will take anything--ANYTHING--that is donated to their libraries. They figure that, if it's good enough for someone to have owned it it must be good enough for a library. WRONG. Next I move along to "Love potion #9," for which I'm sure there's a huge audience. Of course, I'm sure in Schroon Lake there's an audience for just about anything.

Dinner with Ken tonight. Pork chops. I will try to make them interesting and tender enough for him to chew. He too is into his winter routine. He calls me every night to "make sure [I] got home all right." Since I never get phone calls, when the phone rings I jump and say "Oh my god, who's that!" Soon enough I'll know it's him. Our calls are short and I know he just needs something to distract him from cold and snow and he needs to hear my voice. And of course he really is concerned that I make it home in the cold and snow. But with my snow tires he can worry less. I hope.

So life is not really dreary, I'm just feeling a bit wintry and not cheered by it. I've been Christmas shopping and feel a bit overwhelmed by it. I got Ken a wonderful quilted flannel shirt to replace the ones he has that are turning to rags. He loves them and I hope he'll like this one--you never know what he likes so its hard to spend money because lots of times he just puts the things aside and you never see them again. He also wants fireplace gloves, which I know he'll use. I also know I've mentioned that here about 4 times already. I also got socks for Bill and Ken, which I give them every year. Bill counts on that. I got him a flannel shirt too, he wears the same one every Sunday. Like Ken, I'm not sure he wants another one but you'd think he would be tired of the yellow one he's been wearing for years, wouldn't you? Most of the rest of my shopping will have to wait until the end of next week because I'm really, really broke and have to wait until I get paid. I said this to the clerk in the store when I explained that my pay days weren't coinciding very well with my Christmas shopping and she said "And all the good stuff will be gone by then, won't it." Well thanks for the encouragement, lady.

Life could certainly be worse! At least I'm not hearing voices anymore, though that was certainly an entertaining distraction. Now I spend my early morning moments dealing with dueling dogs who each want to be plastered against my body for warmth--one under the covers, blocked by the one on top. Nudge with cold nose, nudge with cold nose. She does not give up.