Skirts on Friday: What Season Is It?

Just when the daffodils are nodding their pretty heads and i am thinking of new ways to freshen up my 4skirts, the sky gets dark and it starts hailing and snowing. I went out in a sweater yesterday as a form of resistance but I put my coat in the trunk of my car incase I got stranded in the white out! Most of it didn't stick but it is still cold and dreary and frustrating to all of us who have already had a long, cold winter.

life in a Southwestern Mountain Town #8

Yesterday was stressful, rushed, and chaotic. I hadn't slept well the night before and I was so exhausted by the end of the day. Today was much more calm, quiet, and slow moving. Still, I feel tense and out of sorts. It seems that nothing is going as it should. Something seems to be blocking any progress of even the smallest kind. The computer is freezing up, plans are being rearranged, my car is hitting every pothole, and even my cat won't curl up next to me.

In the quiet, I hear the heater going off and on. I hear the drip, drip, dripping of the icicles melting off of the roof. I look around at the clutter that I am too unmotivated to clear. I am getting work done but it seems like just barely. The sky is dark with clouds about to snow again. The piles of snow are so high that even when it is warm (47 degrees F) they can't melt fast enough. They seem like ghosts just lingering and vexing. I would love to lie on a blanket on a hillside right now, soak up the sun and fresh air, and feel the expanse of the universe and of time and possibility.

The photo is from a San Juan River trip that I took with my daughter's class a few years back. It is a beautiful area in Utah.

Yes You Can Shovel Snow in a Skirt

It seems the only thing to write about is how much snow we are having and how it is effecting our lives. The girls have another snow day and we are unable to go anywhere. Under these circumstances, it might seem more practical to put on some long pants, but my warm boots, thick tights, and wool skirt are just as good.

I think I'm starting to get a little boring and unfashionable with my outfits. This is partly because I have run out of cute things to wear, and partly because my imagination is weakening. I got a dose of inspiration on Friday when I met a friend in Sedona and was asked to help organize her closet and revitalize her look. I was telling her that you have to have a look or a theme in mind when you put things together. For example, a glamorous top can go with old jeans if you are going for a rock star look. The point is to be deliberate.

So I am going to try to take my own advice and see if I can get back to a stylish 4/5 skirts project. I am already thinking about my summer vacation and how little I will need to pack!

SNOW DAY

David is outside sweeping snow off the roof in the hopes that it won't start leaking into the ceiling and walls. It has been snowing big wet flakes all morning since about six. The girls had a snow day from school and are still in their pajamas. We have about a foot so far and it is expected to be 2 feet by tomorrow. The cat came in with little snow pompoms stuck all over her tummy! Still she begs to go out! She is an adventurer!

I had my final final in Japanese today. I will get my grade via e-mail and I will not have any more contact with that class. I feel a sense of accomplishment and relief, but also a little bit of sadness that it is all over. I probably will never see any of those people again except the teacher. I plan to take 102 next year.

I was nervous about my final this morning and wanted to get it over with. But, I was also nervous about the snow!! I really did not want to drive in it. So, I decided to get bundled up and walk. It is about 2 miles which is not that bad except that it was blizzarding and the deep snow requires trudging! Anyway, I bundled up and walked. I actually wish I had my camera because it was so beautiful to see the dried weeds sticking out of the white snow. The way home was harder because it was up hill. I felt elated when I got home. The endorphins and the excitement of having finished my class left me feeling good and I have just relaxed the rest of the day.

I treated myself to a shortbread cookie from Scotland and a shot of whiskey at three o'clock. There doesn't seem to be much else to do but look out the window. The snow really is so beautiful when you are warm inside the house.