Hard Slog

Tough hike, maybe the toughest ever. Fifty degrees today, and the snow on the driveway is rotten. It's like walking in six inches of oatmeal. Had to slam every step down, so as not to slip. Totally exhausting. Almost had to go back to town, as it took three tries to get the Jeep up unto the bottom of the driveway. Fixed EXIT lights at the museum, then sorted bulbs, so I could replace some that are burned out in the permanent collection. Sore shoulders, from shoveling snow, but I wanted to get a path cleared outside the back of the museum, the width of our property, and get it salted. The footing was treacherous and I imagined lawsuits. Couldn't wait to get home, though I knew the driveway was going to be a mess. Fortunately it's not supposed to get below freezing tonight, but the next time it does the roads will be black ice from the melting piles of snow. The city is out of road-salt and the county is using fly ash mixed with sand. Everyone's vehicle is filthy. This morning I had to knock the ice out of wheel-wells of some lady's car, because she couldn't make a turn. Fifty again tomorrow, then sixty on Thursday, then back into the teens by the weekend. The frost is so deep into the ground, just enough will thaw to make everything a mess. The good news is that B will probably be able to make a run in, with his truck and its aggressive tires, and bring in supplies. We both need everything. I haven't had an egg in weeks. I'm going to take off a day, this week or next, and cook a butt-kicking brunch, bacon and chorizo, eggs on top of potatoes, a sliced avocado with lime juice, buttered toast with English marmalade. I'll make enough meat and potatoes to eat this meal twice. I seriously love a good breakfast, whenever it occurs. Cook the potatoes in the chorizo fat and don't salt anything, several twists of black pepper.