Friday's Odds and Ends

After checking the national weather and seeing the temperatures on the East Coast: -16 in Boston, I will not complain about the 20 degrees here in East Texas, although my animals were complaining big time, especially the goat and the sheep. Both were shivering like mad when I went out to give them some hay and bust out the ice on their water pans.

This is a strong storm that has brought all the freezing temperatures and hit the Midwest and East Coast with such an impact, but I am a bit surprised, and amused, that the media has named it. I guess simply calling it a winter storm isn't enough for the folks who bring us the news. Naming it Winter Storm Hercules makes it sound much more significant, although I'm sure the people who are experiencing the blizzard conditions and extreme cold are finding the storm significant enough without having to give it a name.

Remember when only hurricanes were named? I wonder if we will now start naming tornadoes and those really horrific thunderstorms that sweep across the country. That might justify the hours and hours spent on reporting the weather. Last night's newscasts, both local and national, led with the weather, and maybe there could have been a better balance between that and other news. Just a thought.

A reminder that spring will come again.

Fun From the Funny Papers - First from Heart of the City by Mark Tatulli

Heart is walking down the street with her side-kick, Dean. She says, "Someday when I'm rich and famous, I'll have somebody to do all my cleaning. I'll have somebody to do my shopping, pay my bills, wash my clothes, drive my car, AND feed my cat."

"So what will you do?"

"Apparently walking around L.A. with a water bottle and complaining about the paparazzi is THE job to have today."

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this one from Doonesbury. A football player walks into B.D's office at Walden and asks, "Coach, you got a moment?"

"Sure, Anthony, what's up?"

"Coach, I was wondering if I could take time off to go to a few classes."

"Classes?! Are you nuts? Check your contract, son. You're not here to study. You're part of the first cohort of paid Walden athletes. That's athletes, not student-athletes. No more distractions from what's important. I need you to be thinking football every minute of the day. I can't have you wasting time in class."

"How about a library card? Can I at least get a library card?"

"Then all the guys would want one. Think, Anthony. Think."

That's all folks. Bundle up and stay warm this weekend, and I'm sending some virtual hot chocolate to family and friends on the East Coast. 

Image courtesy of My Recipes.com - You can make this with or without brandy, but brandy does keep you warm.

Do you have plans for the weekend that will take you outside? I'm hoping to stay indoors as much as possible. This is a good time to find a good book and curl up under a Snuggie.