Good early afternoon GH. It is just past 2:00 PM in "The City," and our current temperature is 11°. We will not get out of the lower twenties until early next week. However, by Monday of next week we may get to the lower thirties, and by Friday of next week, are you ready, the lower forties! After that, it is likely that we will fall back to the upper thirties. Mary and I are so over winter.

I took some additional pictures to chronicle where we are snow wise, and I'll include those at the end. Today I am driving myself to P/T. Since I don't have to go far, it should not be a problem. Mary has work to do, so she needs the time that she would lose to playing chauffeur.

Other than that, I am still reading the book I started a few days ago. It is a chronicle of the plight of the poor in America. While most people will never have to experience what it is like to be truly poor, all of us are affected by those who are a may soon be. Children, the most vulnerable of all our citizens, can't concentrate in school when they are homeless, hungry, and unmotivated by struggling parents. Those parents sometimes make bad choices, or sometimes in spite of themselves get pushed into no option choices. But children are often buffeted by the waves of those choices. In Michigan, nearly half of all children qualify for free or reduced lunches in the schools. I am not going to preach, but I wonder why we can't do better.

Last night and early this morning, the trains came by. One just before midnight, and the second, probably heading north, just before 5:00 AM. I didn't see either, as I was just lying there feeling the effects of this cold I picked up. I knew it was coming, because I had a backache, which always accompanies a cold for me. Why? I don't know. Given all of the health issues I have experienced over the last few years, a cold is not even on the radar.

Sunrise today was at 7:45 AM and sunset will be at 6:10 PM. I didn't get down for...Tea time until after 11:00 AM this morning. I am glad that the snow that is falling in the East and the rain that fell on California in the last few days, isn't coming here. I should note that the precipitation that will fall here, comes in the form of a wintry mix or rain next week.

One thing truly worthy of note, is that pitchers and catchers report for both the boys in blue and the Tigers tomorrow. My beloved Red Sox will have to wait for an additional two days. In any event, spring will be here, albeit not officially until March 20, 2014. Hence the old saws that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, and April showers bring May flowers.

Speaking of flowers, Mary and I planted a rose last year near our deck that was barely hanging on to life as fall came. She thinks that that the rose she named John is doomed by the severe winter and the piles of snow. So too for the perennial garden that we planted last year. Personally, I like to believe that the roses and flowers will bloom again this year. If not, those that do survive are certain to be true Michigan perennials, like us.

Get well soon Barb, we miss you on the social media.

So without further ado, here are those aforementioned pictures.

Out the front door.

The ever narrowing trash bin position.

Alas poor Ragus, as she gazes at the end of the shared driveway.

This mound is over six feet tall!

A little perspective.  Under the pile in the foreground, lies John, Mary's rose.

That little area off the rear steps of the deck is Sugar's remaining "Out" area.

I took this shot from the upstairs window to show?

Enough already!