Good morning or good evening, wherever you may, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 1:30 a.m. in "The City."

Why is it that life can't be more like a Hallmark Channel movie? In the end, everyone, with the exception of the cad, comes away happy and in love. By now, you've probably surmised that I love movies on the Hallmark Channel. I finished up watching another one Saturday night and it came out as I hoped it would. The long ago lovers, she with the broken heart, he the big-time quarterback, were reunited in their hometown where they decided to stay and pursue new careers that are not in the "Big City."

I am now fortunate to live in a small town after the hustle and bustle of living and working in the suburbs of the city of Chicago. I am also fortunate to live with my best friend, Mary. I know that she is always there for me and I also know that I don't appreciate her often nor well enough. She loves me, I love her, but I am not a patient man when it comes to caring for my injured/repaired self, so I resist her efforts to keep me on the straight and narrow. So, as my way of telling her that I really do appreciate her, I've included a link to this Brooks and Dunn version of My Maria. For those of you who have ever visited our southern neighbor, Mexico, you know that the citizens there almost always automatically translate Mary to their Spanish language version, Maria.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPoICeX33vY

So yes Mary/Maria, I am still in love with you almost 46 years since we first met.

Hey, as long as I'm in a YouTube frame of mind, I am going to include a version of When You Say Nothing At All, a song featured in the movie Notting Hill, as performed by Allison Krause at the White House.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyEyDiEBgv8

A look out the WW (Weather Window) confirms what the NWS (National Weather Service) has been warning/advising about all day and evening. We have a Winter Weather Advisory/Winter Storm Watch in effect. The Winter Weather Advisory ends @ 11:00 a.m. today, but the Winter Storm Watch will be in effect from late this evening until Monday evening. By the time all is said and done, we may see seven to eleven inches of new snow. I think it may be time to call/text John as we can't expect our neighbors to do what I can't do every time it snows.

About the only thing I managed to do in the kitchen yesterday afternoon was to make vegan Italian sausages. I mixed and stirred and cut, but Mary had to do the final formatting/wrapping and placement into the steamer. Mary turned one of them into a topping for the pizza we had for dinner.

Today promises to be a day that we stay indoors. I can't imagine a need to go out anywhere like we did yesterday afternoon, when we ran to the grocery store in Spring Lake. We'll do some tandem cooking, I may solo too, and then I'll read and work a crossword puzzle while Mary knits. With a little luck, we won't have to do real work, just have some fun.

The sun will rise this morning @ 8:05 a.m. and set later @ 5:50 p.m In between, the NWS is forecasting a high temperature of 14°. However, if their forecast proves to be accurate, the high on Wednesday will be only -3° with an overnight low of -5°!