COLD JANUARY DAY by Gloria Alden

Okay, I don’t live in Alaska, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Idaho, Montana, Upper Michigan or any of the states further north, including upper New York State or the northern New England States, but even in N.E. Ohio it’s been darn cold these past weeks. In fact, on this past Sunday all the churches in the area were closed. It’s not just the cold. It’s also the heavy snowfall we’ve been getting. The road in front of my home has been plowed regularly and had something like salt put on it enough to keep it open to the many cars and trucks that speed down it. My son came over several days ago with his tractor with a plow in front of it and plowed out my driveway. There is still at least six or more inches there because it has continued snowing. He also shoveled my rather long sidewalk, too, and the next day I noticed he plowed a wide trail from his peacock pen to my barn which made it easier to walk over there to feed our peacocks (his, the male pea cock and mine, the female pea hen) Until recently I was letting my ponies out in the daytime, but when the snow started getting deeper and deeper, I'm now keeping them in their stalls.

I haven’t driven too much, although about five days ago I went to Aldi’s grocery store to stock up on food and other things because it was supposed to snow with the temperature really dropping. I stopped at the Dollar General next to Aldi’s to pick up doggie treats and snacks for my Maggie.

My son, who lives next door, and my daughter, who lives about eight miles away, have come over and brought me food for supper. They call to check on me, too. But except for going out to take care of my ponies, two hens, a barn cat and the peacocks next door, I’m not outside any more than I have to be. I pick up my newspaper on my way back from the barn. Maggie likes to go out, but she doesn’t stay outside too long.

After I wrecked my car last fall I had to quit delivering Mobile Meals. Eventually my son found another car for me so I again have a red Ford Focus to drive. However, I’ve decided because of the weather and the roads I’m going to wait a few months before I sign up to deliver Mobile Meals again. My daughters don’t think I should be doing it, but I’m not going to pay attention to them. I like delivering the meals, and it doesn’t take that long because my route doesn’t have that many people signed up for them.

Meanwhile except for going out to care for my animals, get the newspaper and the mail, I’m pretty much inside. Last week I did go to a restaurant in a small town about 12 miles south of me where I met my two sisters and my sister-in-law for lunch at a restaurant run by a Greek family. My sister-in-law’s parents were Greek so she enjoys visiting with them. The food is always delicious there. We enjoy visiting and were there about three hours or more. Because it was a weekday and later in the afternoon, there weren’t a lot of people there so we each left decent tips for the owner/waitress who took care of us.

So am I unhappy about the weather? Not really because I’m spending a lot of time in my nesting chair reading. Sometimes I put on one of my Andy Cooney albums and play it. I’m in love with him. At the beginning of December, I went to the Warren Civic Music Center with a friend to hear him sing. I had never heard of him before, but he’s a well-known tenor singer. I ended up buying four of his CDs and, except for the one I sent to my Washington State sister and her husband, I still have three to listen to. Because he’s an Irish Tenor who sings Irish music, I love not only his voice but the songs he sings. He wasn’t born in Ireland, but his grandfather was and he has visited Ireland a lot. He also writes music, too. Some of his music makes me want to get up and dance to it. Of course, Maggie stares at me wondering what in the world I’m doing. I consider it my exercise for the day.

So do I wish I had the money and a companion to go with to Florida and leave this winter weather? Not really. The positive aspect of winter is I don’t have to mow my yard, weed my flower beds, and I don’t have to suffer from the hot days. My house is cozy and warm and I’m pretty much surrounded by books to read in almost every room in my house. I like having friends and family around to have lunch with or go to plays with. I like the church I go to and my church friends. I enjoy the two book clubs I belong to also. I’d miss my ponies and especially my sweet collie Maggie. I’d miss my nesting chair where I sit to read. Just having warm springs, summers and fall is enough for me to have warm weather.

What about you? Do you hate or enjoy winter weather?