Unlike the dire predictions, we were having a regular, run-of-the-mill winter until the groundhog saw his shadow. Prior to that, winter had so far consisted of one 4" snowfall and temperatures averaging in the 30's. We would dip into the 20's overnight, and often climb into the 40's during the day. I'd prefer it be warmer, but after last winter, I wasn't complaining.
Earlier this week we got 7" of snow, then another 1-1/2" on top of that. Schools were closed Monday through Thursday, and Friday we had a 2-hour delay ... and the temperatures were torturous. During the day, high temps were in the teens with wind chills near or below zero, and we dropped below zero a couple of nights. Brrrrr.
Freezing rain started falling last night around 7:30. I woke up to the trees coated in a thin layer of ice this morning. I don't know how much ice accumulated on the branches (doesn't look like too much), but they're calling for another tenth to one quarter inch. By noon the temperature is expected to rise above freezing, then we'll have rain. I checked online to see if there were any power outages. There are, but they only around 400 homes ... and fortunately, mine is not one of them.
I have some errands to run, but I'll wait until later, after the rain starts falling and the ice melts. Thing 2 is off work today, so we'll have another snow day together. She's so busy with work, school, church, friends, and her boyfriend that I can go days without seeing her. I see a lump under her covers in the morning when I go to work, and she's usually at work or off visiting someone when I get home, and I'm generally in bed when she gets home.
She's in her twenties, which means my time with her to myself is limited. It won't be long before she'll be graduating college and (one day) moving out, so I treasure our time alone together. These snowy, the-roads-are-bad-and-it's-too-cold-to-go-out days are precious, indeed.