Brilliant Sunshine

Most of today, much to my delight, has been filled with brilliant sunshine. Pouring through the windows it has been a joy. It is especially bright being reflected by the newly fallen snow. Have I ventured out, one may ask? The answer is “no.” Today’s high is 3º and tonight we will enjoy -9º. Or, shall we say, some might enjoy. The air quality index is “good.” The prognostication for the end of next week is three days with a high of 0º and low of -11º. Not having paid much attention during the seemingly endless days of cloudiness no attention was given to the weather report. Thursday being the appointed day for my first COVID-19 vaccine injection, the time for reporting being 7:20 AM, taking the body to bed early on Wednesday seemed wise. At 5 AM my cellphone beeped its text message arrival sound. A very few friends are known as early risers. This missive was from the city announcing a “snow emergency” and plowing would begin post-haste. Plowing! I need to be on the other side of the city for the blessed shot in the arm! A few more minutes of shut-eye won’t hurt. Needless to say the few more minutes were overcome by angst concerning the trip “over the river and through the woods” to the clinic I must go. Trust that the plows would have all the emergency routes completed was low. The route being plotted in my head, I bravely set forth. My house is just a half-block from the closest emergency route, downhill at that.

I don’t exactly know where all the people on this side of town and the adjacent suburbs work, but wherever it is they need to be there at 7 AM obviously. In addition to the traffic there were more than the usual number of, shall we say, careless drivers, or those who know not how to manage a vehicle on slippery streets. Dilemma posed, shall one take the Interstate or go through the city streets. My trust level of the State of South Dakota being swifter than the city in clearing the snow is not high, so I guess the Interstate is out of the question. Thankfully all the chosen streets upon which to travel had been plowed and arrival at the clinic was in good time. When checking in I was informed that my advent was early. After explaining that I wanted to be sure to make it, the attendant smiled and said “enter through this door,” as he gestured. The next person checked the form previously filled out at home and directed me to a table where a quick jab in the arm was received. Next stop was the scheduling desk for the next shot, then fifteen minutes sitting in a physically distanced area and back on the streets by 7:15 for the journey home. Choosing a different route I had the misfortune to be caught in the traffic for, not one, but three schools. The upshot: I am partially protected and will have shot number two on February 25 at 9 AM. The snow people arrived to do their “thing” about mid-morning. I ventured out for the 1 PM Eucharist at Good Shepherd. After a couple of errands my return home necessitated looking at the roof. There was wind but it was not doing an adequate job of clearing the roof. Instead of fretting, my decision was to go ahead and rake the roof. Now where was the roof rake last seen? Probably somewhere in the garage would be a logical location. It was found, assembled and the roof raked! For those not accustomed to this ritual of roof raking, it is a means of getting the snow off the roof so an ice dam will not develop at the eaves. The roof rake is an inverted snow shovel on a long pole with three extensions that plug into each other making the whole contraption about 24 feet long. The design is such that a person doesn’t have to get on the roof but merely hoist it up and pull the snow down. The biggest struggle is getting it up on the roof. The technique has to be finely tuned so the rake remains on the roof while pulling the snow within .25 inch of the edge so one need not hoist it up again. I am sure the neighbors are highly entertained by the whole process should they be inclined to watch. It really does not take that much time but the thought of going through the gymnastics involved has a tendency to cause a delay in the deployment of the aforementioned equipment.

The puzzle mentioned last week has been completed. I must admit that it was difficult. There is a certain satisfaction in completing a work begun. Perhaps that is one of the reasons for working on a puzzle. I have another puzzle which appears to be even more challenging. No one has high expectations of my completion of a puzzle which makes it a nice pastime in the dreary winter days, and leisurely as well. I’ve felt well all week. The infusion routine begins again on Monday. I’ve no reason to believe it will go differently than in the past. I have an Erma Bombeck book to read which will keep me thoroughly entertained. I found this on a bookshelf, dusted it off and take it along. I’d forgotten how humorous her writing was. She was another person taken much too early from among us. Her account of life in the suburbs as a mother is wonderful. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts and your time shared with me.