Bright Ideas

The morning of February 10, it was -23.2 degrees at the official weather station in Ekalaka, in our back yard. Luckily, Brice doesn’t need to go outside to read temperatures, he or I can just read the numbers on the little screen on the computer counter.

The only outside activities associated with the weather are bringing in the large container where snow or rain might have accumulated. Two days in the first part of one week dropped 10 inches of snow which melted down to 1/2 inch of moisture.

I haven’t been outside in months. We can probably get our van out of the shop, because of neighbors generous pushing of snow. But do we really want to? It would be too slick so chains would be the only way it could handle the streets.

We had two days barely above freezing, and now it’s 2 degrees. When will it be above freezing again? Can you remember the feeling of sunshine on your shoulder? How many days above freezing will it take to melt the glacier of snow in our front yard?

I told my Step-Dad this morning, we had a glacier of snow in the front yard, and we do! I think it will move as a body when conditions warm underneath. If the top melts first, water might run off. Brice’ll have to find places it could run to. Maybe he will need to carve trenches for drainage.

How many warm days would it take?

We have another appointment scheduled in Miles City; this one is for Botox shots in my hand and maybe neck. The right hand is curled up. Try as I do to smooth it out, it just curls again. Botox shots improve that immensely. Brice might need to put on chains just to get out of our driveway. We could leave them on until we made it to pavement.

We don’t have 4 wheel drive, so snowy travel is a problem. Our travel vehicle was new in 2005 — 13 years ago. It was available for me through Medicaid Waiver. I sit in the front seat, buckled in position. I remember when they were customizing the space in the vehicle. They asked if I wanted a seatbelt in front. Well of course. If the chair was buckled in, why not protect me?

I don’t know when my nerve pain will be scheduled again. Spring would be a better season for driving. One Doctor went on vacation and we’ll see how many vacation days he has. My pain ran a full course and now it’s quiet.