Ramblings of a rural(ish) geek

It was 54F when I went to bed. Less than 8 hours later, it was 26F, with little pellet-y snow falling, 2" of snow on the ground, and a 6" snowdrift in front of the garage door. A couple hours later, it's 23F and we're getting big snowflakes. (Same thermometer.) Whee! Glad I don't have to go anywhere today, as there is a layer of ice under all that snow.

I had to break snow and ice off the hopper feeder. The hanging platform feeder was full of snow as well, but I just put the sunflower seeds on top of that.

The birds on the thistle feeder didn't move until I went to hang the other feeder on the same hook, which was about the same time that the squirrel on the leeward side of the hopper feeder (where there wasn't ice/snow) jumped off and skittered for the field.

In TimeFail news, I will not be at Capricon. I got an email from the site boss for the theater competition at the high school, asking if I could help with tabulating scores (thus removing even the appearance of impropriety). And the competition is Friday/Saturday, so I can't make it to the FCB Dinner Dance, either.

Yanno, it's one thing to contemplate a 12 hour drive, and another to do it twice in three days. Mum & I went to Boone on Wednesday -- she's not made that drive in a few years, and we used a different route than she used to, so it was a longer (but easier!) drive than she expected (421 is at least 4 lanes, and sometimes 5, all the way from I-77 to Boone). We got there 12 1/2 hours after she left her apartment. I still remember where the road up the mountain is, although it's a bit harder to spot, tucked between two motel parking lots on 105. I spent a day futsing around - read a bit, knitted a bit, chatted with the ladies -- before leaving Friday morning. I got home 12 hours after I left, 680 miles in a car that's not mine. It rained all the way up I-77, and didn't stop until I turned east at Cleveland. It's the only time I've been through Charleston and the capitol dome wasn't glowing in the light. :)

Still haven't actually started sewing the jacket for next Sunday's costume. OTOH, I know which jacket and which fabric, what I need to do to revise the skirt, and both J and DB will be gone Fri & Sat (J is off with the HS Robotics team, and DB will be off visiting friends whom he won't see at WindyCon). I should get it done early in the week, though, because the weather forecast indicates that Fri/Sat would be the best days for working in the garden this week.

In timefail news, DB had been vaguely planning to attend WindyCon - he had set up a swap for his Sunday A/V job, and had been offered a volunteer gig in the teen room -- and then the director of the fall musical (show dates Nov 11-13) emailed him and said "help! we have nobody backstage full time for the show". So he said yes to her and sent regrets to D.

Thanksgiving Day was quiet here, and Friday we went to my mother's for dinner. A good time was had by all, and then it was time to drive home. On the fresh dusting of snow over freezing rain. It was slippy!, and it took us an extra 30 minutes to get home. But we did get home safely.

DB has been spending a lot of time in the auditorium. Once Footloose! was done, the crew started moving in the Nutcracker sets, and setting up for that. He went in Thanksgiving weekend, was there until 9 MTW for dress rehearsals, and will be there Saturday all day and Sunday afternoon. Somewhere in there were auditions for OneAct and the beginning of second term classes. He has a concert Monday evening, and will be working the Middle School holiday concert on Tuesday.

I will be spending time in auditoriums as well -- stage rehearsal tonight, concert on Sunday; then a concert in a different HS auditorium on Thursday. (and I will probably be at the Middle School concert on Tuesday night, as there is a parent meeting for OneAct at the same time, and it's silly to drive home only to turn around and go back to pick him up.) There is a stage rehearsal/mass band run-through on Monday that I will miss (DB's holiday concert), so I will be sight reading the mass band piece. OTOH, as I understand it there's only one, and it's a simplified Sleigh Ride. The trickiest part, I think, will be ensuring that I have a seat in the layout. DB will miss my Sunday concert, as they're a bit under-crewed for Sunday's performances, and he can run a couple of the larger sets by himself.

I had hopes of getting into the workroom to do useful things today, but Anna-kitteh thwarted me. I couldn't have done a lot anyway, as I do have rehearsal tonight and I really don't want to go in to rehearsal with a sore hand. I did get some fabrics pulled out, and may be able to get something cut out tomorrow while Anna is sleeping. (crosses fingers).

The minister has decided to do another lesson and carol service on Christmas Eve, and wants to reassemble the Praise Band. DB has opted out of the band (says he'll join J as a low voice), which is probably good for the balance, as the band can get a bit bass heavy with the both of us playing (and the choir is light on low voices, so probably good all around). I may be playing flute on Silent Night, which will be an entertaining swap. :)

It was probably inevitable, but in my second year of double Band Mom, I have a direct conflict -- both kids have games on the same day. Unfortunately, it's a Central game that I really don't want to miss (Navy), and it's unlikely that the game will be moved, as it's ESPN2's Friday game. But I really should be at the CHS game. I think SR will probably have to do a big game without me there. bummer.