Tuesday This and That Fuzziness

It's snowing again.

I saw a weather report yesterday that we'll be on a winter storm watch today. 

It may have just begun. 

First day of snow has passed and the following has happened:

Horses survived their first night in the barn.

I've survived my first morning of shoveling.

Yesterday I baked bread and carmel nut rolls.

Bill and I had breakfast for dinner last night---fresh rolls, bacon and scrambled eggs.  Yum. 

Seattle Seahawks won a tough-fought 8th game to continue their way toward the play-offs.

Gonzaga fell to fourth in NCAA rankings.

Mow's Jayhawks rose to first. 

Gotta keep the gang happy! 

The Subaru has new brakes after getting four new tires. 

Safer driving again. 

I threw snowballs at the horses yesterday.  

With hay all eaten for the day and grass hidden beneath the snow, horses get bored, so why not eat a board!

Three stood at the fence west of the kitchen window, looking my way and chewing to their hearts' content.

I came outside and yelled.

They kept on chewing. 

I ran toward the fence and yelled.  

They kept on chewing. 

I threw snowballs. 

They ran away. 

I walked away.

They came back.

They chewed.

I threw. 

This interchange went on for about five minutes.  

Finally, they decided to retreat and stay retreated.

Today the horses are in the barnyard.

Today the electric fence is on. 

For several days, they may not chew. 

I'll plug in the fence from time to time, in hopes of salvaging the barnyard boards, which have already provided ample entertainment for idle moments of winters past. 

Like Bill said this morning.  Usually in the winter, they can't get to the fence because of the snow.

I really don't blame them because I know how boredom brings on the need to do some sort of chewing.  With humans, however, we can go to the candy jar or the refrigerator for something to chew on.

Or, our finger or hang nails!  

For horses, it's either their own frozen droppings or the fence or each other.  Kinda limiting.

Maybe I need to get an old refrigerator and put it out in the barnyard with some carrots inside. 

In other earth-shattering news, I went to the Dollar Store yesterday, just to see what kind of inexpensive (not cheap, mind you) stuff I could find to add to my garden-fence display. 

I found some cute little wreaths which could go under the garland.  While walking toward the counter, I saw a lady looking at me.  I did not acknowledge her stare.

Later, while waiting in my cashier slot, I looked back at the lady and realized I had not been very friendly. 

It was Rachel, whom I've known since she was a small child.

Later, I got her attention and said hi, apologizing because "I don't have my glasses on." 

I know I've already mentioned this focusing phenomenon in a "Slight Detour" posting from the other day.  

As the Christmas season shopping gets more intense, I find myself in settings with lots of people walking to and fro. 

Sometimes I remember my glasses.  Sometimes I don't.  Sometimes I have my glasses around my neck but forget they are there. 

So, again, I must mention that people look like pretty fuzzy creatures these days, and that's NOT because they're growing winter hair like my horses.

It's totally on this end.  My eyes, without glasses, especially under inside lighting, seem to prefer fuzzy over clear. 

The other day when I was at Yoke's, I saw a woman at least ten aisles away withOUT my glasses AND I knew who she was.

"Hi, Julie," I yelled, with a quick proclamation,"I could even see who you were withOUT my glasses." 

Julie, another retired educator, said that situation was becoming a problem for her too.  She's maybe one year younger than I am, so it's understandable. 

While chuckling about this new dimension in not aging very gracefully, I told her there was an added benefit to the fuzzy figure syndrome.

"If it's someone you know you should know but you don't," I explained. "Just use that excuse.  That way they may just even save you from the embarrassment of not knowing their name by providing their name."

There is one caution to go along with that tactic, though, I advised Julie.

"Make sure you don't have your glasses on when you use the excuse.

Which brought further laughter and the rationalization that at our age, people probably expect pretty much any kind of strange behavior.  

So, we're safe, even if the people don't look to fuzzy when they're up close and personal and we don't know who the heck we're talking to. 

Which brings to mind, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when I saw who I thought was the star of one of my most favorite television shows ever.

But when I this ol' English teacher saw clearly that the spelling was wrong, I felt much better.

My eyes don't play tricks on me all the time. 

Happy Tuesday.  

We'll see what happens on this second day of snow, and I'm betting that I won't need to throw snowballs at my horses today.