Blizzardville

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Soon the bells will start
And the thing that will make them ring
Is the carol that you sing
Right within your heart

Meredith Wilson

It seems just a week ago I was writing about how temperate November had been and how maybe this winter wouldn't be so bad after all. Well a funny thing happened on the way to my moderate winter. Blizzard came to town and not the kind with pieces of candy and cookies in them you get at Dairy Queen. Madison had its biggest snowfall in 29 years as 19 inches of the powder blanketed the city on Wednesday. I'm not exactly sure when I became a giant wuss when it comes to snow fall and especially driving in the snow but it certainly has happened over the years here. I hate driving in snow, and the roads here have not begun to clear after this massive snow. Today my 12 minute drive to my new gym took me a little over half an hour. It was the first time I had been out of the house since Tuesday and my first decent sweat of the week. And just to be cute Mother Nature after pounding us with snow thought it would be fun to drop our temperatures below zero. The plows can't get the ice off the roads and the salt does nothing to melt the 3 inch thick layer of ice that is now on most every secondary road.

Here is State Street in downtown Madison, home to Sunshine Daydream. Just the kind of weather you want to get out in a walk around and do some Christmas shopping :( You can always take a bus, well if the bus can stay on the road. Speaking of buses. My wife and her friend flew back into Chicago Wednesday evening after five days in Puerto Rico where she was nice enough to complain of the heat causing her to sweat. I had planned to make the drive to Chicago to pick her up but instead I thought I would give her an early Christmas gift of a one way bus ticket back to Madison. I am Mr. Thoughtful.

Is there any good weather news. Of course, I get to spend about half the winter in Utah having booked my next trip to Fitness Ridge for the last day of January thru the middle of March. Lord knows I need the help. I am so different in the winter than I am in the summer. I'm not sure if it is seasonal depression or seasonal boredom but I have been unproductive for the last month. I need sunshine, I need to be outside, and I need sand volleyball. I have watched more TV in the last month than in the previous 6 months combined. That being said I did enjoy Mad Men season one that I wiped out this week thanks to the blizzard.

I got to see Colbie Caillat in concert last weekend. A small venue and a special shout out to Stephanie who was at the Ridge with me in September for making the trip up to see the show with me. Now Colbie I know you have only two cds of music to choose from, but 1 hour and 20 minutes of playing time is an embarrassment to people that know how to entertain a crowd. Oh well everyone can't be The Boss.

Two weeks until Christmas. Still time to have a productive December. My personal trainer kicked my butt today. Basketball, lunges, running up stairs, and just 'cause he loves me a new 18lb medicine ball for my sit ups. Who knew 6lbs could make such a huge difference, that ball is heavy. I hope the weather is nice where you are. And as always tie-dye makes an excellent Christmas gift. Peace, Love and NO SNOW..please, jim