The melting has begun. After 3 days of being homebound, I was ready for a short sojourn yesterday to observe the winter wonderland that had been produced by our Great February Ice and Snow Storm.

Peaceful and serene are the visual delights of snow covering the earth. Just the beautiful appearance of snow tends to calm the stresses of life. I think that there is a bit of a reason that we all hope for a White Christmas…as it is planted in our culture and in our brains as the physical manifestation of the beauty of the season.

White Christmas is somewhat of a rarity in Southern Illinois. Snow has become a special event in our region. I passed a father sledding with his children yesterday and the look of sheer joy on each of their faces…with the dad having the widest grin of all…was priceless!

Stress has surrounded us over the past 3 years with our Pandemic and economic turnaround and the new normal of our worldwide plague. The snow has brought our little corner of the world a moment of respite and reflection…and a time for planning for better days ahead.

Billy B. was experiencing a difficult choice as to what to buy his friend and perhaps his girlfriend for Valentines’ Day. Chet and he met after school to discuss the conundrum. Chet said, ‘Why don’t you get her a fancy Valentines’ Day card…you know…the kind that cost a dollar or more?’ Billy B. responded, ‘But what if she thinks that I am a bit silly…and she wonders when and where I started to think of she and I and more than just good friends?’ Chet noted that Jane accompanied them on all of their Halloween and Christmas adventures and that she laughed at all of Billy B.’s jokes. Billy said, ‘Yes she is a good friend…my best friend…along with you…Chet…but she is so much smarter than me…and she is pretty…while I am ugly…’

Jane walked up in the midst of Chet and Billy B.’s Valentine Planning. ‘Do you two handsome gentlemen want to accompany me to the Valentines’ Day School Party, Jane asked? Billy B. responded, ‘Oh yes we would love to!’ ‘What time and where is it being held,’ asked Chet? Valentines Day evening at 6:00 P:M:,’ Jane answered. ‘It will be especially fun with my fellow adventurers… and my two best friends,’ Jane exclaimed…

Billy B. asked Chet what should he do…and perhaps Chet should be the one to give her the fancy Valentines’ Day card. Chet said, ‘No, you should give Jane the Card and the Maltese puppy that I heard her speaking of…the other day.’ Billy B. said that he did not know if he had enough money saved for a Maltese Puppy. Chet replied, ‘They are $25 and I will give you $10 toward it…as a silent partner…’

Large red cut-out hearts were on the door to the gymnasium when Jane and Billy B. and Chet entered the Valentines’ Day party. In the corner was Buddy dancing with himself…and appearing to enjoy it. Daryl was dressed in a mini Tuxedo and came up to the group and took Jane’s hand and then kissed it…as she blushed…and Billy B. thought that ‘I am losing points with Jane!’ Chet had brought Mylo the Maltese in a small Dog Travel Bag…and he placed it in the cloakroom of their Home Room. Suddenly you could hear Mylo barking his little but mighty bark. Billy B. told Chet, ‘Go and get Mylo and I will give Jane the Fancy Valentines Day card just before you present her with her favorite pup…

The snow and ice have finally ended. Some areas of Carbondale received over 10 inches. Southern Illinois University has closed its doors for two and one-half days…which rarely happens. I read a Facebook posting from one of my friends that mentioned that a Snow Day was like any other day of retirement except for the snow…

As I have heard it said…We went and did it…Mylo The Maltese is coming to our home a week from today. We have been informed that he will probably be 5 pounds at full growth. Around Christmas I began talking about Siberian Huskies…and then Boston Terriers…and recent discussions have been transpiring regarding Toy Poodles…but Mylo won the contest…

So after 30 years of Boston Terriers…our house will have a new look…Mylo! We are excited about our new Furry Baby and Jonathon and Aaron are enthused to receive their new canine brother. A new Kennel and a new bed are in order for Mylo The Maltese. We took a year off upon the death of our last dog…Parker…but I detected that we were ready for an element of our lives that we have been actively engaged in for over 30 years. I like the idea that Mylo will be so small…if he pulls on his leash…no one will know…but him…

The snow is falling heavily and for a longer period of time than we Southern Illinoisians are accustomed to…at least for the last 20 years. It is 24 degrees with an 18 mile per hour wind. Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale has closed again, tomorrow, due to the inclement weather. We are used to quick winter events that blow in and in a couple of hours…blow out of Little Egypt. This Winter Storm is more like the winters of my youth. It seemed that everyone had snow boots or galoshes. Most automobile owners had snow chains in the trunks. Snow tires were also popular. There were not any snow blowers around but there were kids that would shovel your sidewalk for a quarter or fifty cents.

MJ and Jonathon and I have been looking at Toy Poodles and other tiny dogs online. That is the kind of trouble that snow days can get you involved in. The Toy Poodles are very nice…I thought that the one pictured was named Merle…but MJ corrected me that Merle is the color of the dog. They weigh well under 10 pounds and if they pull on the leash when you are walking them…how would your know… I believe that MJ would truly enjoy a little dog…

Cards have been the order of the day for every day since we returned from Miramar Beach, Florida…last month. I asked MJ if she was a bit surprised that I was so dedicated to playing the card game Golf…and she said that she was. I had not played cards prior to our return, for the entirety of my life…but determined to learn Golf when we were in Florida.

It seems to me that we 1960s kids wore much warmer winter garments than the kids of 2022. I had a fur-lined hat that had flaps that could be unbuttoned from the top of the cap and snapped under my chin to facilitate keeping my ears warm. There was also an abundance of earmuffs and mittens and neck scarfs and long underwear… When is the last time you heard anyone speak of long underwear? While today people seem to be impervious to the cold and the natural elements. It seems that wearing less winter clothing is a badge of honor illustrating a tough guy image…

The oil change for one of the Subarus had to be changed this morning. A Winter Storm is upon us…early. Freezing Rain is currently falling from the sky and it is my worse fear of Winter Weather. I mentioned to MJ this morning that we had great vehicles for…snow…but the vehicle has yet to be constructed that is great on…ice. Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale is closing at 2:00 P:M: and is closed tomorrow…Jonathon has just informed me. The Winter Storm promises to be significant as Winter Storms go…for Little Egypt. In days gone by I have witnessed severe winter storms in Southern Illinois…but not so much in this century.

An Omicron Variant has been discovered that is even more transmissible than Omicron in its current form. It is yet to be determined if it is more virulent. Covid has changed the world and given us a new normal…and it is not done…

Card playing is the order of the day. MJ beats me almost every game…and she enjoys it… Winter is a good season for reflection…especially when a Winter Storm has you place-bound. I have an autographed photo signed by Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow of one of my favorite childhood shows…Leave It To Beaver. I have just ordered a photo of the Beaver and Wally and the actors Hugh Beaumont and Barbara Billingsley as the mom and dad of the family. Etsy is a marvelous pastime.

Winter Storms are terrible when you have to drive to work. I recall, vividly, when Steve and I were on our way to clean Ziegler Coal Company Corporate Headquarters in Johnston City and got stuck in a ditch. Steve pushed us out of the ditch and we both hung our heads out of the windows in the attempt to see where we were going in a White Out…

Blizzard is a useful word to describe our present distress. Now well into the third year of our Pandemic and political turmoil such as I have not witnessed in my 64 years. The combination of empty store shelves and vacant job positions across our nation…we find ourselves between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. It becomes difficult to see our path forward when we have been blinded by the metaphorical snow of the cacophony of diverse voices…all talking at once…

I have worked with the leadership of men and women…and I much prefer…women. Throughout our history women have been marginalized and pigeon-holed…when they had the answer to the problems that the white men of the day ceaselessly debated without ever coming to a conclusion… One of the biggest failures is recognizing women in ecclesiastical leadership. Women are often more compassionate and better listeners than we men. Women look for common-sense solutions that include all stakeholders and that do not seclude others. Women are not ‘spoiling for a fight…for the sake of fighting.’ Dr. Jo Ann Argersinger was one of the strongest leaders that I have had the opportunity to work with at SIUC. We all felt included in her mission and that we were vital members of her team!