Wow! It was -19 F (-28 C) here in Glens Falls, last night...and, we're to get another 6 to 12 inches of snow, in the next 24 hours...on top of the 14 inches we just flipping got, earlier this week. Which, with the 5 or so inches that we've had on the ground since early December...will make the total of snow on the ground here, by tomorrow night to about two to three feet...or more, in the higher terrain to our north.
But...
It's suppose to become partly sunny with rain (you folks in the UK should be used to that) and 50 degrees (10 C) by the weekend!
Okaaay, then. 
You see, Americans are the only one's who are just a wee freaky, 'round these parts.
I made the rounds with the shopping and bill paying today, being payday--and, I got my first SSI (govt) cheque today, $66.50. I was at one grocery store--the sales were so fantastic, that I wound up spending the day, going to three different grocery stores...anyway, at one store, people were getting all upset, because there was this bunch of wild ducks--three mallards and half a dozen lady ducks---following people around the car park at the Price Chopper supercentre.
I'm told there's a swamp behind the store--but with it being nineteen below zero F, the water is totally frozen over and the poor dears are basically starving. So, they've taken to the busy car park to mooch for their supper. Which means, that every time some poor git goes to put his shopping in the trunk/boot of his car, he gets mobbed by a herd of vagrant ducks.
I watched at they actually followed some guy with his shopping trolley, and stood grouped around his feet, holding their little wings out, quacking, "our pond's frozen, help us!. Okay, maybe not quite, but, you know what I mean. Being an animal schumck erm--lover, I felt really bad for the poor wee things. But, I had no bread or food to give them, and the cab was waiting on me. Well, they should be alright, what with the temps going so wonky by the weekend---straight from artic winter to balmy spring. March is weird. Well, at least it wasn't the local moose. Getting chased by a moose--now that's scary. (trust me, I know whereof I speak).
I remember, when I lived in the tourist town up the road, Lake George, I was hanging by the lake, tourist gawking, and this small group of Japanese tourists were approached by about half a dozen wild ducks--and the tourist freaked! I mean they screamed like little girls! Whoa! Well, I suppose maybe they'd never seen a wild duck before? Me, I grew up with close encounters with snakes, rabbits and foxes, so I suppose I'm kind of blasie about it. My sister in Vermont, is even more so--she's got black bear, moose, deer, lynx and fishers regularly coming into her yard, as she borders a national forest. In fact, the bear likes to hang around the end of the drive, teasing her dogs, when they're tied out, and the fishers tend to eat her cats.
So, I have a bit of a dilema to deal with. I am getting a cheque on Monday--the big one from disability...however, I am unsure if it will be the single payment, or if they will lump that payment and the back payment together. If the one payment--which is both good and bad, then I can cash it, no probs--however, it won't cover the March rent, only the Feb. rent I've yet to pay. IF...I get my regular cheque and the back payment for last April together--I cannot cash the cheque..well, sis says to mail it to her, and she'll cash it for me. I hope she'll be able to. Of course, she may have to deposit it, first--although, I was allowed to cash mum's, when she was bedridden. Well, at least the money is coming, and I just have to have the faith that it will all work out in the end--though I'm afraid my faith has taken quite a few hits, of late.
Going to be hit miss though, for another month or two, at least. I'm not out of the woods of poverty yet, that's for sure...in fact, I think these last two plus years have scarred me for life. I think I'll always be looking over my shoulder, for the rest of my life, wondering what (bad thing) is going to happen next. It's a scary way to live, trust me on this.
Anyway, enough of the gloom and doom, ey?
Well, I've been happily hacking away at one of my Dr who fan fic stories, and watching various series 3 DVD's, and yes, Voyage of the Damned for the umpteenth time. You never can have too much Dr Who you know.
Aren't I pathetic, ey? I'm a hopeless Whovian. I may not ever own a David Tennant doll, a Toy Tardis or a plastic sonic screwdriver...but, yeah, I do love it to bits, I do. Okay, truth to tell, I'd love to own a toy sonic. 
I gotta' wonder tho'---do the fan girls sleep with a little mini David under their collective pillows? Afraid I'd probably be a bit more irreverent with mine (if I had one). I think he's brilliant--well...he's no Derek Jacobi, but yup, he'll do, I reckon. Well, anyway, reckon, being me, I'd probably end up using poor Tennant's little (toy) self, to prop the window ope, or a cat toy or something--not out of malice mind...I'm just too cheapt to buy a door stop, and the cats go through their toys like crazy.
Speaking of cat toys (note the segway, again), I bought the cats a packet of furry mice, today, on sale: 9 for $2. Usually they're $1 each, so that's a great buy--well, as of now, there's five furry mice in my lounge, two on my bed, one in the kitchen..and heaven knows where the rest are. I just opened the packet and dumped them out...the cats were overjoyed. But...they the thrills generally last a day or so. In fact, Charilie's favourite "toy," is the plastic strip zip top, from a package of deli sliced ham. I found it in my coat tonight, when I got to work--he likes to "hide" it, than find it again. Oh, if we all could be so easily amused, wouldn't the BBC be overjoyed, ey?
Still got my cold, but it's okay--my throat feels like sandpaper's been rubbed against it, after making phone calls, but otherwise, I'm holding my own, against it. Bit anemic I'm told, once again, and must go for some more tests. Oh, hoo-ray. 
Been one heck of a busy day--had an hour wait for a cab, in the cold, and got a bit cross, I'm afraid, after 30 minutes. It's warmer tonight, 19 F, but still, in this last year, I've found I'm far less tolerant of the cold, than I used to be--wheter that's the blood problems, the diabetes or something else, I've no clue. Long gone are the days, when I'd go snowshoeing when it was 15 F, with nothing but a flannel shirt, sweater and a pair of jeans, on.
Well, must get on, in a bit. I have to stop at the store across from my building, and get some antacids...had a hurried lunch of Mexican food, and my stomach's not thanking me for it. 
Have a lovely weekend, all. And, if anyone from Wales happens to be reading this, happy St David's Day.
