This Weather is Getting On My Nerves

Winter Storm Warning
Tomorrow is April First
Is this storm a joke?

Ad Astra Per Astrum

I have the Kansas State Motto pinned to my bulletin board. I am not from Kansas. I was there once for a brief period of time during which I bought a Kansas Jayhawks shirt and then I left, never to return again. I have pleasant if only brief memories of the state. I sadly no longer have the shirt.

While as a person, with no other strings attached, I like daylight saving time, once I get the sleep adjustment thing going on. As a mother, however, my dislike for daylight saving time knows no bounds. I was telling a friend the other day that I am going to write my congressman a letter:

{ Dear Sir,

This is to inform you that I am by no means saving any energy at all. When bedtime comes around with all it's morning glory still intact I must take extreme measures to convince my children it is INDEED time for sleep. I march around the house pulling down blinds and turning on lamps and lights to create the aura of evening. I have become pretty good at it. But my energy consumption has certainly increased, and YOU ARE TO BLAME. WHOSE DUMB IDEA WAS IT TO SWITCH DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME TO MARCH????? ARE YOU HIGH?????

Respectfully yours,

etc., etc. }

We have helped to remedy the bedtime difficulty by installing shades that do a so-so job at keeping out the sun. But last summer when the sun started to hang around and we only had old Levolor blinds, Ben brought home some Enormous Sized poster board type things to stick in the windows and help block out the sun.

One had information on the state of Utah (my home sweet home, home of a lot of jello consumption, or so they say) the other was filled information on the state of Kansas. I took one look over the visual presentation and pulled off the card with the Kansas state motto.

Ad Astra Per Astrum it said.
Which apparently means (in Latin is my guess) To The Stars Through Difficulty.

Which basically sums up, at least once a week if not daily, how I feel about things. Things may get tough. But they must be worth it.

Anywhere the Wind Blows

It snowed last night.

Unpleasant, early spring rain turned to cold icy snow, snow. (Read that sentence again, the two snows are there on purpose.)

And this morning the sun came out a few hours late. But on a day like this, who could blame him? He did show up. The rays that brightened the kitchen and made it bearable to clean the family room were lovely, but did nothing at all to protect those who had to venture out of their houses.

The wind was vicious today and when I went to pick up my daughter from school I stepped out of the car only to have a violent gust of air whoosh past me so fast it took my breath away. That is one of the oddest feelings; having air pulled out of your mouth so that the lungs are lost for a moment, with suddenly nothing to do.

My daughter, on a field trip to the local airport, told me the wind blew so hard that it moved her to a different spot from where she was standing. I can see it right now: a miniature Mary Poppins blowing wherever the wind takes her. It's too bad it's so cold, otherwise that might be pleasant.