aaaand- Winter's not done yet!

Looked out my window around 6.30 Fri am and saw this. Heh. I must admit, I wasn't all that impressed. I've enjoyed this winter, enjoyed the snow (for the most part) and, unlike many years, I wasn't totally disillusioned with and tired of February by the time it ended... but... I was glad to see dry, bare pavement. To see sun. To not run the risk of slipping and falling on the ice every single time I went out. Yes. Well. Here we go again. Hopefully... not for long. 

The scene looking up to the monument on Sat. Walking, turns out, wasn't too bad- just got sopping wet feet as it's just at freezing so quite slushy. Was also quite foggy. But nearly deserted so pleasant.

Met this dude and his 2-legged buddy. See him?

Here. Him. Great Dane the size of a medium sized horse. The size of a half grown cow. Him. Black and white, even, come to think of it. Probably some sort of Holstein cross. The minute I saw him, I had a flashback to the very first time I saw a dog this big and this color. I was in high school, working part time at a local vet clinic. I loved that job. It wasn't unusual to have a collection of animals who'd passed the point of living and breathing and running and frolicking and gone on to permanent immobility. Sometimes they'd been sick, sometimes they'd been the victims of accidents and couldn't recover, sometimes... I don't know all the reasons why we ended up with 'unliving' animals waiting for pickup by the animal disposal people, but we did. And they stayed in the cooler so as to not stink up the place. So- this day, a very quiet Saturday I was doing what I was supposed to- cleaning and tidying and working on inventory. And I cruised out to the garage without turning on the lights because... well, I suppose I didn't need to but- Who knows why? Anyway, cruise out to the garage and shoot over to where I need whatever I need... and nearly have a stroke. Scream. Hyperventilate. Nearly collapse on the spot. There is a huge- and I mean HUGE- 'thing' propped up against the wall, it's lurking hulking shape completely menacing and looking ready to pounce. When I finally calmed down, I realized it was an 'unliving' Great Dane propped against the wall waiting for the 'dead truck' (Yes, that's what we called it- crude, I know). I got out of there and just didn't go back until he was gone. (He was too big to fit into the cooler, you know...) It's one of the only times I was seriously spooked at work. shudder

Not sure if you can see it but the snow is melting and running like no tomorrow. Makes for a mess but bodes, well, I'm thinking, for warmer friendlier days and weather ahead!