odds and ends

 The picture only sort of does it justice....make it big and you will realize that the pile of snow on top of the car is higher than the windshield. It makes me wish we were already in our own place---still waiting for the sellers to get approved and all that jazz.

Some days the snow comes faster than others.
The last two, not so much. Let me tell you. I prefer white snow to yellow snow and there are a lot of doggies in our apartment complex.

Luckily, the temperature has been hovering respectably just below freezing--meaning i don't have to zip my jacket to take neah out or worry about frostbite. It also means i could wear a dress and leggings to work and not worry about getting lost and dying in a snowdrift bigger than i am. a very real challenge of driving is that the large amounts of snow mean you drive through valleys....and often have to ease out a little into the road to see what is coming.
More importantly, however, is that it means that Bob and Lissa might not freeze to death when they abandon the balmy tropics to come hang out for a few weeks (read: the Baha'i Fast month) with the grand-dog, party it up at the Fur Rondy, and watch the Iditarod. Parental bucket list item: Iditarod, check.

I have been doing some cooking again--trying to find new and fun things to eat. So the other night it was citrus collards and chard with a breaded garlic orange tilapia and sweet potatoes. mmmmmm.

being southern it is hard to imagine how to cook collards that doesn't involve bacon, ham and hours of slow simmering---but they turned out super yummy and much more fresh tasting with the blanching/simmering in fresh orange juice method.
 Which leads me to the less impressive meal concoction of the week.....affectionately known as "laundromat dinner".