Monday 10:00 am: The January thaw seems to have set in. Using the word “thaw” is misleading, because the temperature is only in the 30s [F.]. In relative terms, it’s warmed up, but it is still jacket weather. Considering the low temperature just a few nights ago, it’s warmed up over 50 degrees: January 5th is was down to -21.1° [F.].

Yesterday our neighbors, way back in the woods, slogged out of their cabin on snowshoes and visited us for a few hours. They are truly hardy souls; no electricity, a hand pump for water and a wood cooking stove. However, they do recharge batteries with solar panels and have a cell phone. They are living examples of the pioneer spirit. I like electricity when it comes out of the outlets in the walls. Click, it’s on.

Well this television writers’ strike is getting old. Reruns are fine when they are years old, but not just a few months old. The Daily Show and the Colbert Report have disappeared from Comedy Central. Where am I supposed to get my glibly [un]biased view of the world now? I guess I have to resort to “real” news which is less interesting and far less entertaining. I thought life is supposed to be mostly entertaining, but I guess not. My attention span must be too short. It’s espresso time for us.

Current values from our wireless Davis Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 35.3° [F.]

Barometer: 30.029 & steady

Humidity: 87%

Wind: SW at 5 mph light & variable

Visibility: > 3 miles

Skies: Overcast

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temperature: 34.7° [F.] at 7:14 am

High wind: 11 mph at 5:31 am