Breathtakingly cold!

Here's a snapshot of the thermometer on our dashboard taken early this morning. We might hit +6 F today. If this marks a trend we might be in short sleeves by... end of July?

It's always something...

I'm posting from the Vermillion Public Library. Our ever faithful Mac laptop burped the other day and its hard drive started chirping like a cricket. Not a good thing. So, it's in the Apple hopsital for a few days. As a result new posts may be delayed for a little bit. I will add a picture of the now-finished closet conversion project when I'm back in full swing. It's always someting...

Thirsty? Help yourself.

Yesterday, Dianne posted a comment -- a question really -- about Fletcher's happiness since Audrey was introduced to our family. Her question provoked a long, rather rambling reply. Since I have no new home improvement pictures to post or progress of any significance to report today, I thought it appropriate to include this picture in light of Dianne's enquiry. Here's Fletch (R) watching Audrey take a drink from what, until this moment, was his water bowl. The shot was taken in September, 2007, moments after Audrey arrived at home while they were first getting acquainted. Ever since, Fletcher has had to learn to share. His space. His stuff. His people. Liane and I agree that Fletcher is smiling in this picture and, despite the unmistakable fact that he's a perpetual worrier, continues to generally be a happy-go-lucky little guy with a great big heart.

Pups in boots

Home improvement projects have recently taken a brief hiatus while I prepared for the fundraising class I am team teaching at the university this semester. I've not even gone back to Sioux Falls to pick up the shelf brackets that I stupidly forgot (see previous post). The class is now well underway and I am looking forward to restarting some of the many ongoing projects. So, hopefully, I'll have some genuine progress to report in the next day or so.

Meanwhile, it continues to snow on and off here in Southeast South Dakota. We're optimistic that the worst of the single digit and below zero temps are behind us. Nevertheless, Fletcher and Audrey continue to dress appropriately for the weather. Here are a couple of blurry, low light snapshots taken of them in their winter boots as we get ready to head outside for an evening tour of the neighborhood snow drifts. It's their last opportunity of the day to check pee-mail before logging off.