At the moment it is 6 below zero, and the wind chill is minus 26 degrees. The schools are closed today, and maybe tomorrow, but the university is open and my older daughter and I will be going in to work in an hour or so.
If I could stay home today I would probably scramble some eggs for breakfast instead of having cold cereal. The Christmas tree is still up, so I would turn on the lights and make the room a little more festive. I would drink my third cup of coffee and look out the window at the pieces of snow blowing on the cold wind and be glad I was inside, safe and warm. I might recall those novels by Willa Cather that take place on the prairies of Nebraska when the wind is blowing and it’s 20 below and the snow has piled up above the door. Cold weather novels.
Later, I might settle in with a book my wife ordered me for Christmas about London, a kind of history and guide book written in the early fifties, just after the war. So far it is full of fascinating details – London is a burned out wreck in many places, like it was after one of the great fires of earlier centuries. But many of the historical landmarks still stand, and I’m hoping we can visit some of them next summer when we make our long-anticipated trip to England.
When everyone was awake, we would probably put on some music on the turntable, one of those records salvaged from the attic. I have been listening to old Chris Williamson albums lately. She was well known in the Bay Area in the late seventies and eighties when she was a rising feminist singer/songwriter that my women friends listened to. I heard her songs at the Owl and Monkey café and bought her albums. They remind me of San Francisco and the N-Judah streetcar that turned on 9th avenue and clattered past the café as I watched through the front window. A sweet voice with powerful emotional lyrics.
The rest of the day would be equally unambitious, and I would read my book and drink coffee and be thankful to be warm and safe from the cold, if I could stay home today.
When you and yours take your long awaited trip to England, I do hope you can make it to the Guernsey Islands. Guernsey is one of the Channel Islands. It was occupied in WW11 . Fascinating tunnels and history to be seen there.
Sounds like a cozy day “if” you didn’t have to work.
Minus 26 degree chill factor…..now THAT is cold! Texas cold too!
Not many people know about Cris Williamson! I was able to download most of my favorite songs by her from iTunes. One folk singer I’ve been looking for but can’t find is June Millington, especially her Circle of Love album.
Yes, she was mostly a West Coast person. I see she is still active in that territory, giving frequent performances.
I took a look again, and had better luck this time around finding Millington, thanks! turns out the album I’m actually looking for is one world/one heart, or one heart/one world.. lost my signed copy!