Deviant Dispatches

Last weekend at the in-laws, I had fun taking artsy photos of Christmas stuff. Yesterday in the blizzard, I had a different kind of fun. Spousal Unit and I tried to make a snowSpock on our deck, boldly going where no snowman has gone before. Unfortunately, it ended up looking more like a female snoworc. About halfway through the storm, we decided to clean off the car so there would be less to do in the morning. I think we cleared off at least a foot, and by the time we were done and had shoveled around the car, there was another half an inch on it already. After an unsuccessful walk to the grocery store (in that the store was closed), we huddled inside to eat potatoes and gravy and hang some pictures on the wall. It was a good snow day.

Today, I'm working from home. Here's what I see out my window. Lots and lots of white, lots and lots of snow. Only the most desperate are out there now, as the flakes fly sideways into hapless trees and dimwitted rabbits. Yes, I may still be working today, but I get to do it in my pajamas, with Spousal Unit to distract me and a pot of tea at the ready. Maybe later we'll make cookies and watch a Christmas move. Or Big Bang Theory ; that would be good too. What are you doing for your snow day, if you have one?

Dear MyHotShoes.com , I was incredibly pleased with my recent purchase from you: a pair of knee-high boots with buckles and zippers and laces all over. I felt like the most fashionable pirate on the high seas (or in my case, the Great Lakes). I kept discovering wonderful new things about them, and - ask any of my friends or family - repeatedly lauded their greatness. Now. You're based in California, so I understand (in a way) your not knowing what winter is like for us Midwestern folk. Allow me to explain. Here, we get snow. Snow is wet. Snow melts sometimes, and becomes ice. Ice is slippery. In such hazardous conditions, it is a good idea to have sturdy, reliable footwear. Not this crap that you refer to as "boots." And now for your closeup. Let me tell you about the excellent craftmanship you worked into these plastic soles, since you obviously put no soul into them yourselves. Note the six holes around the perimeter of the heel. By the time the base...

Well, we survived our incredible getaway weekend in wonderful Toledo, Ohio. Here are some pictures to help you understand our trip and why Toledo is, as they say, "still a great place to live." Really. That's what they say. The first thing that told us of Toledo's excellency was the exquisite beauty of our hotel. Why, right outside our room were modern works of found art, such as our ceiling. Gorgeous work. I can't imagine doing it any differently. Another great piece we found was the Washington Township Fire Department. They seem perfectly content to ignore strange acronyms. We went to Lake Erie - I'd never been there before. We drove past a very nice oil refinery to get there. The lake itself was kind of a sickly color, at least at that beach, so I did not wade in the waters. But I did explore a bit, and managed to find this odd little thing, henceforth referred to as "the barnacle." We're not sure at all what it is. It looks like suckers f...

Happy May! We've had some lovely weather this weekend. Yes, that is snow. It snowed yesterday, May 1. But let me back up a bit so you can see the whole picture. Friday was rather blustery, one of those "blowing cats around corners" days. The cats don't appreciate it, and neither do the people. Dust crawls in through every crack (especially when there's been no precipitation for three months). The internet goes out - I swear, when it's windy here, the internet goes down. No one wants to go anywhere for fear of being blown over. And I am always more grateful for my eyelashes (which I only discovered, when I came out here, serve more of a purpose than making my eyes look bigger). Saturday was gorgeous. In Las Cruces. Spousal Unit went down there to receive an award, and it was 90 degrees there. On the trip down, his adviser had to exchange his van for a rental car because the wind was so terrible. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I set up my little table for the cra...

Dear Scott Walker, I'm really trying to wrap my head around this. I am. But I just don't get it, and can't find any reliable Republican sources (meaning not Tea Party) who could explain it to me. Please tell me why all but one Republican voted to remove collective bargaining at last night's shotgun meeting, rather than doing as they are required by their posts and voting the will of the people. I really don't understand why they would want to so completely demolish the opposition, when Wisconsin has been a swing state for years. Doesn't the Republican party have any interest in winning fairly? In properly representing the people, who are clearly not all Republican? Please tell me why it wasn't good enough that the unions agreed to every fiscal element of the former budget bill. You insist that unions are a bad thing, by citing obscure examples, or examples taken out of context . The bottom line is this: teachers are not bad for the economy, and you are destr...

Because sunsets are not the only beauty in the sky. (Remember, you can click to enlarge!)