Today's Joy: A Plethora of Color. Dear Reader, it's the dead of winter in Chicago and I'm huddled indoors, flanked by a foot or more of drifting snow. As I drink caramel cocoa and survey the miles of frozen whiteness outside, I'm daydreaming about color. Rich, fabulous, gorgeous color! Enough color to brighten my spirits and make me forget all about the frigid landscape.

I think I was bitten by the color bug while at the Home Depot earlier today. I was killing time between appointments and decided to visit Brother, who has been a Paint & Stain Guru at HD for several years. Next thing I knew, I was face to face with a wall of colors--so many I just stood there, slack-jawed! I was drawn to all the rich and wonderful shades of brown--some with red tints, some with yellow. They had wonderful names like Bitter Briar, Muse & Bison Brown. I grabbed every color sample that caught my eye. Then I remembered my Aunt, who has graciously put me up until I find a new nest. She is redoing her kitchen. So I grabbed every color I thought might work for her. Ten minutes later, I was waltzing out the door with an armload of samples and 5 pamphlets with color scheme suggestions.

Now seeing them all spread out on the table is color-junkie bliss! Can't wait to spend the evening perusing every shade. May your day be filled with color too!

Back Yard, Feb 2008
Originally uploaded by talekinker

Today's Joy: Warmth!!
All right, Reader. I know cold. I'm from Chicago. I've even spent a handful of winters up in New England. I know the joy of a good Nor'easter and relish the occasional white-out (when equipped with the appropriate chains and snow tires). I've been known to do donuts in an unplowed parking lot. Whilst living in the northern climes, I rarely complained about below-zero cold; didn't grumble too much about vehicles getting stuck or ice on the roads. 'If you can't take the weather, move south!', I'd say. I didn't mind shoveling boat-loads of snow, as pictured here at our IL home in 2008. And I always considered myself a hearty, northern girl.

But I have moved on from that phase in my life. Himself & I have braved our first sweltering summer in Texas, and through all the heat and perspiration, I held on, complained minimally--thinking of how lovely the winter would be. What a treat to have 50's & 60's in December. Maybe the occasional 70 degree day. Shoot, even if the temp hung around freezing all of January and February, wouldn't that be a delightful step up from the 30-below wind chills of Chicago?

Yep, I was all ready to become a thin-skinned, hot-house flower. Trouble is, here we are--all thin-skinned--and the temps have plummeted to single digits! We had snow before Chicago did this year! Granted, nowhere near the volume, but still! Everybody is saying this is practically the worst winter in Texas history! I am freezing my unmentionables off in a drafty apartment, ill-equipped for this kind of cold, and driving around on roads where they follow the wing-n-a-prayer philosophy of snow removal.

So....my (hoped-for) joy today is warmth. And hopefully, when I go home, turn the heat up and grab a steaming cup of cappuccino, I will actually find some. Under a blanket. Wearing fuzzy socks. Where are my dad gum mittens?!