There isn't much going on today that I know about.  We started the day with freezing rain, but then the temperature rose and now it's just rain, washing away the ice and snow.  I'm showing 36 degrees at 5 p.m., and the forecast is for rain tomorrow, heavy at times.

I've had the scanner on most of the day but there seemed to be nothing in particular going on in our area.  Road crews were busy, but all the mishaps seemed to be on the interstates.  Both 89 and 91 were closed for several hours earlier in the day while vehicles were towed from the medians or pried from guard rails.  We didn't have to go anywhere today, and I decided against walking since at noon when I'd normally head out, our driveway was glistening with ice.  Instead, I found activities that required me to make several trips to our basement and back - I figured climbing stairs was about the same as climbing the hill, and a lot safer.

Even Woody has been content to stay inside today.  He ventured into the garage a couple of times, but didn't linger.  Too cold, too wet - he prefers lounging inside on a day like today, and even an occasional bird or squirrel in the trees outside don't grab his attention for long.

Speaking of squirrels - I saw a big gray go loping through our back yard the other day.  We don't have many gray squirrels in our area, so I was surprised to see one.  A few years back I saw one going through on the front lawn.  Whatever they are about, both seemed intent on getting to their destination, wherever that might be, and traveled in a straight line without stopping.  Just passing through, I expect.  I don't think we have the right kind of trees growing here to provide them with the food they like.

We haven't seen the turkeys since before Thanksgiving - but I'm sure they are ok and have found some other good feeding place.  It was interesting watching them, though.  Perhaps they'll return now most of the snow is gone and they won't need to scratch so hard to find the little apple berries.

We had a call from Granddaughter Tangeni last night.  First she thanked us for inviting her for Thanksgiving dinner, and then she began telling me all about the mail she got yesterday.  I'd subscribed to Ranger Rick Magazine for her a few weeks ago and it had finally arrived.  She read some of it to me over the phone and I was pleased she was so excited.  Her dad told me later that she was taking it to school today - the assignment was to find something beginning with the letter "G" and bring it to school and report on it.  She was going through the magazine hoping to find something.  Kindergarten isn't just coloring and pasting anymore!  She's also starting basketball practice.  No wonder the Waterford School kids are really good at basketball by the time they graduate!  They get started early.

Our older grandaughter, Jo-Ann, is also playing basketball at her school, so both girls are very busy - and of course so are mom and dad getting the girls to wherever they need to be.  I was so fortunate to live in town when my kids were growing up.  They could walk or ride their bikes to everything.  With only one of me and three of them, it would have been impossible otherwise.  It was also a very different time - it was safe for kids to walk to school.  Now, not so much, sadly.