Here we are, the first day of winter, and it looks and feels more like late March. We have rain, wind, and a balmy temperature of 34 degrees. The rain didn't seem to start until early this morning, and it comes in waves, but pretty hard sometimes. This is supposed to last all day and then turn cold again sometime Saturday.
    We anticipated this (hard to miss with all the warnings on radio and television!) so did some shopping to lay in plenty of supplies yesterday so we wouldn't need to go out for the duration. Mainly, we knew this rain would wash away the snow cover on our steep driveway and all that ice that was the Bourne trucker's undoing last week would be exposed. This morning we could start at the top of our driveway and easily slide (or skate) to the mailbox without moving a muscle. With a little effort, between the rain and some salt, we may get some blacktop showing by the end of the day. However, sometimes that isn't such a good thing as it can get pretty glare if it is wet and freezes, so before it all freezes again, we may be throwing snow back on the wet surface to give it some texture. All part of living in the back woods. 
    Our Cabot road commissioner a number of years ago commented that he couldn't understand why anybody would live on a back road. He lives in the village, of course. However, it's all a challenge, but we're used to it, having lived here for so long. It's a whole lot better than when I was growing up here - and way better than when Fred and I first came here to live in the early 1980s. Back then, roads were sometimes completely plugged with snow while the plows struggled to get to us, and because we were right at the Cabot/Danville town line, we were very often unable to get to Route 2 because Danville hadn't plowed. And mud season was the pits, in every sense of the word. There hasn't been a really bad mud season for quite a number of years. Sure, there have been bad spots, but back when we were living at camp there would be at least a week or two when we'd have to leave our car parked somewhere on Route 2 and walk to it - sometimes we left it at the fishing access and other times at the farm at the head of our road.
     I have to say that our present road commissioner, Karen Deasy, is doing a great job keeping roads plowed, sanded, reasonably smooth and free of deep potholes and downed trees. When we call about a problem, someone responds quickly. It's a tough job, especially with the crazy, changeable weather we are getting. It's definitely a challenge for road crews. I don't believe there are many female road commissioners in Vermont, but Karen has surely been a success in my mind. She and her crew do a great job. That said, today is a good day to stay off the road if you don't have to travel!