We have a very pretty day here, looking out at it from inside, but again, it is still very cold.  It was below zero again last night, and when I first looked at about 7 a.m., it was -4 degrees; by 9 a.m. it was just zero, and now, at almost noon, it's 19 above. We are making good progress! Tomorrow is going to be warmer, in the 30s and Wednesday, too - then we're getting more cold and this time a foot of snow, maybe.

I talked to granddaughter, Tangeni, last evening and she and her parents had spent the day skiing at Burke. She was very excited. Her mom is taking lessons, and her dad hadn't been on skis for about 15 years. Tangeni has been skiing with her Uncle Bob, and may have been introduced to the sport at her school. Waterford's elementary school has had a ski program for the kids for a number of years, but this year with Covid raging, they aren't doing it. They don't have the staff, and I guess Burke may not, either. Getting them to the mountain could be a challenge - probably not a good idea to crowd kids onto a bus unnecessarily. Maybe next year. In the meantime, Monika is thrilled to be taking lessons and Bill is happy to again be doing a sport he loves. I do not envy them at all except perhaps it would be nice to be that age again (Bill and Monika's, not 10 years old like Tangeni).

I asked Tangeni how school is going, and she said, "It's all good. There's a lot of drama, of course." When I asked her what kind of drama, she explained that it is " just stuff kids go through, like dating." I felt like I was talking to a psychologist. When I asked if she was "dating," she giggled and said she wasn't old enough, and her tone was saying, "you know that, Grandma."  Of course, I knew that, and I wasn't surprised that she was onto me. I think she may have been pulling my leg a bit - she does have a keen sense of humor. I couldn't help giggling to myself, though. If we had been having that conversation in person, I would have had a hard time keeping a straight face. I heard her dad in the background saying, "You can date when you're 44." That's about right for how dads feel about their daughters. Girls always surprise me - and scare me a little. I raised three boys, and that was way easier than dealing with girls, I'm sure. So much drama!

I heard this morning that the iguanas are dropping out of the trees in Florida, it's so cold. The cold puts them into a stupor and they lose their grip, so it isn't unusual for them to tumble off their perches when it gets too cold. I think if the low temperature lasts very long, or if it goes much below 40 degrees, they will die. So if you are in an area where iguanas live, watch out. They do have teeth and will lash their tails if threatened. Jamie and Marie had a couple of very large - like more-than-a-yard-long iguanas - as pets at one time. They were Jamie's pets when he was a kid, and became part of his "dowry."  They started off a few inches long, but over time grew really big. Jamie built very large cages for them, and once in a while he would take them out in order to clean the cage or something - and  I remember they had to beware of their tails. At that size, a lashing tail could break the  leg of a human or do in a predator. Not the cuddliest pets in the world.

Stay warm and cling to your own personal tree branch. Spring will be here eventually.