Despite my best efforts, I never figured out which smoke alarm was the culprit. I examined each one of them as best I could, but I couldn’t investigate further because I never heard the chirp again. Not during the day. Not last night.

I’m grateful, but it does remain a mystery.

I recycled yesterday, which is always a pain in the tush, but even more so in the winter. But it’s worth it, because I love an freshly emptied trash can and empty recycling bins. We had snow showers all day long with no accumulation predicted. However, the snow picked up in the afternoon and I’d guess there’s an additional half inch on the ground now.

Dear Stella, heating up water for my morning coffee. She’s the best.

Did you watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics? I did. It was beautifully done – visually stunning. They always are. I’m ready to lose myself in some Olympic competition, to escape into something positive and uplifting. We all need that right now.

Today, my exciting agenda is to clean the bathrooms, something I said I’d do earlier in the week but never got around to. If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know I absolutely detest cleaning the bathroom, so you can imagine how excited I am at the prospect.

Less than a week until the first preview performance of Escape to Margaritaville. And that means less than a week until the Original Broadway Cast Recording comes out! I’ve preordered mine. Can’t wait!

Happy Saturday.

After two days of shoveling 6 inches of snow with a half inch of ice on top (because even though the driveway was plowed, there are a lot of areas the plow can’t get to that have to be shoveled) and then unearthing our cars, I went to bed last night wanting nothing but a good night’s sleep. However, at 3:30 am I was awoken by the chirp of a smoke detector. We have a lot of them here because the person who flipped the house installed them and then the previous owner added more that are wired into the security system. There are too many of them.

I couldn’t figure out which one was chirping. After ten minutes, it stopped. I remained awake for another two hours and finally got back to sleep when, at 6:30 am, it started again. This time I waited it out and fell asleep again only to be awakened at 8:10, when it started again.

I’m on my second cup of coffee and I have a lot to do today but you can be sure that I’m going figure out which one of these frigging smoke detectors needs a new battery.

Meanwhile, it’s like Ice Station Zebra out there. Chicago and Michigan, I’m thinking of you. You’re supposed to betting up to 20 inches of snow! Hang in there.

The FedEx guy just came and I opened the door to tell him to be careful – some areas are icy despite my best efforts – and he said he’s seen much worse. Basically when he’s not driving, he’s walking on ice all day long. These guys are heroes. I saw the UPS truck delivering in the midst of the heaviest snow during Wednesday’s snowstorm.

This is all I’ve got for you. The monstera is having yet another baby! My plants have been fairly prolific this winter.

Thank you for all your loving comments yesterday. It was a much tougher day than I thought it would be and I cried off and on all day long. Don had a hard time, too. But your support helped a great deal. Love you all.

Happy Friday.

He didn’t need to overcompensate for ‘shortcomings’ by ordering a military parade.

Moving on.

The snow started to fall around 8 am and it’s falling quite heavily at the moment. We’re supposed to get 3 – 5 inches with it all changing to sleet and freezing rain later in the day. That makes for a yucky combination. The good news is that Don (who didn’t want me shoveling heavy wet stuff) found a guy who is used to plowing uphill gravel driveways. He came by yesterday and I talked with him and then moved Don’s car next to mine so he can plow and dump the snow next to the part of the fence that is closer to the shed.

And now, there’s nothing I can do but sit back and watch it happen. I’ll have to do some shoveling by the porch and around and between the cars, but that’s a heck of a lot easier than doing it all.

On the agenda for today: cleaning the bathroom, making some cloud biscuits, starting a project that I should have started ages ago, reading, and a dash of hot cocoa. And Schitt’s Creek  on the tube tonight.

The first preview for Escape to Margaritaville  will be on February 16th, which is the same day the Original Broadway Cast Recording comes out. Nine days!

Don has Sunday and Monday off and he’s very homesick, so I think (weather permitting) he’s going to come home to the cottage for a couple of days.

Happy Wednesday.