...though, to be fair, when am I not thinking about food? ;)
    

My brain is exhausted. I've been smushing Anthropology course-work into it at a lightening pace - remember how I felt during my 8-day Bio course? Yep. Except Anthropology is 7 weeks (I'm in week 2). It's a distance learning course, so at least I don't have to sit in class for it.

I've had four quizzes on the material so far: two 90s and two 100s. Meh. I just feel like complaining. It'll all be fine. I just haven't felt so mentally tired in a long time.

Sorry this post is so crappy. Here's a cute animation of a cat to make up for it! This is also an explanation to anyone wondering why I didn't put up a Christmas tree this year.

I mentioned a few posts ago that The Omnivore's Dilemma arrived and that I was looking forward to exploring more of Michael Pollan's work - he's such a great writer, and what he says really resonates with me. I finished the book a couple weeks ago and have started reading another Pollan book (more on that another time).

[warning: this post is kind of long]
    

School was canceled because of the snow, but I felt guilty just sitting in here doing nothing. I roamed around the house until about 9:30, then bundled up and shoveled a path to my car. My neighbor came over from next door and helped me out again, and, like the last time, another neighbor down the street came and snow-blowed the plow bank at the end of my driveway. I think I'm going to add a couple extra plants to the garden, so I can give proper thanks to my neighbors in the summer.
    

These are not good enough for their own posts, so I'm lumping them together. Enjoy this mish-mash!
    

School starts again tomorrow... eep! I have first-day jitters all over again. What if I lose my pencil? What if I sit in gum? What if no one wants to be my friend?

Also - can I just tell you how much I love this song? Makes me want to put on a sundress and dance barefoot on a beach. I can't wait (CAN'T WAIT!) for summer.

Theseus - so when are we going on another island vacation? :)

I'm feeling quite a bit better lately (certainly better than the last time I wrote).

The hip pain has largely gone away (for now?). I've had heartburn exactly twice (and might not have been related to the baby). I've learned to regulate my liquid intake (small drinks throughout the day rather than waiting until I'm parched and then chugging an entire gallon of water/orange juice) so that has mostly taken care of the shortness of breath and having to get up to pee during the night. No swollen hands/feet. No stretch marks (knock! on! wood!).

I've heard 1-3 inches, heard 3-5. It's after 10 p.m. and I just looked outside - nothing yet. I wanted to watch a little of it before bed but I don't think I can wait up much longer. Sleep is rapidly overtaking me.

I like to watch the snow. I sit at the back windows, facing the lake, and sip a cup of tea or mug of hot chocolate while the flakes drift lazily to the ground. The contrast between the cold air coming off the windowpane and the warmth in my cup is sharp but comforting.

Sometimes a cat joins me at the windows, but it's ok to sit there alone. I like the sound of wintery silence, to watch the snow fall but not hear it.

If there's enough on the ground tomorrow, maybe I'll make a snow angel.

Here, there, everywhere; I was doing a little of this, a little of that. I had places to go, people to see. I was running around like a chicken without a head.

I was late, I was late, for a very important date - no time to say hello/goodbye, I was late, I was late, I was late!

No, really.
    

Ok, where did the last month go??