I can hardly believe that four days ago I was wearing long underwear indoors, along with two pairs of socks, two pairs of pants, two shirts, a sweatshirt & sweater. And a hat. When my hands weren't tucked up in my (several sets of) sleeves, they were in gloves. I did all my grading in gloves, which made my handwriting look like I had been drinking. (I wish.)
We lost power Saturday evening, like pretty much everyone in the Northeast. I was at my friend's house eating pizza with just a few candles lit, & regardless of how many hours we've hung out, our conversation suddenly felt nerve-racking because it was so dang QUIET. The walk home, which would have normally taken about fifteen minutes, took forty minutes & all the while I was slowly turning white (because it was snowing so hard) & hyperventilating (because the streets weren't plowed & no cars were out & everything was dark & the only sounds I heard were the gunshot cracks of huge old trees snapping all around me & I had to backtrack twice because of fallen trees/downed wires & I couldn't stop thinking about The Ice Storm & I was semi-certain that I was going to die).
Needless to say, I didn't die. The next few days were cold & dark & cold & really dark. We never lost hot water, so I drank a lot of hot-tap-water tea. I ate a lot of Halloween candy. I started to feel lonely. It's tough to realize how far I am from my friends & family when the illusion of closeness (internet, phone) is shattered.
Just now I walked back from the library via the trail by the river. It really feels like fall today: crisp & windy, bright blue sky, smells of leaves & mums & mud. I could hardly believe that five days ago it felt & looked like January. But then I had to climb over a gigantic oak tree that fell across the path & I very nearly slid down the bank into the water. I'm not exaggerating. I had taken out five books from the library & my bag was heavy as an anchor.
Phew. I'm happy it's November.
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