Day of Service

Does everybody know about this Monday, our national "Day of Service?" I got an email from Barack Obama the other day...or was it Michelle, can't remember...we're all so close. Anyway, the email was talking about this Monday, January 19 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) and how it's going to be DAY ONE of the CHANGE THAT'S COMING TO AMERICA! And you can be part of it!

So I checked out the options, which you can do, too, at usaservice.org...and I found an opportunity to help with a supply drive for the local Boys and Girls Club. So that's how Mark and I (yes, I roped him into it) ended up standing outside Wal-Mart in 11° weather for two hours this afternoon, passing out little "wish lists" and collecting donations. (We had to do our service this weekend because Mark is working on Monday.) Here we are with our Day of Service compadres:

So 11°...yes, it's been pretty cold here. But whenever I was feeling the least bit sorry for myself, I'd check my Apple widgets (they're so cool!) and notice that however cold it was here, it was even COLDER in Iowa City. When we had a high of 10, they had a high of NEGATIVE THREE. Not even up to zero! Their HIGH! End of pity party up here.

Besides being very cold (and I've decided that this ranks as "very cold," whereas Iowa City weather this week has been RE-E-EALLY COLD), it's also been--surprise--snowing!

"How odd; this hardly ever happens around here," is Mark's response each time I remark that it's snowing. Again.

The snow in the back has now about reached bench level, so it's all going to be one giant massive snowdrift back there pretty soon. Here are a few pics, and for comparison, here's one from warmer times:

and yesterday, when the sun made a rare appearance:
and today:
The little tracks are Maggie's. In her doggy mind, snow=back yard grass, and come spring, we are going to have one heck of a poop-fest to pick up!

But hey, that's for after the snow melts.

Happy Day of Service, everyone!