Boy, if you aren't in the Philadelphia area, I really hope the weather you're having is better than the mess we've had here for the past couple of days!

Yesterday evening, we had an ice storm. It was so bad that even though we don't live particularly far from the Spectrum, I refused to go out in it, not on foot and not behind the wheel. Not even the prospect of attending my first live hockey game in three weeks was enough to pry me out of the house. And believe me, if I don't get to see some hockey in person SOON, I'm going to go into freaking withdrawal.

I didn't realize the weather was as nasty as all that until I exited the house. Then I nearly slipped on the front steps, braced myself by grabbing the railing, and discovered that the railing was entirely coated in ice. As was every other solid surface.

"OK," I thought, "hold it right there. Last time I went out in weather that turned into this, I dislocated a kneecap. And that day, it wasn't this bad when I left -- it TURNED this bad by the time I was on my way home, which was when I had the mishap."

This time, it was ALREADY as bad as the weather I got injured in. I decided that under no circumstances was I going to risk putting myself back on crutches. I hate to waste time repeating my mistakes, since there are so many new ones I haven't made yet. Back into the house I went, cursing ice storms to up to high heaven and down to low h€ll.

The good news is, today's temperatures warmed up enough that the ice melted. The bad news is, we had rain all day long, alternating from monsoons to drizzles and back again. And the additional bad news is that the temperatures are slated to drop back below freezing tonight, so the rain will turn back into snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Phooey.

You know, LAST year on Valentine's Day we had an ice storm. This year, we might have cruddy weather on that day again, and we certainly are having cruddy weather in the days leading up to it. We might have to change that day's symbols from hearts and Cupids to snowflakes and icicles if this keeps up.

In other news, Joe M. and I visited FD, the friend we've known since we were in high school who is now battling bladder and cervical cancer. (She's slightly older than we are -- WE were in high school when we met her, but she had aleady graduated a few years prior to that.) She looked good, all things considered, but her energy levels are low so we kept the visit short. She's on a mess of medication, along with the chemo treatments she's been on and the radiation, which if I understand right is slated for three days in March. I hope she beats this *%$^#& thing and beats it in record time. And I hope the several people from Back in the Day who haven't been in touch yet find the time to send an email or a card or make a phone call. Especially since this IS an aggressive disease she's fighting, and chances are there will be times during the treatment when she might not be up to taking calls or reading email.

Some good news: my mother-in-law has been able to use a walker. That's quite an improvement. So is the fact that the pain appears to be subsiding. I hope she continues to make progress so she can be discharged before long. I know my father-in-law will be immensely relieved when she comes home.

OK, that's all the news that's fit to print, I think. :) Later!