Almost halfway through February and I'm not crazy.  Everything is measured by the January weather we experienced  here.  It wasn't as harsh as other places but severe by our standards. My daylight hours are longer which help my sanity.  I count the days until the second weekend in March when I don't draw the curtains and start yawning at six o'clock anymore.  I'm just not a wintery person.  I can feel a different energy already.  My Carolina wrens sing louder and earlier each morning.  February is back to normal weather.  It was fifty-five today with twenties to thirties at night.  The heat barely runs during the night and if the sun is out during the day I run no heat as the sun warms the house.  I'm in for two full days of rain and flood alerts in the valleys.  

A week ago I thought I broke the Toyota.  It has been in four-wheel drive in the garage since the January weather.  I couldn't get it out of four-wheel drive when I back out and moved forward to go to the transfer station.  Whatever I tried to shift I heard a grinding noise so left it out in the driveway.  Charlie came to my rescue, made me feel better when he explained what was happening and shifted it back to regular drive.  So I didn't break it........yet.

This morning I went to the Arthritis water class at my gym but was disappointed when the instructor sat dressed in layers of warm clothes at the edge of the pool shouting out directions.  I guessed she probably couldn't participate while instructing but still had a small following of participants.  My personal trainer had given me a variety of simple pool exercises to do, such as just walking in waist deep water and treading water in the deep end, whenever I was in the pool on my own. I feel badly for the instructor but she's doing what she can.

Yesterday I made a nice lamb stew.  First time.  Never made lamb stew before but  Jamie Oliver had an easy five-ingredient recipe so I tried it.  It was easy and delicious.  Enough for today's leftover lunch.  Then made an apple pie because the apples were getting old and needed to be eaten.  I watched Jamie Oliver cook Mediterranean last evening on TV.  Love how he shopped at the open markets buying all fresh fish, vegetables, fruits, and handmade crusty breads for his recipes. And the cheeses........so wonderful.