WinterRye of Bluster

I got a surprise phone call from my mother tonight! I don't know if she made it herself. She might have. She wanted me to know she's in her new room. Actually, she wanted to know if I knew she was going to move, and I said yes, the Duchess told me. The other part of the surprise is that she's not that happy about it. She says it's "cold and bare" and too far away from "everyone." She admits that she might like it better tomorrow, in the daytime. I hope she will. To tell the truth, this isn't that much of a surprise to me. We not infrequently bustle around to fix something for her, only to discover that she didn't really care that much anyway. Maybe she liked her poky, crowded little room with roommate. When we first took her there, she complained that it was "dark" and "dark brown." Which it is. Possibly what she really prefers is having something to complain about . . . . Then she pushed the Facetime button by accident and it got complicated and she hung up. Anyway, she's there now and I'M happy about it. It will be much easier for me to visit her there, if I do visit. Not going this weekend because freezing rain and snow--or so they say.

The sun was out today, and the sky was a beautiful blue, and we didn't even have to shovel any snow. We went for a walk down by the lake. It was not a very brisk walk, because we had to pick our way through slush and ice, but it was pleasant to be out in the fresh air and feel the sun. People were out on the frozen lake, dragging their fishing shacks or tents back to shore, in anticipation of the high wind they say will accompany the freezing rain and temperature drop on Sunday. You know you're in Michigan when the police issue warnings saying you should drag your fishing shack ashore, lest it blow away and cause damage.