It is just starting to snow in Rochester. Also, there is a water main break here, which has the Southwest quarter of the city on a boil water advisory. I am in the Northwest, and there was also a water main break on the street next to me (I was walking while it was happening, and actually fell, which was fun).We are not on a boil water advisory. Also, it is sort of weird that it was at the same time?

I am expecting that after 21 years, Maria and I may have to break our streak of spending Christmas Eve at the zoo. We even made it in 2020.

I am glad you got loved one cuddles, JZ.

Feel better sj. That sounds disappointing.

{{{{sj and family}}}} I’m so sorry about all the sick, and the timing of it derailing your Christmas plans.

And, brrr. I feel almost embarrassed about my frantic hunt for flannel sheets because our nights are dipping into the 40s, when some of y’all are getting ALL the weather.

Attempting a single small cup of coffee—nobody told me I couldn’t, and everything else is bad enough without the caffeine withdrawal headaches on top.

{{{JZ}}} I'm so glad you're home with loved ones around you.

In my experience, they didn't forbid any food or drink* because they were concerned about weight loss and basically seemed to feel that whatever you have the appetite for is OK right now. So enjoy your coffee.

*While on chemo there were notes about undercooked food and limiting alcohol, IIRC

It snowed here for a minute after pouring rain all day yesterday and this morning. Now the temps are dropping fast and it’s sunny and very windy. Hoping the winds blow the water off roads before it freezes!

It is cold here but hardly as bad as most other places are getting it. I have nowhere to go, so I'm reading, fucking around on the computer, and enjoying not working.

Turns out that coffee is not very appealing, but the receding headache *is*, so I’m sticking with it. An hour until the lidocaine patch, two hours to Dilaudid. I’m distracting myself with I House of Many Ways, a sequel to Howl’s Moving Castle, and it’s really good and engrossing. Between this and Discworld I should be able to make it through the next couple of weeks.

Plus if you’re on pain meds those will often affect appetite, so eat what you want! Have that coffee!! Put whipped cream on it!

I am crossing my fingers the rest of today remains slow at work. I need to write my self assessment, today is the last day!

My friend and I were complaining because apparently San Diego will be the hottest place in the US on Christmas...we'll stop now.

I'm glad you're home, JZ.

I was driving back from PA today ( to pick up Matt) and watching the temperature reading drop on the dashboard and then the rain turned into snow as I was making my way. It was weirdly magical. I know that's what happens when it gets cold enough, but there it was, changed in front of me.

Here in Seattle it's been cold all week, with snow from Monday and Tuesday gradually getting compacted into ice on the streets. The last two days the highs were in the 20s, and we've watched at least a dozen cars attempt our steep street only to go sliiiiidinggg backwards down the hill. Today is freezing rain, supposedly turning to rain by late afternoon as it finally warms up. I'm hoping the street will melt in time that I can get to the grocery store tonight and beat the Christmas Eve rush. We've got plenty of food, but are lacking a few key ingredients for our traditional holiday meals, and we're approaching a critical shortage of Diet Dr Pepper.