Today's Good Things: Above 50 degrees, with sun, in the afternoon -- an encouraging development. I worked a little on book reviews in the April newsletter. Filled out the form for N. N. Light's spring promotional event.

Today's Good Things: New series from Extra History, "Victorian Horrors." My favorite period! First episode is about the origins of "true crime" reporting, with Jack the Ripper as an example.

Today's Good Things: Glimpses of sun in the afternoon. Routine maintenance for the Honda, with front brake replacements. The interview answers from the author for my April newsletter arrived. Watching this week's STARFLEET ACADEMY episode. One more to go.

Today's Good Things: Les's dermatology checkup went fine. Some spots frozen off: no surgery will be needed. The replacement part for the heat pump came in. We made an appointment for the repair. (Not until Monday, though, sigh.) I made a small start on the April newsletter.

Yesterday's Good Things (apparently I forgot this last night): Above freezing. The rain washed away the light snow. I sent interview questions to the author scheduled for my April newsletter.

Today's Good Things: I started this week's blog post. Made a few more notes on the plan for the ICFA panel. Released my March newsletter. In the process, I discovered my website had been hacked (apparently harmlessly, at least). Our computer maven, aka our third son, quickly fixed it for me.

Today's Good Things: Music by the choir, including chanting of the Psalm. Father Peter's annual analysis/discussion of the main Oscar nominees, always fun. Aside from SINNERS and FRANKENSTEIN, the only movies I've seen are three animated ones -- ELIO, KPOP DEMON HUNTERS, and ZOOTOPIA 2.

Today's Good Things: Very nice weather for late February. Proofreading my March newsletter. Reading the new issue of COSMIC HORROR MONTHLY.

Today's Good Things: Unusually low grocery bill at Giant. They had the 100% whole grain oatmeal bread I like in stock, after many weeks of none. Les connected the new cable TV box, which works fine. The process went faster than I expected. We dropped off the old box at a UPS store.

Today's Good Things: Birds noticed the fresh seed in the feeder (now that it's dry most days and above freezing). I've dealt with all the charity solicitations accumulated on my desk since New Year's, finally.

Today's Good Things: I talked to a Verizon guy about a cable box problem. He was patient and helpful. Sadly, he finally determined the box needed replacing (so we lose all our saved programs and have to reset our list of scheduled series to record, sigh). The new box will arrive in a day or two.

Today's Good Things: The sun returned. Sidewalk, driveway, and street are clear and dry. I uploaded this week's blog post. Finished making notes (for now) for the ICFA panel on Undeath and mailed the file to the other panelists. A little work on the March newsletter. A McCafe mocha frappe.

Today's Good Things: The snow ended by morning. Only an inch or two, which didn't stick on the street. For a while the trees looked beautiful with the snow on the branches. I made an appointment for a check of our heating system, which has been running the "auxiliary heat" too much.

Today's Good Things: First Sunday in Lent, with the Great Litany, one of my favorite liturgies. The "pick-up choir" sang a round-type hymn that I thought was lovely. The rain didn't turn to "freezing" until after we got home. Serious snow didn't start until about 5 p.m.

Today's Good Things: Into the high forties; sun in the afternoon. Les spent most of the day at a CAP safety exercise; it went pretty well. Working on the March newsletter.

Today's Good Things: The heavy rain last night and this morning washed away almost all the remaining ice. Rain stopped by the time I had to load the groceries into the car and drive home. Got on the road just at the right time to hear the national anthem on the country station.

Today's Good Things: Now that the ice is removed from the bird feeder and new food added, the birds have rediscovered it. Working a little on the March newsletter. Watching latest episode of STARFLEET ACADEMY.

Yesterday's Good Things: Hair Cuttery appointment. No wait at all. The last two times, somehow my hair came out too short. (A self-correcting problem, of course). This time, it was fine.

Today's Good Things: Sun in the afternoon. This being the day before Ash Wednesday, I took the wreath off the front door and put away the Lladro Nativity scene. Something of a downer, but maintaining the annual ritual is good. Still working on notes for the ICFA panel.

Today's Good Things: After the overnight rain, big patches of snow have melted away. The lower two-thirds of the driveway are at last ice-free. I uploaded this week's blog post.

Today's Good Things: Service music by the handbell ringers. The gospel was the Transfiguration, one of my favorite passages. A bit more work on the "Undeath" panel for ICFA.

Last night I watched ZOOTOPIA 2 again, having watched it the night before and drifted off during some critical moments toward the end. BTW, Amazon Prime Video doesn't play the credits. Snarl. Today's Good Things: Afternoon temperature up to 50. Snow is melting.

Today's Good Things: Some of the snow/ice at the bottom of the driveway has completely melted. Grocery total at Giant was much lower than usual, although including tomorrow's dinner. Watching the extended version of the Extra History series on Cleopatra. Dinner at Shika Sushi & Ramen.

Today's Good Things: Sunny, still above freezing. A little more ice scraped off the driveway. I started making some notes for the panel on "Thinking About Undeath" I'll be chairing at ICFA in March. Watching the latest episode of STARFLEET ACADEMY.

Today's Good Things: Temperature up to the high 40s. A little more ice was removed from the driveway. The basement screen door into the former dog yard, blocked by frozen snow for over a week, now opens. I tossed a scoop of birdseed outside, being unable to walk to the bird feeder yet.

Today's Good Things: When I walked down to the street for the paper this morning, a lady I'd never met before stopped her car and offered to help me get back up to the house (which I accepted). Temperature into the high 30s. I scraped the last of the snow off the bottom of the front sidewalk.

Today's Good Things: Follow-up appointment with the hand specialist. Good news! The X-ray showed the bone completely healed. The doc said I was further along than he'd expected and should use the hand normally to increase muscle strength.

Today's Good Things: Service music by Wellspring (the folky band). Guest preacher, who spoke on what it means to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, also what it means for salt to lose its saltiness -- e.g., when it's scattered or spread too thin. WE can be spread too thin.

Today's Good Things: Predicted "snow showers" last night didn't materialize, so we didn't have to start over with the pavement-clearing. Despite the intermittent high wind all day, we still have electricity. I worked a little on the March newsletter.

Today's Good Things: Some of our regular staple products on sale at Giant. A new episode in the Extra History "worst tyrants" series, about the first Emperor of China.

Today's Good Things: Sunny and up to freezing (low bar to achieve!). Watching the latest episode of STARFLEET ACADEMY. Continuing to investigate flights to Germany in the summer, concluding that the only way to get a nonstop trip is to fly from Dulles.

Today's Good Things: In the news: Government shutdown ended. Above freezing again. Our sidewalk has been cleared all the way from the front steps to the driveway.

Today's Good Things: Daytime temperature almost up to 40; overnight predicted to stay above freezing (if barely). I shoveled another patch of sidewalk.

Today's Good Things: Temperature rose above freezing for the first time in over a week. I scraped a little more snow off the sidewalk. Released my February newsletter. Transcribed book titles from LOCUS into my month-by-month list of things to read or at least add to the vampire bibliography.

Today's Good Things: We survived January! The church parking lot was completely clear and dry. I had coffee hour duty and survived it without messing up. In fact, I now know how to work the new dishwasher. (Actually pretty easy.)

Today's Good Things: The snow/ice on the sidewalk is softened enough that it can be shoveled (with some difficulty). Our oldest son sent cute pictures of his new pair of kittens.

Today's Good Things: I fell on the icy snow trying to walk to the car this morning but with no real damage. When we went out later, Les lent me his cane. It does help some.

Today's Good Things: Trash and recycling were picked up, two days after the usual day. Les brought the cans up to the house and set them next to the front steps, so I can dump stuff without walking across the icy yard.

Yesterday's Good Things (forgot to do this last night): A tiny bit more of the sidewalk cleared. Mail and an Amazon package arrived. I finished another book review in the February newsletter. Now the draft of the newsletter is basically done. Still checking the LOCUS Forthcoming Books list.

Today's Good Things: It's not dark at 5:30 p.m. anymore. Les drove me to and from the dentist this morning. Good plan, because their parking lot wasn't very well cleared. I got the permanent crown put on the root-canaled molar. Feels reasonably OK, though I'm still aware of it.

Today's Good Things: The sun returned. We still have electricity, so we probably came through unscathed. The snow is covered by slick ice, though. I fell once but luckily without being hurt. Les heroically cleared off both cars. He drove to and from the gym with no mishaps.

Today's Good Things: Church annual meeting on Zoom, which we watched after a bit of hassle getting the app to work. Yay technology! Snow / sleet / freezing rain all day. In the afternoon I cleared the front steps and the patch of sidewalk right in front of them.

Today's Good Things: We still have electricity and heat. (Snow predicted around midnight.) I finished the draft of the vampire bibliography update. Deposited trash and recycling in the bins so I won't have to do that in the snow Monday.

Today's Good Things: Another day above freezing (into the 40s). A herd of six deer running through front yards in the middle of the morning. Giant wasn't much more crowded than normal. I got home around the usual time.

Today's Good Things: Over 50 degrees in the afternoon. Les bought a new chair mat for his computer station and replaced the old, cracked one singlehandedly (helped by a crowbar to lift the heavy desk).

Today's Good Things: I remembered to take my blood pressure for the first time in almost a week, and it came out significantly lower than usual (117/77). Les replaced the burned-out stove hood light fixture, which is of a very unusual, odd design.

Today's Good Things: Edgar Allan Poe's birthday. Lots of sun. Light snow on the grass, but all the pavement was bare and dry -- just the right snow distribution. :) I uploaded this week's blog post. Got through L in the vampire bibliography update.

Today's Good Things: Snow didn't start until late afternoon, so we got to church and back with no trouble Music by the Wellspring band.

Over the past two days, Les dismantled, packed, and put away the Christmas tree. Today's Good Things: Rain stopped before we went grocery shopping. Some sun in the afternoon.

Today's Good Things: My vampire duology TWILIGHT'S CHANGELINGS is featured today by N. N. Light's Book Heaven in their Book Series Starter event. A bit of work on the February newsletter. Dinner at Grapes Wine Bar.