Snow, Guard Rails, Reading, Night Sky

We had the first (substantial) snowfall of the winter on Monday night, at least by East TN standards. The northern part of the county got enough to cover the roads, so of course NONE of the buses could run, so of course ALL the county schools were closed. It's probably based on population, not area, but I think that's one thing that northern states have gotten a little bit right - the counties are split up into townships. So just because Hopewell Twp. schools (northernmost township in Mercer Co. NJ) are closed because of the rural roads and hills doesn't mean Hamilton Twp. (southernmost township, same county), which is much flatter and doesn't have much rural area left, have to be. Last year the kids here had about two weeks of "snow" days because there are a few roads that are shaded and don't melt quickly.

These are usually the roads that are also hilly or narrow with no guard rails, so are treacherous. I've heard that roads are supposed to have a guard rail if the drop off the side is more than 4 ft. Yeah, right. I know a few places with a 10 ft. or WAYYY more drop off with no guard rail. Oh, there may be some trees to catch you or maybe a couple of strands of barbed wire on rusty T posts that have been in the ground so long they're leaning at a 45 degree angle. So why bother with guard rail?

I'm in the middle of The Royals by Kitty Kelley, another library sale acquisition. Which reminds me, the sale will be coming up in a few months, early May I think. I have to take some books over there. And I've decided to initial the books I've read so I don't forget and re-buy them. I forgot and rebought a Star Trek book last year.

The garlic has sprouted, but the rest of the garden is fallow. We have to start pulling last year's plants, getting tomato plants and bean vines off their support fences, and planning and buying seed for this year. DH talks out of both sides of his mouth - we're going to cut back this year, but then he gives me a list of what he wants to plant, which is not a cut back in my book. Different, maybe, but not less. Neither of us can kneel, neither of us can squat. I can bend over, but it kills by back. He can bend over, but it kills his knees. So I don't know how much gardening is going to get done.

MIL has been discharged by the wound care doctor, say hallelujah. That's one less place she has to be hauled to on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Now if she'll just watch her salt intake so her legs don't start weeping again. Sure, that'll happen.

I've been star gazing when I take the dog out to do her business after dark. Cygnus the Swan is flying downhill in the west now, Pegasus is overhead, and Orion is rising at sunset. When the newish, crescent moon is low in the sky, it peeks through one of the leafless tree like a Cheshire Cat smile. Venus is fairly high in the western sky, probably about as high as it gets, right after sunset, and Jupiter is high overhead. The moon was about 3 or 4 fingers-width from Jupiter on Monday night. I was looking at the new Old Farmers' Almanac, which I finally bought today, and there's a transit of Venus across the sun coming up in March, I think it said. The observatory up in Kingsport will be crowded that day, no doubt.