A Cold Day Off and A Haiku On the Fly

Today is my "day off", the first one I've had in weeks. With Christmas and New Year both on Wednesdays this holiday season, and my December filled with a six-day work week for much of the time, I'm seriously in need of a day of laundry and shopping - grocery and sundries. I'm also seriously in need of my Wednesday chat with Aearwen. I'm having withdrawal pangs from that one. We've only been able to talk once in the past five weeks, and for people who usually chat weekly, that's serious withdrawal pangs. 

I know I mentioned my niece Catie's new Australian
Blue Heeler puppy, but I finally had a chance to access
the photo she had sent a week or so ago. Here's the
sweetie guarding the equipment in the changing room at
whatever ice rink my grand-nephew was playing at
that day. Since he's often at games up to seven days
a week, it could be anywhere. Catie's trying to socialize
the dog - get it used to a lot of people. The dog seems
extremely comfortable. 

Yesterday was registration for May/June's annual Bead & Button Show in Milwaukee. I had my eye on three classes and pounced as soon as registration was open. Got all three, so I'm quite happy - two metalsmithing classes and one beading class. There's another metalsmithing class I'm interested in, but my budget only stretches so far, and it's a night class on the day I drive out to the hotel. I'm never at my best for night classes, but I might drop by the class just to take a closer look at the project. 

Yesterday's task for The January Challenge was to make
something from a small, square piece of paper. I decided
to make a pinwheel from the cube paper pad we use at
the shop. I grabbed a couple of highlighters for the
color and a headpin for the joining pin. It twirled just
fine. 

Today we're in the deep freeze, and I'm in a turtleneck, long-sleeved t-shirt and a hoodie, and I'm still cold. I slapped one of my wonderful knit hats on my head to stay a bit warmer. We're only going to have a short span of deep freeze, but of course it would happen when I have to be at Target, the grocer and the office supply company. Nothing like a billion places to go in the cold. At least I've got plenty of gas in the car. 

Today's "The January Challenge 2020" is to write a haiku. Let me see if I can do this on the fly ... 

Cold and shivering
I huddle at my keyboard
Dreaming about spring. 

That'll work. I guess cold can also be an inspiration - LOL. I'm going to cut this short, plug in pictures, and move onward with my day. I hope all of you have a wonderful Wednesday and I'll be back tomorrow - hopefully a bit warmer than single degree temps. Ugh!!!