it's not life that matters but the journey...

Look at my icon. Look very closely.

If you're not on the floor (or even if you are), you'll be able to see why this made me happy today! who wouldn't be happy if Santa arrived looking like that! This beautiful icon was made for me by the awesome ageless_aislynn, along with several other gorgeous icons and a Jensen wallpaper!! my early Christmas present - Thank you so much Aislynn!!

Besides getting lovely Jensen prezzies, the other great gift today was the snowstorm which blew in overnight, causing me to have a great excuse to miss work. I know that my office was open, and that people went to work, but I just couldn't be bothered to dig my car out of the 4 inches or so, plus the ice! Because not only did it snow last night, but then it turned to freezing rain before it turned to snow again. I knew that it would take me at least 30 minutes to clear my car, another 45 to drive on the messy, icy roads, just to sit and do some meaningless work and stare at my computer. Plus I seriously woke up feeling so tired and headachy. I had to stay home. So I watched tv, did laundry (woohoo), and just plain did nothing. it was great!

I haven't taken any sick days since I began my job in June - except perhaps for the half day I took after I fainted. and though I've taken some time off for vacation and dr. appts, I haven't really ever "called in sick". So I did it today!! a mental, physical, and official "snow day." and now I still have two more days off.

and this morning the snow was so pretty (since I was home and not out trying to drive in it), I had to take some pics, which are ( under the cut )

I think it might be a bit difficult to find something that makes me happy today... but here goes:

I'm happy that my car started this morning, and that I made it to work in one piece.
even though I was an hour late!
this is given that when I woke up at 7 a.m., it was only 5 degrees F outside, and as I was driving to work I saw no less than 5 ambulances, and two car accidents!

the facts are these: For the second time in the last couple weeks, there has been such an accumulation of ice on my car, from freezing rain and super cold temperatures, that I couldn't get my car doors open. they were iced shut! same thing happened to my hubby's car too. We've had such weird weather lately: snow and freezing temps, followed by rain and warmer temps - and then after all the rain yesterday, the temperature went down below 0 last night and froze all the moisture on the ground and the cars, causing such as as I've never seen in my life. it seriously took me 50 minutes to get the ice off of my windshield, and to get into my car - and this was even with the help of boiling hot water that I poured onto the door frames and windows. Thankfully, I got the passenger door open (so that i could start my engine and the heater/defrosters), but the driver's side door is still iced shut! it wouldn't budge, so I had to crawl in through the passenger side. When I was driving to work, I did not go more than 25-30 mph, because I was afraid of skidding and crashing on the icy roads - and of course, I was an hour late!!! Thank goodness my boss is cool. he even bought me a bottle of windshield de-icer!

I can't believe it's not even officially the beginning of winter yet and we've already had more dreadful weather than I remember in all of last winter.

but I also fear for my friend dawnie1970 and anyone else in New England who suffered from the ice storms. here I am complaining about ice on windshields, but the concept of an ice storm terrifies me. I hope you are okay Dawnie!