Since Angela seems to have dropped off the face of the earth in recent weeks, I’ve decided to temporarily suspend the Friday High Five. We’ll see what the new year brings to determine if it returns.

Today I want to rant and rave a bit instead. To set the mood, let’s begin with a little Stray Cats for visual inspiration

followed by this important admonishment

Rant – The wind and the cold has Molly the dog pacing the floors and being a real needy girl. This is despite the fact that we went out for a five mile walk in the 4 degree wind chill today. It was cold enough that we were the only people out walking. The gusty wind out of the north had both Molly and I walking sideways to keep from exposing our faces when we headed north. (And Molly put her big bushy tail between he legs to keep warm when we faced south. I unfortunately am missing that appendage.)

Rave – There looks to be a good college football game on tonight. I am already beginning to suffer withdrawal as college football heads into the bowl season.

Rant – The weather forecast says it will warm up to highs near freezing for the next few days, but then fall back to a series of days with highs in the mid-teens. I really want this to be one of those years where Christmas is 70 degrees. I don’t think the weather is going to co-operate.

Rant – The bird that kept clunking into the bedroom window this morning, hoping to come in out of the cold. It got Molly all excited and made me get up and shoo the bird on its way and calm Molly down. It sat there in the bush and looked so cold just a few inches from my face in the pre-dawn light. I had to wave my arms and jump up and down to finally get it to depart.

Rave – The stark beauty of the outdoors the last couple of days as Molly and I walked. There is something absolutely wonderful about the stark windswept plains when it is frigid that makes my heart soar. (And getting home to fix a warm bowl of soup – priceless.)