I don't want to sound like I am "raining" on your parade, so to speak---BUT---the Old Farmers Almanac is predicting that those of us in Iowa can expect to get 20 more inches of new snow THIS MONTH, and up to 40 inches of new snow NEXT MONTH!! I can hardly contain my excitement--NOT!! We have had a good 3 FEET of snow already just since Christmas. And since Tuesday night we have gotten ICE on top of everything else. It is treacherous outside right now with the ice and the snow. And our small town has already run out of snow removal money in the towns budget!! What a mess our streets are here!! And if that's not bad enough, all over the state there are people without any electricity sitting in their very cold houses---the temps right now range from 30 downwards. I guess there has been so much ice that there are utility poles snapping in half right and left. And it's not just Iowa but South Dakota and Nebraska and Minnesota that are getting hit hard. I suppose some would say "that's what happens when you live in the Midwest". Well, sure it is---but this is getting ridiculous!! At my age (72) I hate to go outside with this kind of weather---have extremely bad bones from osteoporosis, and I am afraid I will break something more--already have had a hip and an elbow, plus many of my back bones fractured. So I am inside where I can stay warm. Hope all of you out West survive your high winds, and hope you DON'T get any snow. I imagine it is harder to deal with the dreaded stuff when you aren't really used to it, right?? Stay warm and safe everyone!! Janice