The wife and little maskless heeler just got home less than an hour ago.

About five minutes after I told youngest son I was expecting her soon. She had called from Central City about 2030, concerned about our weather. She hit blizzard conditions on the west end of town, with visibility about one reflector post or less. Lots of traffic coming into town, but none going out.

But we were fine. No snow or wind. She decided to race the storm.

She lost.

The snow got here before she did, and she was a nervous wreck, literally in tears of relief when she arrived. Poor visibility for almost all of the 120 miles. Driving from reflector post to reflector post. Sometimes guessing where the next post would be. Hoping no one going the other direction was doing the same thing.

Been there, done that.

But I don't alternate between Our Fathers and Hail Marys like she does.

It feels like Mrs. Claus has arrived. Lots of supplies we needed in quantity. (Like Cycle dog food. Why is it they always discontinue the stuff we buy?) A new Mutts book (she loves the strip...it's growing on me). A favored brand of mac & cheese for the younger son (another item our store discontinued).

And for you chocolate lovers out there (you know who you are)... a bag of Ghirardelli semi-sweet chips.

A five pound bag.

That's right, five pounds. In one bag.

Oh, boy.

Somewhere in there is "House Corrino" by Herbert, but she'll probably make me wait until my birthday (this month) to look at that.

We got to see her, eldest son and the maskless heeler on the campus livecam again this afternoon. Didn't notice she gave him a haircut.

Pointed them out to the heeler sister at home, but she looked at me like I was an idiot. Her mother actually sniffed the screen, and then gave me the "okay, he's lost it" look.

Little heeler did not want to get out of the Explorer when they got home. Her bigger sister was acting intimidating, but I wonder if she really did prefer living alone with the wife and her boy in the Land of Pigmeat and Prime Rib.

When she called from college city, wife mentioned overhearing two women in the mall. One was commenting on finding 25 one dollar bills in her husband's wallet. Worried he was going to spend them at the strip club.

Quite possible lady. They got at least two in town (I checked).

But why were you checking the money in his wallet?

Youngest son asked for $20 in ones for his trip to Central City this weekend. Wife and I wondered how much supervision there is on these band trips.

Turns out he wanted them for the video arcade in the mall.

Whew! Perhaps the husband of the mall lady was doing the same thing.

Perhaps not.

Tomorrow (actually now) is the 15th. Opening day for the big elk season in the mountains south of town.

No school.

Yes, they closed the schools because of the elk season opener. Does that tell you how important hunting is here? The teachers have become upset about having to work while at least half the students skipped school to go hunt. So now the teachers get to go too.

It is also the opening for the deer seasons north of town. That is where I will be.