I have been working so much that I did not hear about this great snow storm coming this weekend until yesterday...when the prospect of inclement weather ruined my plans to hop in the car and visit with my best friend for a few hours half way between our two homes.

I scoffed at the idea of a great storm. We have basically have just had rain this winter, no satisfying blankets of white for Kashi to frolic through in the back yard. I scoffed because in my eight winters here, the number of times a storm actually arrived as predicted is small. I scoffed because I saw no change in weather that indicated an impending storm. Glorious sunny days have followed each other much of this winter and certainly this week.

I am no longer scoffing. I hurt so much from the front coming through that I can hardly stand it. My couch is wet with tears and I wish for this to pass. I know it will, but how much longer will I feel this way?

I was waiting for some files to transfer from the work server to my laptop and dropped off to sleep. My cousin called and woke me...not that I remember much of what was said. I thought I would just go back to sleep, but Kashi had other ideas. I played with him and then started back in my task for this evening: uploading content to my company's website.

But it was not long before I began to feel the change in pressure. At first, you sort of think that perhaps you have just been sitting a bit too long. You shift position or even get up and walk around for a while. Soon, however, the realization of what is happening sinks in, and you find yourself sighing deeply, wondering how long it will last.

Fiery pain laces through my lower back and knees. I feel as if I ache all over, but it is actually my joints. My ankles hurt. My wrists hurt. I shudder and tears slip down my cheeks, despite my attempts to work, to read, or to watch TV in a futile attempts at distraction.

I wish Old Man Winter would hurry on his way...