Drippy, cloudy, soggy.

The weather has returned to somewhat normal, unless you're looking for the sun.  Temperatures will be up near 60 degrees today, and warmer as the week goes on here. However, with the warmth comes rain, and it's been raining since yesterday.  My husband says that the landscape looks like West Virginia.  I've only been in WV a couple of times and I guess I was lucky because the sun was shining during both of those visits.

Looking out over our property, the clouds seem to be nearly touching the pond (which is filled to the top because of the rain).  The fields are soggy and brown, with grass that is waiting for the sun to turn it green again.  Because of the recent freezing weather we had, some of the plants in the flowerbeds have shriveled up and they resemble cooked spinach.  Honestly, all that work we did in the garden last Spring has been a waste of time.... between the Summer days of 100+ degrees, and then the December days of temperatures either at or below the freezing point, the flowerbeds look as if they've never been re-planted.  I give up on Texas gardening. No wonder why people swear by cactus plants.

The two stray cats have been visiting our back porch on a regular basis.... small all-black cat, small beige-brown cat.  Most likely from the same litter because where one goes, the other follows.  I don't think Gatsby has seen much of those cats because he's been inside a lot because of the cold, and inside now because of the rain. (It didn't take Gatsby very long to decide that being an inside cat during bad weather is nicer than being a tough outside cat.)  Mickey has been in the garage for a few days, walking thru there into the coop when he wants some fresh air.  He's not too happy to be in there, but at least he's warm and dry, plus the days of quarantine have given his leg a rest... he's had some sort of sprain to his right front paw and had been limping last week.  Mickey only thinks he's a tough outside cat, but he hasn't an ounce of outside-cat sense.

My husband and I feel like Christmas was just a blur..... but at least we're feeling better.  Still coughing a little bit here and there, but nearly back to the way we were feeling before the cold/flu/whatever took over.