I'd like to introduce you to my new best friends...

This is Curtis.  We haven't known each other long, but we're already practically joined at the hip.  I spend all sorts of hours with Curtis - mornings, evenings, afternoons...some nights I dream about Curtis.

Here are Chuck and Larry.  It cost me $6.95 +tax to be their friend, but it's perhaps the best money I've ever spent.  Chuck and Larry have a fleece lining inside.  No matter how cold it is, or how the wind blows, or how uncooperative Curtis is, my hands never get cold or blistered.  I love Chuck and Larry.

This is Marjory.  She used to live in my neighbor's driveway, but this is where she ended up after he forcefully removed her from his property.  Why Marjory?  She reminds me of the trash heap from Fraggle Rock.  I keep hoping she'll spew words of wisdom, but so far she just sits there and mocks me.  I guess we aren't really friends after all.

This is the front part of my driveway, which I managed to get sufficiently shoveled that I hope to avoid a nasty note from the mailperson.  I didn't do the back yet.  Well, technically I did the whole thing for about 3 hours yesterday morning, but it wasn't done snowing.  I had to shovel yesterday to be able to get my car out.  The back really does need done again, but once the sun started going down I got really cold.  Except my hands - Chuck and Larry really are awesome.  Don't you dare call me a wimp, though - it's 0 degrees out, with a windchill of -20 degrees.  I think I was entitled to be cold.

Whatever I may think about the amount and frequency of snow here, it is awfully pretty.

In other news, reporting on my resolution progress:

• I've only eaten McDonalds for breakfast twice this month, and I ordered a pizza one night when I was seriously craving it.  Other than that, no eating out.  (Yes, it is only the 11th - but you'll have to take my word for it that this is a huge improvement!)
• I've been pretty good about spending money - I've stopped short of purchasing several things, and I don't really remember what they were right now so it was probably a good call.  I will need to modify my plan though to allow for the purchase of appropriate Iowa winter gear - boots, snow pants, a jacket I can move in enough to shovel.  The tennis shoe/pajama pants serving as long underwear/sweats aren't cutting it.
• My office is slipping - partly because I have to get out of there in time to get 30 minutes or so of shoveling in before it gets dark.  But it still looks better than it used to.
• I've only gone to hell once this month, and that was when the school didn't close (not even a late start!) in spite of the fact we'd received a foot of snow overnight, snow was still falling with another 6-8 inches predicted during the day, and the roads weren't plowed yet.  Then again, if you're justly angry, is it really going to hell?  (I thought I might just be acting like a wimpy transplant, but everyone at school was upset they held classes, and we were the only ones.)
• Mother nature has provided plenty of exercise.  It's not particularly aerobic, but my arms, shoulders, legs, and abs are all feeling the workout.  Shoveling - it's the new P90X.