It's now late December
and the morning thermometer reads 38 degrees. My mind makes the
calculation, that were the mercury just 6 degrees lower, then the
world outside would be at the freezing point of water. Something that is supposed to occur when a cold front comes slamming through the area. I consider
this dull fact as I move my aging body out to the kitchen to find
something to eat. I flip a light switch and light bathes the room. At
6AM, when I arose, it was still very dark outside. Nothing out of the ordinary there.
As it was December the 28th, I knew that even though the days were now getting longer, it was still dark until well after 7AM.
Standing
with a box of cheerios in one hand, I part the window blinds with
the other and look out towards the east through my kitchen window.
Sunrise today will be at 7:23 AM sharp. Still, an hour and 23 minutes
away and only darkness can be seen in any direction. Inwardly, I sigh
and busy myself with making a bowl of cereal under a single
artificial light hanging high over my head. It's one of those old
style light bulbs that has a tungsten filament – I imagine I can
hear a tortured sound as it glows white hot while somehow managing to
give off a sullen light that casts shadows all around me. Bowl in
hand, I head over to the kitchen table to begin my day. Yeah,
December is pretty much a bitch!
