This morning was not my best morning. Navigating daily life, the remnants of a snowstorm, and a lack of power didn’t exactly start me out on the right foot, so I was just a bit cranky. What makes you cranky? As always, if you choose to take up the challenge, please add a pingback to this prompt.

Winter took a long time to settle in this year, but it has now settled in with a vengeance. It’s as if Mother Nature just woke up from a long nap and realized she was supposed to be creating winter here in New England. And now she has to catch up.

School was cancelled on Friday for a storm, the effects of which were quite beautiful. Heavy snow glued itself to the trees, outlining each branch, and wouldn’t budge. A second storm came in Sunday night into Monday, closing school again on Monday. This storm bent the trees and branches to their breaking point and beyond. Tree limbs tumbled to the ground and trunks snapped, leading to a loss of power in my neighborhood and the neighborhoods of so many others in the area.

I prepared for work this morning in semi-darkness. Thankfully, one day last week I had determined that my green sweater was too green for the shirt I was planning to wear today. But in the low light of a lantern, I could only hope that turquoise would match better. Before I left for work, I moved food from my refrigerator to a cooler on my deck where the outside air would keep it colder than the warming temperature of my powerless fridge.

My drive to work was smooth but a layer of ice made it slower than normal. Uneventful until I passed the DOT sign flashing the message, “Winter Weather Tomorrow” followed by “Plan Ahead.” I have to admit, a few choice words slipped out of my mouth at the thought of another storm. Tomorrow.

As I pulled into the parking lot of my building at work, I noted that the sidewalks leading to campus hadn’t been plowed recently. Likely since yesterday. I would be trudging through ankle-deep snow (or walking in the road) to get to my 9:15 meeting.

Now, I’m not usually cranky. It’s just not my mood. I am generally a laid-back person who leans toward happy. But I will admit, by the time I sat down in my meeting this morning, I might have been just a tad cranky.

So I’m working on an attitude adjustment. Because here in the Northeast, winter is just getting started.