Too tired to sleep

I'm going through one of the periodic bouts of insomnia that visit me from time to time. I'm not sure what causes it. Maybe I need to keep an insomnia journal or something to see if I can find a pattern to the phenomenon.

After a fairly dry and sunny winter, the rains have returned this week. Maybe that's a factor. But I don't think that's it, or at least not all of it, because the really late nights started late last week before the weather really turned.

Unfortunately, I am not experiencing a period where I can exploit the long hours creatively. It would be nice to make some posts or read or do something with these hours.

Ironically, I'm very tired, but can't bring myself to go to bed. I can sleep for a few minute in the evening on the couch, but to get that long full night's sleep, particularly on a weeknight, well, it just doesn't happen.

I call it insomnia, but I'm not sure if it really is or not. I don't go to bed and toss and turn sleeplessly for hours. I just don't go to bed. I think part of it is the fear of lying in bed, tossing and turning for hours. I used to do that as a kid and earlier in my life. It was shear frustration and torture. I don't want to repeat it. So, instead, during these periods, I keep myself awake until overcome by exhaustion. I want to know the sleep will come when I crawl between the sheets.

I am going to try to sleep. I think. I hope.

Happy Groundhog Day

Here's to hoping that furry little varmint doesn't see his shadow and winter will soon be over.

But who am I kidding? This is the Willamette Valley and it's been unseasonably dry so far this year. There's still lots of rain left to fall and my amateur prognostication tells me that winter-like weather will last far more than 6 more weeks.

Snow? Say it ain't so

There's snow outside my window. Not a lot, but some. Snow in the Willamette Valley is not good. People here don't know how to handle slick roads. There has been snow in surrounding areas for the last couple of mornings, prompting a flurry (if you'll pardon the pun) of snow closures and traffic problems.

I knew there are those who love snow. It's so white and pretty. I've never been a big fan. Not that I have anything against the flakes themselves, but if there is snow sticking around that means it's at or below freezing, and I loath the cold.

To me, the best snow is that that dusts nearby mountains, making for a picturesque backdrop. That's what I loved about living in the Southern California deserts, near mountain ranges. It was usually warm (or at least mind) during the winter months, but snow was common at higher elevations on nearby mountains. It was beautiful, especially under warm, sunny skies.

The roads may be a mess in the morning. Fortunately, I don't have far to go. And I am fairly confident that the snow, if it sticks around overnight, will likely be done by midday. Perhaps only to be repeated again tomorrow.

I'm not a big fan of gray skies and rain in the winter here in Western Oregon, but the one benefit of just dreary conditions is that it is usually above freezing -- day and even at night -- here in the Willamette Valley.

How long is it until spring again?

The fog

I'm not real good at planning my errands. I always thing on my way home that I'll have plenty of time to run out later, after I've vegged out a bit, had a bite to eat and unwound from the day. I knew I needed to stop at a story on my way home from work but didn't. So, there I was at midnight, venturing out for my delayed errand. Fortunately, there is a Circle K nearby with precisely what I needed.

What I didn't expect to encounter upon walking out the door was fog.

Fog on a chilly night is not good. Fortunately, the temperature hasn't quite dipped below 32 degrees. Because freezing fog is nasty stuff. About the only worse driving condition is freezing rain, but freezing fog is not good.

It's looking like it's going to be a nasty morning on the roads here in Salem. There's nothing like skating to work, especially if it involves bend metal and bloodshed.

Well, the freezing conditions may have one upside if schools are closed and people go in late to work. Maybe there will be fewer morons on the road to play bumper cars with in the morning.