I am not sick... very.

However, I am very sick of the weather the way it is here. I realize that I have already complained about the weather, and that complaining does no good at all. On the other hand, I want everybody to know that the weather here in the National Capital Region is less than satisfactory.

I decided to spend the weekend out in Front Royal with Nicole and Tino, so I left the cats alone with large bowls of food and water, and a nice fresh litter box, and I made my way out toward the mountains. Nicole was painting. My job was to keep Tino from getting on her nerves.

Part of this involved a trip to Winchester, Va., to visit Home Depot and then Lowe's. After that we went to the Apple Blossom Mall, which Tino described as the "saddest mall in the world." It was sad in a surreal way, though. We agreed that we had both seen malls that were technically sadder, but that a number of qualifying factors gave Apple Blossom the edge, such as it is.

I did learn something there: apparently one could purchase a prom dress at Sears. Who knew? I tend to associate Sears with washing machines and lawn mowers rather than formalwear.

My major purchases of the shopping expedition were from Lowe's, where I bought a book and a very cool kit to hold my makeup. It's supposed to hold tools and fasteners, but I believe that it will serve me well as a bag of tricks. I will fully describe tomorrow once I have configured all the compartments and filled it with bright and sparkly things.

As I drove back into the city, I stopped at a Mobil station for one of those hot chocolates that you get only from machines in gas stations. I filled my cup with half hot chocolate and half "French Vanilla Cappuccino." I realize that what I got was a cup of hot water, sugar and chemicals, but I was shivering after filling up the tank, and the beverage hit the spot.

I'm not a snob when I'm cold and it comes to hot beverages.

before - after