an intense wind storm has come by, for about a week. for the most part it hasn't been below freezing much, but rather barely above it; still, the wind cuts and makes it feel much colder than freezing. it snowed once or twice and then the snow blew around a lot, but in general, it's been dry: dry, cold, windy.

it seems to come from different directions, sometimes from the north. they say it's from differences in temperature - extreme warmth in the midwest, very cold winds coming down from canada, and then they mix all together and start this twenty or thirty mph business.

we've been lucky in the sense that we've had power all winter, and haven't lost any major trees in the neighborhood, with destructive results. apparently one split on the hill and some neighbors just got out, cut it all up with chainsaws, and got it out of the way. that's kind of how they do it in this area. they consider that long road through the national forest to be an extension of their own driveway, no sense waiting for the county or the state to take care of it. my neighbor regraded my own road one time after massive rains had just gouged it out until it was virtually impassable. once again, no sense waiting for the county. it's ruining cars and trucks now. and the county's busy. it'll do it, but when it does, it'll do it in a hurry.

i had jury duty today - wednesday dawned cold, windy, clear, and the phone rang, and i realized i'd forgotten all about it. i quick got dressed, got in the car, and went down to the magistrate's court tucked back in by the driver's place. if i'd had my wits about me, i would have said i've been coughing, and they would have simply sent me home, no sense even letting me in the building.

as it was, i wasn't really thinking of myself as a risk or even at risk, and i let them plunk me in a seat in the corner of a small courtroom. twelve jurors with masks were already seated, spaced apart, facing the front. in the front, to the right, were two women, recorders or bailiffs or whatever. a lawyer/judge was conducting the hearing. i also was in the front - unfortunately unable to hear well masked speakers who weren't facing me - and this was apparently to space out jurors and alternates so that everyone had plenty of room twelve jurors in all in the main section, another alternate besides me, and me, in the back to the side of the lawyer/judge.

i felt a little left out, to tell the truth, because i could hear so poorly, and because i'd missed the whole first half - but they apparently had what they needed to decide, and did, with or without me, as i was only an alternate anyway. i can't go into the details of the case, obviously, but i'm not sure if i even caught them correctly anyway. some people were harder to hear than others.

yet here i am, retired, finally with enough time to sit down and listen to both sides of a story. too bad it's all so unclear, like a good song in a duststorm.