I took a few days off in the past two weeks and I can tell you right now that I don't regret it. I got to spend time with my family and do some things I otherwise wouldn't have been able to do.

However, when ever I get back to the office after taking a few days off, past or present, there's always a price to pay. The work keeps coming whether or not I'm there to catch it. Even though it was wonderful to have someone fill in for me, in a job that is based almost entirely on information, it is important to stay on top of everything that's going on. In other words, I still have to get back into the midst of the mess and find my bearings again.

So far I've had all the pressure that I've wanted to get involved in along with feeling a little confused and rushed. To those who might try to remind me that I'm often rushed and confused, I say that this current state of harried confusion is somewhat more intense that that which I have felt earlier.

Controlled chaos is the best one can usually hope for in the newspaper business. You can schedule things all you want and try to get everything in order, but this job is never completely orderly. Life is more like the not-so-neat stacks of paper that usually clutter my desk alongside multiple notes, photographs and area newspapers that tend to bury my desktop calendar. It just seems to happen and even if you think you're ready for it, there's always a few surprises to fill in the empty spots. No matter what is done in an attempt to prepare, it is a definite thing that something always happens that throws a wrench in the entire operation. News always happens unexpectedly, like fires or car accidents, surprise announcements and even these big snow storms that sometimes seem to come out of nowhere to bury everything in a fresh coat of ‘winter wonderland.'

I've had plenty of that to last a while, along with several other things. Like cutting extra firewood that I manage to keep burned up faster than I can stack. And picking up white pine limbs out of the yard, which tend to fall with greater regularity than at any other time in my memory. And did I mention shoveling snow, driving on ice and hearing other people complain about the weather? I'm tired of all of those, too.

I still love the seasons here just as much as I ever did. Right now I'd most love to see spring, but then I'll look forward to summer and fall and then even winter again. The snow on the ground and the ice on the trees from this last storm reminded me of glass and the icicles hanging from the Norway spruce in the front yard even looked like intentionally placed ornaments.

The shimmer of the ice in the sunshine was breathtaking, but not so much as the frigid temperatures that seem to have been our constant companion in Alleghany County since around November.

I've probably burned more firewood this year than any other time in recent memory. Thankfully, I also cut more firewood this year than at any time in recent memory. For those of you who keep your newspapers or go online, just look back at August and see if I didn't predict a bad winter this year. Then again, even a blind dog finds a hydrant once in awhile.

Even though I was somewhat prepared, including doing a little better winterization on the house and installing a few more of those energy efficient windows, I still remain in awe of the fury that this winter has unleashed on our area. As I told a friend the other day, it may have more to do with the fact that the last four or five years have been more like an extended fall than a real winter. Maybe this is more normal than those other years.

As for getting back to work here, the weather has also made that difficult, like it does so many other things. But through it all, I still try to view the world with eyes of wonder. The ice and snow have a way of making the world look so different. I was riding along several very familiar roads Saturday and I barely recognized some of the landmarks after the snow. It's almost like seeing the world for the first time again.

I try to control my focus. Focusing on difficulties only makes them seem more foreboding, while focusing on good things helps make everything seem a little better and a little brighter. While I can't always change the facts, I can have a big impact on perception and my own reactions to those facts.

However, that still doesn't get the snow out of the driveway. My neighbor was kind enough to take care of that for me without asking for any payment at all. Maybe these storms are an opportunity, a good excuse for us to help one another.