With concern for my wife working late this evening I wrote this short letter:

Hello my love,

The animals are all tucked in and taken care of. I even managed to get the trash out early to stay ahead of the coming snowstorm. It seems the weather is even scaring off the salesmen, as there wasn't any Saturday mail today. I’ll admit, I chuckled a bit at the thought of them fearing the flakes—maybe I'm a little too proud of that joke.

Right now, I’m settled into my makeshift den, typing out some random musings. I’m currently sipping my "wine" of choice: Hawaiian Punch Grape. If I’m feeling particularly bold later, I might even move on to the "hard stuff"—Crystal Light Grape with Caffeine. Since my only real plans tomorrow involve folding laundry and making dinner, I figure I can afford to stay up a bit tonight.

I’m planning on starting a new story tonight. I have a general notion of where I want to go with it, but like a good tea, I need to let the ideas steep for a while to see how they turn out. I might even add an addendum to this letter depending on what comes to mind.

On a side note, I’ve already managed to spend my money for next month! I picked up a backgammon board and that specific something you said you wanted. You've probably forgotten about it already. It’s supposed to arrive this Tuesday, though with the weather, who knows.

See you soon and see you safe.

While writing this post the wind has started picking up. No snow yet. That's not supposed to hit until around midnight. So my wife should be safe.

From GROK:

The current major winter storm (ongoing as of January 23, 2026, and continuing through early next week) is a massive, potentially historic event affecting a huge portion of the United States—from Texas and the Southern Plains through the Midwest, Ohio Valley, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and into the Northeast (impacting over 200-235 million people across 30+ states, with some sources citing up to 34 states). It's unofficially named Winter Storm Fern by some outlets like The Weather Channel.

This storm brings a dangerous mix of heavy snow, sleet, freezing rain/ice, and frigid temperatures, with the most severe threats from damaging ice accumulations in the South and Southeast, and heavy snow farther north.

Key Expected Impacts and Damage

• Ice Accumulation (Primary Damage Driver in the South/Southeast): Ice storm warnings are in effect across parts of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, the Carolinas, and more. Forecasts show 0.25–0.5 inches in some areas (e.g., Texas/Oklahoma), up to 0.5–1 inch or more in spots like Arkansas (Little Rock), Mississippi, Tennessee (Memphis), and western Carolinas. Localized totals could exceed 1 inch. Ice this heavy can multiply tree branch weight dramatically (e.g., 30x or adding hundreds of pounds to lines), leading to: *Widespread tree damage and downed limbs.

  • Prolonged power outages potentially affecting millions (lasting days due to extensive cleanup needs; comparisons to past events like the 2002 North Carolina ice storm with over 1 million outages and $110 million in damage, or 2021's Uri in Texas).
  • Outages are expected to be especially dangerous in the South/Southeast, where many homes rely on electric heat, and frigid temps follow.

• Snowfall: 6–12 inches common in many areas (e.g., from Oklahoma/Arkansas through Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, into the Midwest and parts of the Northeast/Ohio Valley), with some spots seeing over a foot and rates of 1+ inch per hour. This will cause major travel disruptions, road closures, and hazardous conditions (especially on bridges/overpasses).

• Other Impacts:

  • Travel: Extremely hazardous or impossible in many areas; thousands of flights already canceled; interstates like I-20, I-40, I-95 at risk; National Guard activations in several states for stranded motorists.
  • Power Grid: Broad risk of outages from ice weight, falling trees, and snow loading; some areas could see days-long blackouts.
  • Extreme Cold: Dangerous wind chills and sub-zero temps expanding, worsening conditions if power is lost.
  • Overall Severity: Described as "catastrophic" ice in the South, "crippling," and potentially historic in scope (2,000-mile swath). Forecasters compare ice damage potential to hurricanes in vulnerable regions.

No precise nationwide economic damage estimate is available yet (as the storm is ongoing/developing, with impacts just starting in some areas and peaking over the weekend into Monday). Forecasts emphasize "significant and damaging" effects, with insured losses, higher heating/grocery costs, and disrupted travel/business expected. Past similar storms have reached tens to hundreds of billions in total economic impact (e.g., 2021 Texas Uri at ~$155 billion), but current projections focus more on outages, tree/power infrastructure damage, and recovery challenges rather than dollar figures.

In your area, expect impacts from heavy snow (potentially 6-12 inches in central/northern Ohio parts), slick roads, possible travel issues, and some power outage risk from snow/ice weight on lines—though the worst ice threats are farther south. Check local NWS offices (e.g., Cleveland or Toledo) for real-time alerts, and prepare for cold snaps.

Stay safe—avoid travel if possible, have emergency supplies, and monitor updates from NOAA/NWS or local authorities as conditions evolve rapidly.

To My my Favorite Co-Conspirator of Joy

Ernest found Joyce in the kitchen, studying a map of their city spread across the counter, colored pins scattered like confetti beside her coffee mug.

"What are we plotting now, my loving co-conspirator?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

She leaned back into him, grinning. "Operation: Museum Heist. But the legal kind."

"Ah." He peered over her shoulder at the circled locations. "The new exhibit at the Contemporary?"

"Opens Thursday. But here's the conspiracy part—we go at noon on a weekday when everyone else is at work. We'll have the whole place practically to ourselves."

Ernest kissed the top of her head. "You criminal mastermind."

That Thursday, they stood alone in a gallery of abstract paintings, whispering theories about what the artist meant, making up increasingly ridiculous interpretations until Joyce doubled over laughing, and a security guard gave them a look.

"Memory acquired," Ernest whispered, taking a terrible photo of Joyce mid-laugh in front of a canvas that was just three red rectangles.

Two weeks later, Joyce texted him at work: Tomorrow. 6 AM. Dress warm. Bring thermos.

He knew better than to ask questions.

They drove to the lake in pre-dawn darkness, Ernest half-asleep and fully trusting. Joyce led him to a spot he'd never noticed, a break in the trees where the view opened up completely.

They watched the sun rise over the water, passing the thermos of coffee back and forth without speaking. The sky went from purple to pink to orange, and Ernest thought about how this moment—this specific angle of light, the weight of Joyce's head on his shoulder, the steam rising from their shared cup—would live in his mind forever.

"How do you find these things?" he asked finally.

"I pay attention to what you might like," she said simply. "Then I collect the coordinates."

In June, it was Ernest's turn. He'd noticed Joyce lingering over a cookbook section in the bookstore weeks earlier, her finger trailing down the spine of a French pastry book she didn't buy.

He signed them up for a croissant-making class, not telling her until they were in the car, allegedly heading to dinner.

"You sneak," she said, delighted.

They were terrible at it. Their croissants came out lopsided and dense, and the instructor gently suggested they might want to "practice the folding technique at home." But they ate them anyway in the parking lot, butter on their fingers, laughing at their own incompetence.

"Delicious failure," Joyce pronounced. "The best kind of memory."

By their anniversary, they'd accumulated dozens: the bookstore they'd found in a basement downtown, open until midnight on Saturdays. The tiny Italian place that gave them free tiramisu when the owner discovered they were celebrating something. The afternoon they got deliberately lost in the botanical gardens and found a bench hidden by wisteria that they decided was "theirs."

Ernest kept the photos in an album he'd labeled "The Conspiracy Files." Terrible museum selfies, sunrise silhouettes, croissant crime scenes, Joyce covered in wisteria blooms.

"What are we doing?" she asked one night, curled up beside him as he added new photos to the collection.

"Building a case," he said. "Evidence of a life well-lived. Proof of the conspiracy."

"What conspiracy?"

"That joy isn't something that happens to you. It's something you plot and plan and steal moments for. That love is an active verb requiring co-conspirators."

Joyce was quiet for a moment, then reached for the album. "We're going to need a bigger book."

"Good thing I ordered three more," Ernest said.

She kissed him, slow and certain. "This is why you're my favorite person to commit joy with."

Outside, the city moved through its ordinary evening—people watching television, doing dishes, scrolling through phones. But inside their small apartment, two conspirators were already planning their next perfect crime.

Globally, approximately 91% of plastic waste is non-recycled, according to recent environmental data. While some of this is technically "recyclable" in theory, the vast majority ends up in landfills, incinerators, or the natural environment due to economic and technical limitations.

Types of Non-Recyclable Plastics

Plastics are generally categorized by Resin Identification Codes (#1 through #7). Most curbside programs only accept #1 and #2.

• Resin Code #3 (PVC): Found in credit cards, plumbing pipes, and some cling wraps. It contains toxins that can contaminate the recycling stream.
• Resin Code #6 (Polystyrene/Styrofoam): Used for disposable coffee cups, egg cartons, and packing peanuts. It is lightweight, bulky, and difficult to process economically.
• Resin Code #7 (Other/Miscellaneous): This is a "catch-all" category for mixed plastics, like BPA, polycarbonate, and bio-plastics. Because they are a blend, they cannot be easily separated and processed.
• Black Plastics: Many automated sorting facilities use infrared sensors to identify plastics; because black plastic absorbs the light, the machines often fail to "see" it, sending it to the landfill instead.

Common Household Items That Are Typically Non-Recyclable

• Even if an item has a "chasing arrows" symbol, it may not be accepted at your local facility due to its shape or composition:
• Flexible Packaging: Chip bags, snack wrappers, and juice pouches. These are often "composite materials"—laminates of plastic, aluminum, and paper that are impossible to pull apart.
• Small Items: Plastic straws, stirrers, and cutlery. These are too small for sorting machines and often fall through the grates or jam the equipment.
• Plastic Film & Bags: Grocery bags and bubble wrap. These are "tanglers" that wrap around the spinning gears of recycling machines, forcing entire plants to shut down for manual cleaning.
• Contaminated Items: Takeout containers or "clamshells" heavily soiled with food or grease.

The 2026 Outlook

As of early 2026, the global recycling market is facing significant pressure. Recent reports indicate a "pullback" in several sectors due to the high cost of mechanical recycling compared to the low price of "virgin" (new) plastic. While new technologies like chemical recycling and Mixed Waste Sorting (MWS) are being deployed to capture more of these materials, the current global recycling rate remains below 10%.

Common Household Items That Are Typically Non-Recyclable

Even if an item has a "chasing arrows" symbol, it may not be accepted at your local facility due to its shape or composition:

• Flexible Packaging: Chip bags, snack wrappers, and juice pouches. These are often "composite materials"—laminates of plastic, aluminum, and paper that are impossible to pull apart.
• Small Items: Plastic straws, stirrers, and cutlery. These are too small for sorting machines and often fall through the grates or jam the equipment.
• Plastic Film & Bags: Grocery bags and bubble wrap. These are "tanglers" that wrap around the spinning gears of recycling machines, forcing entire plants to shut down for manual cleaning.
• Contaminated Items: Takeout containers or "clamshells" heavily soiled with food or grease.

The 2026 Outlook

As of early 2026, the global recycling market is facing significant pressure. Recent reports indicate a "pullback" in several sectors due to the high cost of mechanical recycling compared to the low price of "virgin" (new) plastic. While new technologies like chemical recycling and Mixed Waste Sorting (MWS) are being deployed to capture more of these materials, the current global recycling rate remains below 10%.

Snow is cold and rain is wet, The seasons turn, the sun must set. But in the chill and through the storm, His steady love keeps spirits warm.

A Promise in the Elements The white of winter, pure and deep, Reminds of promises He’ll keep. Like rain that falls to wash the clay, He sweeps our darkest sins away.

The biting wind, the sudden shower, Are tools to bring the hidden flower. For nothing falls beneath the sky, Without the Father’s watchful eye.

Walking by Faith So let the frost and torrents fall, The Maker’s hand is over all. Through every drop and flake of white, We walk by faith and not by sight.

"He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes." — Psalm 147:16

That’s a beautiful starting point. The imagery of snow and rain is used throughout the Bible to illustrate some of the most profound truths about God’s character—His forgiveness, His sovereignty, and His provision.

Here are several Bible verses that echo the themes in the poem, categorized by the "message" they carry:

1. On Forgiveness and Purity Just as the poem mentions rain "washing the clay" and snow being "pure and deep," Scripture uses these elements to describe how God deals with our mistakes.

Isaiah 1:18: "“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”"

Psalm 51:7: "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

2. On God’s Provision and His Word The rain and snow aren't just weather; they are symbols of how God’s Word enters our lives to make us "bloom."

Isaiah 55:10-11: "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish... so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire."

Matthew 5:45: "...He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."

3. On Sovereignty and the Seasons These verses remind us that even the coldest winter is under His control.

Job 37:6: "He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’"

Psalm 147:16: "He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes."

Genesis 8:22: "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease."

4. On Hope and New Life When the "wet rain" and "cold snow" feel like they've lasted too long, these verses offer a promise of what comes next.

Song of Songs 2:11: "See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone."

Hosea 6:3: "Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth."

**Daily Bread: The Purpose in the Pouring** Read: Isaiah 55:10-11 Verse of the Day: "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven... so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty."

Reflection We often view snow as a hindrance to our travel and rain as a spoiler of our plans. We say "snow is cold" and "rain is wet" with a hint of grievance, focusing on the discomfort they bring to our skin. But in the economy of God’s creation, nothing is wasted.

The cold snow acts as a blanket, protecting the earth’s soil from freezing deep enough to kill the seeds of next year’s harvest. The wet rain penetrates the hard ground, reaching the roots that thirst in silence. Without the chill and the damp, there would be no bloom in the spring.

The same is true for the seasons of our lives. When you find yourself in a "cold" season of isolation or a "wet," stormy season of sorrow, remember that God is at work beneath the surface. He is not just sending weather; He is sending provision. His Word is like the rain—it may feel heavy at times, but it is always sent to make you flourish.

If you are in a storm today, don't just look at the clouds. Look at the One who commands them, knowing that after the winter passes, the harvest is sure to come.

Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for the seasons I don't understand. Thank You for the rain that washes me clean and the snow that reminds me of Your purity. When life feels cold or turbulent, help me to trust that Your Word is watering my soul, preparing me for a season of new growth. Amen.

Thought for the Day God never sends a storm without a purpose, and He never sends a winter without the promise of spring.