The patio, looking pretty bleak
2:00 a.m. The smoke alarm over my bed begins to beep. Eachbeep alarms Sophie, and she is not reassured by my words,  nor will she come to me. She’s too busytilting at – smoke alarms. I lie awake, listening for the next beep.

3:00 a.m. Sophie finally decides barking at the alarm doesno good and goes off somewhere to sleep.

5:00 a.m. – Sophie needs to go out. My computer tells me itis 10 degrees. There is a light dusting of snow on the ground. The smoke alarmis still beeping. I go back to bed.

7:45 a.m.- Sophie wants the first half of her breakfast andto go out again. It is 11 degrees, and there is a lot more snow. I go back tobed.

9:00 a.m. – Sophie wants the second half of her breakfast.I no longer care about the temperature—I know it is cold—and I can see the snow.I discover there is no hot water. I am up for the day.

9:45 a.m. Jordan comes to give Sophie a shot and takes downthe smoke alarm. It continues to beep until she figures out how to dislodge thebattery. We discover the TV is out, but the internet is working—praise be. Iremind Jordan that she has long said if Sophie barked frantically, they wouldhear it and come running. “We didn’t hear it,” she says. So much for that.

10:00 a.m. My dinner guest cancels for fear of icy roads.

3:00 p.m. I get a much needed nap. Sophie, asleep, refusesmy offers to go out, and I am afraid she’ll wake me.

5:00 p.m. Sophie and I wake up. I feed her, and she goes outside.

5:30 p.m. Jordan and I have wine and eat the last of thecheese ball from Christmas. The cottage is almost comfortable. I have on asweater, a blanket over my knees, and a heater right behind my chair.

8:30 p.m.  I haveeaten the chili Jordan brought me and am thinking longingly of my warm bed. Thecottage is getting cool again.

Good night, all. I can hardly wait for Wednesday’s thaw.