Day 96: Monochrome

Up early, in the freezing darkness.  The car is stiff with ice, and I have to brace myself against the chilly blast of the blower until the engine warms up, and the heat starts to defrost my fingers.  Night recedes slowly, revealing a monochrome morning.  Bleached skies, fields still white with snow, trees and roads dark with damp.  Like a charcoal drawing.

It's bone cold.  All day.  Spring feels like a very distant concept.  I cannot imagine sitting on grass, or walking barefoot, or having fingers sausagey with heat.  But it's coming.  Even with the snow on the ground, there are spears of green poking through.  Although my hands and feet have been numb all day, I am glad to have some proper winter.  Makes the advent of spring all the more welcome.  Hooray for seasons, even when they're brutal.  I'd struggle with the relentless tedium of a monoclimate.

During my monochrome drive, I hear Elvis on the radio. 'Are You Lonesome Tonight', which I've always found mawkish and dull.  This version is more interesting - the one where he starts laughing, and can't stop.  I've heard it before, but never istened to it closely.  Always assumed that the laughter was because of the backing singer, who is ridiculously warbly.  If I were in Elvis's blue suedes, that would do it for me.  And I still think that plays a part.  But he's obviously in the mood to goat about, as he replaces the line 'Do you gaze at your doorstep, and picture me there?' with 'Do you gaze at your bald head, and wish you had hair?'  I'm guessing it wasn't his favourite song, either.  Brilliant.