Cabin Fever

I know what you're thinking.
You're wondering why there is a black and white photo of a grown man looking remarkably similar to Hannibal Lecter positioned above another black and white photo of a mischievous but handsome ten year old boy, about to do something that he damn well knows he should not be doing.

So let me explain...

In modern day Film Theory and Criticism, the use of black and white images is a way to indicate a "divorce from reality." Sort of an "alternate existence." A place where life has been drained of color and vigor and variety. A world, where perhaps, one might go crazy or do insane things given the right set of circumstances and a suitable trigger.

And that, boys and girls, basically sums up my household these days.

School is once again canceled. I have both boys at home right now.
With the wind chill taken in to account, the temperatures have set up camp somewhere between the instant-frost-bite and immediate-rigor-mortis range . And the bone chilling temperature of minus 42 was communicated this morning as the warmer temp of the day by our scrawny and balding weather man.

It's not the first of these days. It's not even the first of these weeks. We have had nothing but snow and cold since mid November. And it is taking its toll.

So.
Devoid of color, vigor and variety; and bestowed with the right set of circumstances and suitable triggers ..

Mr.Lecter has been wandering the halls of our mansion wearing his nasal strips for over a week now.
The handsome ten year old boy has been writing threatening e-mails to himself!
And then responding!
And I've been going from room to room, scraping the snow and ice from the inside of the windows just to see how long it takes to come back.

I think "divorced from reality" pretty much sums us up.
And I'm sure that we are operating in a truly "alternate existence."
I just can't help but think that the term "Cabin Fever" sounds so much more like an Hawaiian Elvis movie than a state of Winter despair.

L.