There’s a point in winter when you stop checking the forecast and just assume it’s going to be one of three things.
Snow.
Ice.
Mud.
Sometimes all in the same day.
Around here, that’s just life this time of year. You clear the snow, watch it melt into slush, then track half the yard back inside before you even realize what’s happened. Boots line up by the door like they’re waiting for inspection, and no floor stays clean for very long.
This is the season of constant adjustment.
What worked yesterday doesn’t always work today. The path you shoveled is icy by morning. The ground that finally thawed turns into mud after an afternoon rain. And just when you think winter is done with you, it reminds you that it’s still in charge. Being prepared during this stretch isn’t about perfection—it’s about acceptance. Acceptance that boots will get dirty, towels will get used, and cleanup will happen more than once a day. It’s knowing where the extra mat is, having a place for wet gear, and keeping a sense of humor when the dog comes in looking like he’s auditioning for a mud-wrestling competition.
Snow, ice, and mud all ask for different things, but they have one thing in common: they slow you down. And maybe that’s not such a bad thing. This season forces us to move a little more carefully, pay attention to where we step, and take our time getting from one place to another.
It’s messy. It’s inconvenient. And it’s temporary. So if your days feel like a loop—wipe feet, hang coats, mop floors, repeat—you’re not doing anything wrong. You’re just living through the tail end of winter.
Spring will get here when it’s ready.
Until then, keep the boots handy, the floors forgiving, and your expectations realistic.
Stay prepped and prepared,
Pepper 🐾
P.S. The next Pepper book, Pepper, the Gunslinger & the Bank Heist will be coming your way in the spring, sooner rather than later!
