Totally Frozen/Totally Stuck.

It's nearly one o'clock in the afternoon as I'm typing this and the temperature outside doesn't seem any warmer than it was this morning. I forgot to look at the outside thermometer when I was outside to get the mail, and I just don't want to open the door again to have a look.  Maybe it's better that I don't know the actual number.  Must be still below freezing, because the water in the birdbath is as frozen solid as it was at seven o'clock this morning.  Stupid weather. Totally stupid and uncalled for, not to mention un-wanted and un-welcome.

I got all the in-town errands done yesterday because the TV weather wizards predicted this cold day (and they were correct for a change) so I've been reading. And reading. And reading.  To take a break from the books, I popped an old VCR tape into the machine and watched the movie "84 Charing Cross Road" with Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins.  I've watched this movie about ten times, and I've read the story at least two dozen times over the years.  Beautiful book (true story) and a wonderful movie that gets you to reaching for tissues at the end.  One of the cats (Sweet Pea) sat in my lap during the whole film, and he watched most of the movie with me.  Sweet Pea was particularly interested in the cars and taxi-cabs on the NYC streets, the red double-decker buses in London, and the very pretty dog that was barking and running around Central Park.

I usually don't mess around too much with the DVD/VCR player.... when I have time to myself, I'm usually reading, and that doesn't take electronic equipment because I've absolutely refused (without hesitation) to resort to a Kindle, a Nook, or whatever else is out there trying to replace a beautiful book with soft pages that have been read and re-read over the years.

However... as a result of my non-existing talent with the DVD/VCR player-thing, the tape of "84 Charing Cross Road" is now stuck (STUCK!) in the VCR player.  How can that be?  I've pressed the 'eject' button at least half a dozen times, and nothing happens. I've opened that little horizontal door and I can see the movie tape in there, but it's not popping itself out no matter how many times the eject button is hit.  I even put a butter knife into the little door, hoping to dislodge the tape from whatever is in there holding it a prisoner.

Well, wouldn't that be a surprise for my husband?  Coming home from work and finding his wife electrocuted and laying flat-out on the floor in front of the DVD/VCR player?

I've turned off the television, and turned off the VCR thing.  I'll go back to my books for now, thank you, and wait till my husband comes home from work, and then he can rescue Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins.  I do know myself, however, and I'm sure that before this day is over, I'm going to try again to get that movie out of the player.

Maybe I should leave a note for my husband on the kitchen counter:  "In case you happen to find me dead and still sizzling in the TV room when you get home, can you please arrange to bury me in London, at 84 Charing Cross Road?"