I Do Love Quiet Days!

Today was a "recovery" day after all of the bustling of yesterday. A day when everything is so much slower, and I feel like I can gather my thoughts together.


This morning, I decided to enjoy a soak in that hot tub...a couple of days ago, I was shoveling the back deck. I twisted, *knowing* I had done something "funny". I had to stop shoveling, as I felt so much pain, I thought I was going to SCREAM! I went inside, took two ibuprophens and drank a nice hot cup of tea. After the ibuprophen began to settle things down a bit, I went upstairs and took a VERY hot bath. The rest of the day, I took it VERY easy....By late in the day, I felt fine. Yesterday morning, however, my poor back hurt a little, and after sitting in the truck so much, it was pretty sore last night. This morning, after jumping into the hot tub, I felt terrific! That tub is great for relaxing....I have a tendency to get very "tight" when things go wrong, causing tension in my whole body. Wish I would learn to RELAX! I don't get too upset emotionally, rather, I get stressed out in my body. Sometimes, I just need to tell myself to stop and SMELL the roses.....which I just happen to have on my table!



And, speaking of what is on the table, I decided to make our big meal midday today, as tonight is Michelle's Bible study. I want to share this recipe, as so many people LOVE it!!! And, it is EASY!I have been making this recipe for years, as it came from a cookbook from the hospital where my mom used to work. It was called "Zucchini Casserole", however, I have done and REdone it different ways! Here's what is needed1 bunch of broccoli, steamed
1 cup mayonaisse
1 egg
1 cup cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together, and place in a quiche dish. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. (I also add tiny dots of butter on the top and sprinkle seasoned bread crumbs. YUMMY!

I completely forgot to take a picture of the baked dish so I photographed this little bit that was left! Oops! While this isn't a low-fat dish, it is satisfying to eat just a little. My mom used to love to take leftovers of this to work the next day and eat it cold! Mark likes it that way, too!

So, for lunch, we had steak (I buy the thin RibEye from WalMart...they are so thin, they grill in about 10 minutes. I really do not care for thick steaks!) a huge salad, and the casserole.

And, after lunch, I decided to work off some calories by shoveling MORE snow! Yup...it falls a little here, a little there...and, I missed some the other day when I hurt my back. As I shoveled between the house and garage, curiosity got the best of me......

I dug down through two feet of snow to take a peek.......

And, there they were...safely hidden under ALL that SNOW!





My DAFFODILS!!!!

Rambling....

This was another one of those very loooonnnnngggg days!

Mark has set up my laptop so I can connect with another computer to watch TV on it. This is so nice, as I rarely have time to sit still. I really only enjoy watching HGTV....especially the home buying and selling shows. I love seeing glimpses into the way other folks live! So, last night, I watched a couple of shows before turning in for the night at about 10:30.

I was up again at 4:30. Since I let the fire die out all the way last night, it was a bit chilly this morning, so the first thing I did was build a fire in the stove. As that was burning, I went to the kitchen and washed all the dishes. Then, I awakened Mark shortly after 5, as he had to shower and get ready for a DR appointment.

I washed two loads of laundry, then packed some orders to ship out today. As soon as the boxes were labeled, I was off to shovel the snow off the paths around the house, and the sidewalk. Then I had to salt so Mark wouldn't have to worry about falling on the ice! I reloaded the stove, then dressed, and we were off for Mark's 9 am appointment. By the time we got to the office, I was getting so sleepy! As I sat in the waiting room, I was concerned I was going to fall asleep in the chair and roll off onto the floor......but, luckily, that didn't happen!

After Mark's appointment, we rushed off to Tractor Supply. Yes, we bought the SAME bolts and washers that I previously purchased at Lowe's. The total before tax was $2.76, as opposed to the $10.82 (also before tax) I paid at Lowe's. Call me cheap, but I was a little distraught over this BIG discrepancy.

From Tractor Supply, we went to the post office, then grabbed a little something at McDonald's for breakfast. I got the Cinnabites...YOUSAS!!! Are those SWEET? That *should* have awakened me, but nope...I was still so tired.

We went straightway to Mark's other appointment. This was at the dentist, about 30 miles from the DR appointment. Mark parked in the underground parking lot. Although I am quite claustrophobic, I welcomed the quiet and darkness, because it just so happens I can stretch out across the seat. Which I did....I closed my eyes, and within minutess, I was asleep. Suddenly, I was rudely awakened by the sound of a LOUD vehicle which sounded as though it was in the cargo area of the truck! I sat up, and there, perhaps all of a FOOT away from my window, sat a man with a somewhat startled look on his face. Mark parks in the handicapped spaces, as he is.....well, quite handicapped. I was so put out that this man had to park so close, but I turned my back to him! He went away, and upon returning, he just stood behind the truck, as though looking for/at something. That was so strange....Mark finally came out after about an hour.

Off we headed to Henrietta for some shopping. We made several stops and as we were about ready to start for home, I asked Mark if we might check out some cameras at Circuit City. I have been "lobbying" for a new camera for a time now....I have wanted a DSLR. Mark kept quizzing me why and he said I couldn't come up with any really GOOD reasons. hehehe Well, he was checking out all of the econo-buster cameras, and then he tried out a Nikon D-80. Oh my! If only I could have captured HIS excitement.

On the way home, Mark talked about the camera....he finally said that there are no words that can really convey the difference between point and shoot and DSLR's. He was very impressed, to say the least. So, we shall see....

We finally arrived home at 6:30. I was so tired, but had a few things to do. I sat down to watch a hockey game with Mark and immediately fell into a deep slumber. Mark woke me up, telling me perhaps I might want to go to bed! I love running around a little but this was one very long day!

Oh, and yes....ONE of our stops was at Lowe's, where I took back the pricey bolts and washers!

"Play the Guess the Price Game"....

I got an email this morning with that header on it. I didn't bother reading the email, as I had already played that game yesterday at our local Lowe's.........

If you haven't guessed, this is a *slight* rant.

Mark has been making bases for some of his tools in his woodshop. In the process, he needs some lag bolts, screws, nuts, and washers. After Michelle and I went to WalMart's for groceries yesterday, I called Mark on my cell phone to get his list of needed hardware.

As we spoke on the phone, I was able to grab each item. Here is the list I got.....

12 - 1/4"x6" lag bolts
16- 1/4"x 1 1/4" lag bolts
28- 1/4" washers for the bolts listed above

I was diligent to copy the item numbers for each of the pieces, even though Mark told me no one ever does this. He said the clerks can look up the numbers in a book they keep at the registers. I also wrote the price of the pieces off to the side so that I could make sure we were in the same ballpark.

When I went up to pay, the 6" lags were 52 cents each, as opposed to the 47 cents I wrote down.
The 1 1/4" lags were 14 cents each, instead of 13 cents, and the washers were 8 cents instead of 7 cents. Even though I was a little put off by this, Mark told me not to worry, as he needed these things and he would deal with it later. I realize that in all actuality I paid *only* $1.04 more.

Now, here is the "kicker"...

Mark recalled (after I had returned home from Lowe's) that Tractor Supply had some good prices on hardware. So, this morning, he called TS to ask about prices. Get this, lag bolts are priced at $2.69 per pound, and screws, nuts and washers are priced at $1.69 per pound. Mark sent Ben to the basement to weigh the Lowe's bag....it weighed in at a "hefty" one pound, two ounces.

If we multiply 1#, 2 oz. by the higher price of $2.69, we get 1.125 x 2.69= $3.03. Now this is the higher of the two prices, and the washers are priced at $1.59 a pound. I paid 12 x .52, 16 x .14, and 28 x .08, for a total of $6.24 + 2.24 + 2.24 = $10.72, plus tax. I paid a GRAND total of $11.48.

Tractor Supply.........remember, I am doing this at the highest price, which is wrong. $3.25
Lowe's........................................This is the ACTUAL price I paid!!!!................................. $11.48

I could buy a combo lunch at Wendy's with the difference!

Oh, and if you are doing any renovations in your home, the price of drywall screws at Tractor Supply ALSO blows away the price at Lowe's. Our Tractor Supply always has some older gentlemen around to help out, too, whereas Lowe's is famous for hiring clueless youngsters. I realize that kids need jobs, but it is sometimes so frustrating to have to call the manufacturers themselves to get answers, as our local home improvement center cannot provide the info! (Especially on the WEEKEND!)

Winter Can Make People Weird!

Well, it can make husbands weird! I have proof!

Mark has always been a very conservative, forward-thinking human. I mean, he isn't real excitable like I am....

So, here is the proof that winter has, perhaps, made him a little "funny".

• If you know me, you know that I have two Scottie boys, Angus and Murphy
  
• Angus is an exceedingly food-driven Scottie


• Are you ready for this?

This is a picture of a basic Canidae "break apart" biscuit. It is made with human-grade food. It is very enticing to a food-driven Scottie dog ....

This is a very long box that arrived via UPS to our home a couple of days ago. It measures about 7" wide, 5" tall, and 50" long. A snowbrush for the truck arrived in said box.

Mark looked at the box, and, being the "forward-thinking" person I mentioned before, he decided to recycle the box. Hmmmm.....what would fit into this box? AHA!

Mark breaks off a piece of the delicious, delectable biscuit, and lobs it into the box...to the very end.....

Angus contemplates.....piercing holes into the box while deciding....to go, or, not to go? Poor little fellow....this decision-making is quite stressful to a little boy who stands only 10" tall.....

Angus glances down the length of the box....'Tis a long way to Tipperary......

After carefully and thoroughly considering his options, Braveheart Angus squats low, and begins the rigorous trip all the way to the end of the box....where he crunches away on the biscuit, then, slowly backs up....notice the tail.....

And, Mark, in all his glory, smiles and asks why would anyone need special agility equipment?

Me? Well, I am more stable in this weather....I just take pictures and enjoy myself.....

Little squirrely feet I found this morning in the snow....OK, so perhaps I am getting just a "tad" stir crazy..........

A Quiet Friday

Last night, the temps had gotten warm enough for me to scrape all of the ice off the back deck.

This made me so happy, as it is really hard to trounce outside on a slippery deck to grab firewood from the woodshed. I have fallen a couple of times when bounding out the door without thinking (or checking!) that the deck might be icy.

After cleaning the deck off, I loaded the little wood rack next to the stove and filled the wood bag with some more wood....thinking I wouldn't need any more firewood until late today.

I stayed up late last night, as Mark had recorded the Sabres game and he wanted to show me a terrible brawl that erupted early in the game. Chris Drury, of the Sabres, had let go of the puck, and an Ottawa Senator came up from behind, and smashed into his head....Chris looked as though he was a victim of whiplash....his helmet flew off his head and onto the ice, and he went head down next to it. Immediately, blood began to flow. The Senator that did this (my personal opinion? He ought to be taken out back and SHOT!) was attacked by a Sabres player, then ALL the players on the ice were brawling. It was horrible....and the bottom line is that Chris is suffering all the symptoms of a concussion, meaning he cannot play for a time. (he is a leading goal scorer) The coach for the Senators said the hit was a legal one, and he was terribly upset with the Buffalo coach for sending out the Sabres "roughnecks" to get even. Hello? Does this guy have *no* concept of team LOYALTY? Ugh....Anyway, after seeing this, I could not sleep...I was just too stirred up! The last time I gazed at my clock, it said 11:39.

Murphy insisted that it was time to get up at 5:30am! I felt like crying, but just kept my eyes closed, thinking he would perhaps go back to sleep. No such luck!

When I turned on the light outside the back door, guess what I saw? Yup, snow. And, LOTS of it! There were also pretty icicle decorations, too!

Well, after my six hours of sleep, I was just too tired to deal with the snow, so I shoveled just a little path so the boys and I could go outside without getting all wet in the snow!


As I was looking at weather sites online today, I came across a question someone wrote in that I had also wondered about....HOW can ice and icicles melt when the temperatures have been so bitterly cold? Well, there is this "thing" known as sublimation! Sublimation means that ice can change from a solid to a gas without going through a liquid phase. This happens when the air is extremely dry. Now, you know! Isn't that grand?

I took this picture this afternoon....all of the tracks in the snow are from deer. At this point, the snow is well above my knees, and I am not necessarily prone to shoveling little paths in the woods to stroll on a winter's day! But, wouldn't a snowmobile be fun? Perhaps next year, *IF* we get *real* snow again!

As the sun began to head over the western mountain, I just couldn't resist the pattern in the snow....the trees casting their shadows was so pretty.

I did spend a couple of hours outside today, shoveling snow and cleaning off the truck and Explorer....grrr.....yes, the Explorer was left outside. Somehow, I was clueless to the latest bout of snow! It wasn't too bad, although it looked like we got about 5 inches. Mark said there wasn't that much, as when he plowed, the driveway had more like maybe 3 inches on it. It doesn't matter, as my poor little shovel and I worked our way through about 8 or 10 inches where the snow all drifted in the yard and around the buildings. Ah well, that is how I am working out this winter!

Most of today was spent inside the house looking out. The weather station at the ski mountain is saying that our current wind speed is about 8 MPH. I would like to beg to differ, as it is bitter, BITTER out there! The wind keeps whistling around the house, and it sounds like more than 8 MPH! The current temperature is all of 8 degrees, so with that wind, it is unbearable!

I have decided that I really need to work on some kind of a bird feeder so I can resume feeding the birds. Last winter, I used a window mounted feeder on the second story bedroom window, but in the spring, it took some serious scrubbing to wash all the pooh off the siding. I don't want to do that again, but need to think of something that will discourage squirrels. (and bears!)

No More Spring Fever!

Not here, anyway! The Polar Express has decided to return and the wind is merciless out there!

Carly and I had made plans to take the kids snowtubing today. It was funny, because as we spoke last week about sledding, we both thought of this place! It is called Polarwave Snowtubing.

We arrived around 11:45, and the kids tubed for two hours. Carly and I stood around watching the kids before we wondered *why* we were standing there in the freezing temps with the wind beating the tar out of us! We decided to retreat to the lodge to warm up! The kids were well-behaved and there was no reason for us to freeze!

I brought my camera, but the darn thing decided to act up. Apparently, the poor camera suffered from the stiff winds as much as we did! I was so disappointed I didn't get any good pictures, but suffice it to say the kids had a ball!

After our excursion, we stopped at a Pizza Hut and enjoyed the warmth as much as the food! Mark and I had planned to do some shopping afterwards, but I was so chilled-to-the-bone, I didn't think I would ever warm up again. There was also the problem of wet "fannies"! The kids found that in sitting in the tubes, the snow would melt, making their derrieres quite wet! Oh, I did manage to get a good picture of one of the tubes....



After watching for a little while, I wished I would have had Carly buy me a ticket...it sure looked like fun, and all the people tubing never seemed to notice the cold!

That Funny Thing Called Food....

I got to thinking about food today, and how funny it is that when we are tired and don't feel so great, we are more apt to eat junk. When the world is looking grand and we are on top of our game, we adore cooking!

When I went to the (non-event) Christmas Craft Show at the community for seniors in November, I ran into a couple I have known for many years. As I spoke to the husband, he made a comment that they disliked the place because they were served only one meal, and it happened to be dinner. Sheldon commented that Annie has always made their large meal midday. She is from France, and that is how it was done there!

I have never quite understood *why* we eat a large meal only a few short hours before retreating to bed. And, to make matters even *worse*, how often do we get up and work off that large dinner meal?

With another warm day today, I decided to make a big lunch...Mark and I used to order the greatest chicken years ago at a restaurant. Mark is very fond of Buffalo style chicken wings, but realizes they are laden with fat! At the restaurant, we ate chicken breast that was coated in Buffalo wing sauce. It was served with bleu cheese dressing on the side.

Since this is one of Mark's favorites, I decided to grill the chicken outside. I also had a huge bag of Normandy style veggies...broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, and yellow squash, that I had purchased at Sam's Club. I made up a batch of Butter Rolls to go along with the meal and also scalloped potatoes. While the chicken cooked on the grill, I steamed the veggies on the side burner of the grill.


All of the sides took much longer to prepare than the chicken! I buy my chicken from Sam's as well...it is Tyson and says that no hormones are used. The breasts are all
thin and cook very quickly. When they are nearly done, I drizzle the sauce (Buffalo hot wing for Mark and me, and barbeque for the kids) onto a heated skillet, and allow it to bubble up. As it bubbles, the sauce will thicken. Then, I swirl and coat the chicken thoroughly. Yum!



This is Mark's and my meals.....



And barbeque sauce for the kids! This meal was so well-received, I am going to be hard-pressed to "produce" tomorrow!

Yet Another FUN Day!

Or, NOT!

After posting about taking the refrigerator apart the other day, what could possibly top that? How about emptying and cleaning the hot tub? hehehe

It really wasn't THAT bad, but I should have read ALL of the instructions before cleaning the tub surface! I have never had the need to clean the tub before as I have always maintained a "perfect" balance. The last time I filled the tub, however, the testing chemicals I used were faulty, so I ended up with some residue on the surface. It didn't really seem like "scale" as it readily cleaned off! However, when I looked at the "active ingredients", I guess I should have donned rubber gloves for the phosphoric acid. I did thoroughly rinse the tub and my hands afterward!

After the vigorous cleanup and refill, I gathered a water sample and ran off to the pool and spa store to have an analysis done. No more guesswork here after that last fiasco!

Along the way, I had to stop and watch the skiers for a minute....ah, beautiful springlike conditions, as the temperature topped out at 42 today!



Of course, even though we enjoyed the warmth today, the reality of the fact that it really is still winter can be seen atop the wagon sitting out on the side of the house!



After my visit to the pool and spa store where I received a computer printout suggesting all of the (expensive) chemicals I need to add, I decided to go to the head of the lake to see what it looks like now.



Yes, it is quite frozen, and the poor ducks and geese have found a tiny little area of water that is moving quickly enough that it doesn't freeze over! This is the same spot that I photographed the noisy geese on a couple of weeks ago. That was before the cold snap, and the water was all open!



I am so happy to have my little hot tub all balanced now! The temperature is rising from the 49 when I filled it, and tomorrow morning, I will add the recommended chemicals.

As I made my way to the house, I came upon this paw print....it belongs to my little Angus!



And, speaking of Angus...he is my little adventurer...NEVER will he miss a ride in the car! When he saw me getting ready to go out this afternoon, he anxiously jumped around my feet until I finally caved in and snapped his leash onto his harness!

After taking the geese pictures, I decided to just sit by the lake and relax a few mintues. Well, Angus suddenly became aware that mice have been in the Explorer! He looked as though he was going to pull the front dashboard off, opposable thumbs, or NOT! He made the funniest noises as he worked his way across every inch of the dashboard, sniffing out the rodent aroma! I enjoyed his antics to the point that I forgot WHY we were sitting next to the lake!

Spring Fever?

Yesterday was a busy day, getting the driveway all plowed and cleaning off the sidewalks and porches. The back deck has had a "coating" of snow about 2 inches deep. It drives me nuts walking over it, but try as I might, it just refused to budge!

Well, this morning, when I took the boys outside, I was shocked! Who turned the HEAT on? It almost felt as though there was a warmth coming from "somewhere" unknown! The boys romped about, Angus rolling all over on the snow on the driveway. Both boys looked like "spring fever" had struck...

I went back in and looked at the thermometer...it was about 32 degrees at 6am! I immediately grabbed a shovel and began unearthing the back deck. Hurrah! Much of the snow is now removed, and the remaning ice will be removed later, as I can see the edges melting.

Back to yesterday...we went out to have my front driver side tire repaired. It has had a very slow leak in it for the past several days. Mark suspected ice had done something to the bead on the tire. Well, after inspection, the guys at the garage found nothing wrong with it, and repaired the mount. Apparently, Mark was correct in his assessment.

After the tire repair, we went to Applebee's to have our Valentine's dinner out! We enjoyed a tasty dinner...and I enjoyed no dishes to wash!...

We took the Explorer to a "laser" carwarsh. The poor thing had so much gunk built up on the running boards! We paid a hefty $9.00 for the wash. Upon leaving, I felt so disappointed. The back of the Explorer was still filthy, and the running boards were still filled with salty sandy "gunk". I decided to use some tokens I had and I manually removed the filth from the back and running boards. We decided not to pull the Explorer into the garage last night, as it wasn't supposed to snow. This morning, when I saw it sitting in the driveway, I thought it looked like it belonged to someone else! It looks so nice! All that salt and dirt made it look so sad!

Although I would just as soon spend the entire day outside playing, I have lots of things I need to do in the house today.

For those who have grown winter-weary, I hope this little break in the cold will certainly lift spirits, and give cause for hope for the fast-approaching spring. This year is going by so quickly....I remember "just" hanging the new calendar for 2007, and March will soon be here!

Help! My Fridge Has No Doors!

OK, so they are actually back on again *now*!

We have an old Amana refrigerator that is about 15 years old now. It is Almond color, and I must say it has sufficed in keeping our "keep refrigerated" items for all of these years. In fact, were that poor old refrigerator able to speak, I do believe it would tell such tales of woe....

In this world, there are "compliant" and "strong-willed" children. Compliant children are those who are told what to do and eagerly attend to matters at hand so as to greatly please their parents. Strong-willed are the children I was dealt...

When Michelle and Ben were born, they BOTH learned at an early age that when Mama said "NO!", she more than likely hid whatever was forbidden atop the fridge...I do think you can see where this is going? Yes, rather than getting a chair and climbing to see if the forbidden contreband was nestled on top of the fridge, they merely opened the doors and climbed!!!

Over the past several years, the pile of broken plastic parts built up and grew...a broken shelf for the door, another shelf, the piece that held up the shelf for the crisper drawers, the *handle*....ugh! I do believe Mark tried many different compounds, trying (in vain) to mend the offending cracks and breaks.

I have NO idea *how* it happened, but over the past few months, the gasket for the refrigerator door began to "sag". I kept trying to shove it back up onto the door, but to no avail. I really didn't want to trouble Mark with this, but it became so obvious....the big rubber gasket hanging down on the bottom, like a jumprope!

Mark and I have been trying to come up with a plan to remodel the kitchen (yay!!!) but today, he told me that we REALLY need to fix the fridge! So, Michelle climbed up on a chair to release the freezer door. (yup...she is too big to climb up the shelves anymore!!!)She began ratcheting the bolts and within minutes, the freezer door was off! Then came the refrigerator door. Mark worked on the table, unscrewing the screws that held the gasket on.

I THOUGHT I was a fairly CLEAN person until I saw the CRUD growing inside the gasket! BLECH!!! I was delegated to the sink to scrub the gasket clean. I did the frezer one first. After finishing the gasket, I cleaned the inner door panel, which Mark also removed. I cannot believe the price of refrigerators....they really are NOT all that complicated! Lots of foam insulation with a metal shroud!

After getting the freezer door done, I had to do the refrigerator door. That one was a disaster! I couldn't get over how dirty the bottom of the door was! After all those years of splashing stuff on it, it was a total mess. Goo,glue,icky poo...I scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed. And, after a while, it began to look CLEAN!

We worked like banshees for about two hours. My poor fingers got so tired from scrubbing gaskets with a toothbrush to eliminate all the "ickies" trapped inside. I teased Mark that now since the fridge is so CLEAN, we don't *need* a new one!HAHAHA!

Oh, I Am So Tired!

Yesterday was Ben's birthday, and he wanted to have a party. Michelle has had a few parties, but Ben never had one before. So, we agreed he could have one today.

The kids worked on this party for the past few weeks, buying goodies and preparing for the day. I let them do the planning and such, as parties are just not my cup of tea....I have never been too excited about parties, although I guess I have enjoyed going to many!

Ben decided on a small party with just a few kids. We were fortunate to get the snow we did, as the kids enjoyed sledding and just playing in the snow! Michelle brought down her laptop and hooked up her speakers...YIKES! Such music and so LOUD! I nust be getting old, because all the noise and excitement has caused me to feel so exhausted tonight. And, my poor legs hurt from standing!



The good news is that the kids had fun, and me? I will sleep like a LOG tonight!!!!

What Can Be Worse?

Than having a MESSY house when a visitor comes to the door? Well, how about a driveway that is not very accessible?

Such was how we found ourselves this morning! Mark had gotten a call from Gary Muxworthy, who works for the Buffalo Sabres. He called a little more than a week ago, and Mark apparently misunderstood that Gary was coming today...Mark thought he was coming last Friday. Last Friday, the house was so tidy, everything *glowed*! We figured he had gotten busy and forgot. Well, today, I looked out the front window and saw a man walking in the driveway. Where we live, that is a rather unusual event, so I scurried upstairs to remove my nightgown!

Gary came by with a Sabres hockey stick signed by Jason Pomanville. He also brought a copy of their annual "yearbook" and a calendar! We were so excited!!!



Today is Ben's birthday, so he got a nice surprise! Unfortunately, Michelle woke up not feeling very well. She had coughed a bit during the night, and she felt like she had a cold this morning. I went upstairs to see her shortly after lunch, and, oh my!



How many girls get living, breathing stuffed toys on their beds when they don't feel well? Angus crawled up above her head and just slept and watched over Michelle!



After Mark had spent time plowing the driveway on Wednesday, he sat near the woodstove in the garage. After coming inside, he discovered he had a blister on one of his legs....one of the most horrific parts of being paraplegic is the inability to feel your legs. Mark must have been a little too close to the stove. We have been putting a gauze sponge over the blister after washing with antibacterial soap. The blister is looking much better today. We need to be very careful about this because Mark burned his leg when we first got the Explorer. He had the heat on as high as it would go....his leg was too close to the heater vent and he burned his leg. He wound up in the hospital for 3 or 4 days after the blister popped and became infected. We are being diligent to not allow this blister to break open.

Today, Mark decided to try to finish plowing the driveway, as he got too chilled on Wednesday. The temperature actually climbed up to 20 today, and the sunshine melted snow off the truck and sidewalk! The winds were somewhat annoying today, but the sun made such a difference!





That ATV has paid for itself many times over in plowing the driveway. It does a super job, and it makes plowing fun! And, when Mark was finished, we had some respectable piles along the driveway!





It looks like the little rolling house on wheels won't be moving any time soon!!



These last two pictures I could not resist adding...just LOOK at that sky! It was so amazing, so absolutely perfectly *blue"...which happens to be my **very** favorite color!

Brrrr....

This morning, when I got up to take the little Scottie boys outside, it was a whopping -6 degrees! Wow, that was enough to awaken me quickly! Not only was it cold, but the wind got to kicking up something fierce.

We are fortunate the woodstove we use to heat has no problem keeping us toasty warm in the coldest of weather. It is just such a shock to the system to step from a warm and cozy room into the cold! It is kind of like jumping into a cold pool of water! Brrrrr......

I wasn't going to post any snow pictures, as it really is hard to see in a picture what you see in person. Everything is relative, and it is nearly impossible to convey the feeling of being totally overwhelmed by a frosty coating of snow...it always looks so "pretty"! Living in the country as we do, we needn't travel far to see huge expanses of white "palettes"....totally "virgin snow", that are just breathtaking! With no marks nor prints in the snow, it reminds me of a huge artist's palette, awaiting the brush strokes!



Even though the truck doesn't look "buried", it took almost an hour to clear it off and shovel the snow away from it so Mark could plow it off down the driveway!



My little stream that runs across the front yard has now been hidden under a blanket of white.



The camper looks so pitiful sitting there buried in the snow! But it will soon be on the road again, happily hosting our family!



Ben's fort of snow has now "disappeared" in the midst of all the piles of snow!



In looking up into the woods behind the house, one would never appreciate the frigid temps and bone-chilling winds this morning. Everything looks so peaceful out there!

This afternoon, I had to run to WalMart for Mark. Our local store is 16 miles away. Shortly after Ben and I started out, we turned onto one of the major roads, thinking it might be in good condition. The road looked in good shape, however, as we headed up the hill, a man was coming down in a small Subaru. Apparently, he was going too fast, and as he came towards us, his rearend fishtailed out into our lane. Ben became suddenly very quiet....thankfully, the man was able to straighten himself out, missing us. His antics certainly put me into *alert mode*!

We made our way to the store, did our shopping and arrived safely home before the sun set. I was so glad to be home again. Even though I had no problems getting around in the poor conditions, I took it very slow, as I just didn't trust the roads! In weather this cold, not many compounds do any good on "greasy" roads. We went out in the new pickup truck, and it proved to me that it is an amazing winter vehicle.

Keep safe, keep warm!

The Weatherman Said...

The Valentine's Day storm is "now winding down"...He also said that it has left many folks without power. Now, with the temps as low as they are, THAT is scarey.

I worked outside for several hours today, and I am thoroughly exhausted! To add insult to injury, we were going to go out for dinner, but the poor road conditions warranted a home-cooked meal. I was fortunate that I pulled a turkey breast out of the freezer a couple of days ago, so dinner wasn't too hard! I did make Garlic Mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts to go with the turkey, and that was it! Simple, but everyone ate heartily!

Michelle worked alongside Mark and I most of today. She is such a good helper! We unburied the "old" truck and Explorer and put them inside the garage. I had to back the Explorer up over the unshoveled sidewalk, and it felt as though someone was lifting it off the ground! Mark said he watched to make sure it wasn't going to hit the top of the garage door...it actually DID rise up in the air!

I made a nice fire in the stove in the garage so we could warm up from time to time...

And so, from our hearth to yours, hope you had a Happy Valentine's Day! Stay safe and warm!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Many thanks to my fellow Soapnut, Susan, for sharing a wonderful recipe for cutout cookies tonight! I just completed a batch, and Mark and the kids gave the cookies a resounding THUMBS UP! Mark said the cookies were at least as good as a bakery cookie, if not better!



The recipe can be found here:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Popes-Valentine-Cookies/Detail.aspx

Once the cookies were baked and cooled, I HAD to put a smidgeon of frosting and sprinkles on them! I put a wee bit of Almond Flavoring in the frosting, as I am an Almond addict!!!

Not sure if I will be able to post an entry tomorrow, as the weatherman is saying we will be doing some shoveling tomorrow....how *romantic*!!!!

Thinking About Mrs Bossmann

Ever have one of those thoughts "pop" into your mind, and you have NO idea where it came from? Well, today, I was thinking about Mrs. Bossmann. She was a very wonderful woman I met many years ago. She was very elegant, and yet, so down to earth! The thing I was thinking about mostly today was that I think she was in her 50's when I met her. At that point in time, she rode a snowmobile with her husband, and her 90some year old father lived with her and her husband!

Mrs. Bossmann's husband was named Val. Not many people probably ever questioned what Val stood for, but I knew! Mrs. Bossmann told me that Val's birthday was February 14, so he was named for the DAY! One can only imagine the humiliation he put up with each year as he was teased....

We were supposed to run out this morning, but one thing after another called for Mark's attention, and before we knew it, it was afternoon! Mark decided it was too late to run out, and I had nothing planned for dinner, so we called the "local" convenience-type store. They make excellent subs, and Mark and the kids were thinking some wings would be good.

As I walked into the store, there was a flurry of activity! Outside, cars lined up to fill gas tanks, and inside, the store was buzzing about the impending storm. The scene was filled with an air of excitement and anticipation. I waited in line while those ahead of me chatted about the weather. As my turn came up, I leaned towards the clerk and muttered about "remember when WE were kids and the snow would fall in FEET instead of INCHES?" She smiled, saying that she and some others were talking about that very subject earlier in the day.

Well, Mrs. Bossmann was a really accurate prognosticator. Every year, she would predict a bad storm around Valentine's Day!

The Calm Before the Storm

Today, every time I took the boys outside, I had to swallow hard to unplug my ears....must be there was a change in the atmospheric pressure! (or, my head was really plugged up!!!)

As we walked around outside tonight, I took a picture of my (now nearly hidden) stream in the front yard. It is barely audible anymore, as the snow surrounding it acts as a "muffler".

I have been reading blogs and on lists about how many people are getting down by the lingering winter weather. I wish there was a way I could help alleviate the anxiety, as I feel almost guilty that I take delight in this weather, but, alas, all that can be done is to wait it out.

I find winter to be such a "cozy" time, enjoying the shortened days and long nights. I enjoy catching a whiff of woodsmoke, and trying to identify the wood that is currently heating the home. I love my snuggly flannel sheets and putting on a warm wool sweater. I love the shadows cast on the ceiling of my lace curtains and the Christmas Cactus in my room from the nightlight I bought at Tractor Supply. I love watching the dogs play in the snow and I really don't even mind shoveling the snow. The feeling of working hard and getting thoroughly cold only to enter into a warm and welcome home makes the entrance even grander.

My mind wanders off in the winter...I dream of a cozy little cabin off in the woods,complete with no phones nor TV's...where games are played and time is slowed down to a snail's pace. I also dream of owning a snowmobile and gliding over fields of snow and breathing in the cold night air while defying the cold! The thought of sledding and making snow angels still excites me....as well as a heavy snowfall.

I adore the bright crystal blue skies, as well as the skies that seem to have disappeared under a veil of snow. I love red cheeks and massaging lotion over dry heels and feet.

We are expecting some heavy snow tomorrow, as our "winter weather watch" has been upgraded to a "winter storm warning". Perhaps I will get some good pictures! Keep warm, one and all!

A Busy Shopping Day!

I made that tam style hat several years ago when I was on a knitting rampage. I made a Scandinavian sweater that matches it, and that is what I wore when we went out shopping today. Tonight, I came upstairs to find one tired little Scottie boy with the chapeau atop his head, sleeping rather soundly. How could I resist a picture?

Mark wanted to take a run to the Woodcrafts Store today, as he is putting his workshop together, and they have a sale on dust collecting components. It is always fun to look around the store, but also dangerous, as it is filled to-the-brim with all sorts of woodworking ideas! (and heaven knows, I do NOT need more ideas!!!)

After the trip to Woodcrafts, we took the new truck to Delta Sonic for a Super Kiss wash. It really needed it, as the truck looked white instead of its golden color! After the wash, it looked SO much better! And darker!

Michelle has been needing a new winter coat, so we decided to look at Burlington Coat Factory. We delved through what seemed like hundreds of coats. I was rather disappointed by the high price tags and low quality of what was hanging on the racks. Michelle found one coat that she loved. It was a Jennifer Lopez brand name. (J-Lo) When I looked at the price of $89.99, I told her I really thought it was a nice coat, but I didn't want to spend that much, as she might very well outgrow it within a year. The look of disappointment was so tough, but I just couldn't spend that much.

We stopped by Land's End to see if we might find a coat there. They only had a few odds and ends of coats. Michelle had her heart set on a black coat, waist length, and preferably with faux fur around a hood.

Michelle had mentioned that she wanted to look at Bon Ton and since it was right across the parking lot from Land's End, I was game. As we headed into the Junior Department, it was obvious there were no winter coats there. Michelle wanted to leave, the look of disappointment becoming even more evident on her face. I had advised her as we headed into the store that perhaps it was too late to look for a coat, as they are placed on sale immediately following Christmas.

Something drew me to the ladies section of the store, Michelle following behind, saying to just forget it. As we walked through the racks of (quite conservative) coats, it looked like another lost cause. However, I noticed a small woman trying on a black coat with a fur hood as we passed through. Michelle found a cute LEI coat....it was dark brown with a fur trimmed hood, but it just wasn't right. I watched the woman hang the black coat back on the hanger. I walked over as Michelle took off the brown coat....I grabbed the black coat and asked her to try it on. She did and was THRILLED with it. I had caught a glimpse of the name brand as I picked it off the hanger....J-Lo! We looked at the price tag and it read $200. Ouch! I know that Bon Ton has a policy to move as much merchandise through the store as possible, as I worked in a Bon Ton several years ago.

We took the coat to the register, and when the clerk told us it was $49.99, I wanted to KISS her! Michelle GOT a J-Lo coat for $40.00 LESS than the one at Burlington! She was so happy, she wore the coat around the house tonight!

And, the coolest part? It was the ONLY J-Lo coat in the store!!!

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.............

This morning when I awakened, I noticed something very different...

For the first time in days, the wind was not *howling*! I rolled over on the bed and looked out the window....sure enough, the trees are actually standing STILL! It seems so funny to be so impacted by silence, but the noise level here has been rather loud of late!

Yesterday was a busy day. I had to make up a batch of soap for a wholesale order. The girl wanted an orange soap, so I used sweet orange essential oil and added some non-discoloring vanilla just to keep the orange scent from fading. This order was also for some doublemint soap, which I made three days ago. For one reason or another, that particular soap needed to linger in the mold a bit longer. These soaps are for someone who sells olive oil and are made as castile soaps, with extra virgin olive oil and a touch of shea butter. She loves the bars, and has decided orange and doublemint would be good "spring" soaps.



After making the soap, Michelle and I cleaned the house, while doing laundry in between. Oh, also, I was keeping two fires going....one in the house and one in the garage so Mark could work out there. As it was, Mark decided he needed to make a run for parts when a pin on the plow on the ATV broke. He figured while he was out, he would get some stuff for the woodworking table. So, he and Ben went out. I still kept the fire in the garage going.

The guys didn't make it home until 8:00! And, they had bought us lunch at a Chinese restaurant at about 3....it was STILL warm! So, we ate, and shortly after, I think I FELL into bed!

Oh, I forgot...yesterday, when I tried to start the old truck again, it was dead, so I put the charger on it. This morning, it was fully charged, and Mark took it for a spin.

This morning, I cut the orange soap and placed it on the drying racks. After cleaning the mold, I made up a batch of Tea Tree soap with calendula petals. Several years ago, I was commissioned by a fellow over in Switzerland to make this soap for him. I sent 200 bars of soap across the ocean by SHIP! Anyway, when Michelle's friend told her his mom wanted a few bars of Tea Tree soap,this was what I thought of and made. Tea Tree is NOT among my favorite scents, but with the petals in there, it becomes a pretty yellow.



This is the Tea Tree soap sitting in the plexiglass mold.

As I was looking through the pictures on my camera, I came across a rather odd one....



Can you *believe* this? Angus actually conned poor little Murphy into sitting on the pizza pan....see the box of chicken tenderloins sitting next to Murphy? I can almost HEAR Angus telling Murphy to just SIT there and he could eat the chicken....

WHAT am I going to DO with Angus......

Life in the Deep Freeze???

I really need to say that all the warm temps we experienced earlier this winter MUST have had some influence on our "systems". Although the temperatures surpassed any previously recorded this week, the wind nearly did this dyed-in-the-wool northerner in today!

This afternoon, Ben wanted to go up to the neighbors' to skate on their ice rink. I was thrilled, as I haven't skated in years...about 8. I dragged out my skates...WHEN did my kids get such BIG feet...*my* skates look like they belong draped over a rearview mirror, for pity's sake! I tried them on and they did indeed still fit. (I guess I figured if the kids' feet had grown so much, perhaps MINE had, as well!)

Drat...as Ben and I headed out the door, I checked the front tire on my Explorer...yup, it obviously has a slow leak. Even though I am not a procrastinator, I assured Mark I would fill the tire up again as soon as I returned from skating.

We hopped into the new truck and were on our way! We got to 4-wheel it to the skating rink and that was kind of fun! Our previous pickup was not a 4X4, and we never realized just how much we were missing until we bought the new one!

Ben rang the doorbell and waited as the neighbor boy dressed to skate. As they were at the house, I parked near the rink and donned my little hockey skates. I had fun just skating around by myself for about 20 minutes, until the boys came over to the rink. Equipped with pucks and sticks, I knew my ice time had come to a close, so I removed my skates and replaced them with my boots.

I sat out on a picnic table near the ice for some time, then realized that the strong westerly wind was beginning to get to me!





I watched as the faces of the boys turned rosier and rosier, wondering how long they would continue to skate. I was almost embarrassed as I crawled back into the truck and turned it on, blasting the heater all the way! I got out to bring Ben's hat to him, and my neighbor called out to me, telling me that I could go on home if I wanted. She or her husband would bring Ben home when they were done. I agreed this was a good idea as I have a hard time sitting still AND I was getting COLD!

I got home and told Mark I was back. I needed to fill the tire....he asked me to start the old truck just to make sure the battery was OK. Ugh...I filled the tire, fighting the bitter winds that seemed even more intense as the sun was making its way over the western mountain.

As soon as the tire was filled and the compressor put away, I went over to the truck. I opened the door...no light. NOT a good sign. I turned the key in the ignition, and nothing...nada!

I went back inside the house, relaying my findings to Mark. He thought perhaps I should charge the battery with the trickle charger. I must say that the time spent in the cold had a direct correlation to the drop in my body temp!!! I was getting so cold! I told Mark I would rather jump the truck with the Explorer, and he, being sensitive to the fact that my face was now bright cherry RED, told me that would be OK. I connected the cables and jumped the truck. Within about 30 seconds, the truck was running on its own power, and I folded the cables and put them away. I left the truck running for several minutes. By the time I was done, I was so freezing, I thought I would never warm back up again!

After about two hours in the house, I finally began to thaw out again, and now I am just thankful to feel so warm and cozy inside! In all honesty, as much as I love the winter and cold, I don't think I could withstand those bitter winds pounding on me for very long!

I am not the only wimp! I have noticed that both dogs have begun a new "dance step"....elevating one paw at a time and hopping on the other three! Even though Scotties are hail and hardy with those thick dual layer coats, nothing can protect little paws when the temps are so frigid.

However, Angus has the right idea.....If you can't beat 'em, JOIN 'em!


Do you suppose they make a wee hockey skate for a Scottie boy?

***Buns!***

OK, when you read the title, what were you thinking?

One of the great things about homeschooling is that school can take place at any time, and anywhere. So, on a day such as this, Michelle did a little lesson in home management, whipping up some delicious Macaroni and Cheese. (of course, this was *my* idea!)

This morning, I have no idea what got into me, but I found a little package of hamburger that needed to be used...so, the wheels went into overdrive, and I decided to look on the innernet for a hamburger/ hotdog bun recipe. This of course, led to another dilemma....did I have or NOT have some yeast? Hmmmm...I trudged to the basement and nearly fell into the chest freezer, diving deeply to find...YES! a bulk package of yeast I had purchased somewhere!

I took the package upstairs and tested it in some warm water with a bit of sugar thrown in. Yes, it did activate!

I fired up the Kitchen Aid mixer, and alas, the dough was ready. I set a few feet away from the woodstove, and it rose wonderfully well! Hurrah! Punched it down, let it rise once more, shaped the buns, covered them, then set them beneath the woodstove, as the fire had died back a good deal.

I baked the buns along with Michelle's terrific Mac and Cheese. The result was pretty cool! ALthough the buns were a bit "heavier" than the kind you buy at the grocery store, they were GOOD! Mark loves the "hard roll" buns, but these weren't that crusty and hard. I also put a slight dab of butter on the tops so they would stay soft.



As hamburger buns, and.....



As hotdog buns.

This was a very fun experiment, and the family all agrees they love these rolls!