winter thrills and chills

The days are flying by and blurring together.

We went tubing at a local winter recreation park. We spent most of the day there, but only a small part of that on the slopes. We took lots of photos, so be sure to check both blogs! The photos here were taken with my digital camera. I was too cold to play with the settings, so I did not use one of the programed settings. Twisted sister has an "action" setting on her camera, so I am looking forward to seeing those! I went down about 8 times - what a rush. I know I screamed like a little girl the entire way down on the first run! We tried going down as a group a few times and that was faster and longer when we did that.

It was really cold and snowing (hard to believe, eh?) and the snow would sting your face on the way down. We counted our fingers and toes when we were done and none were lost in this outside adventure.

I fully expected to be too sore to move the next day, but we were surprised that it wasn't that bad. Abdominal muscles and arms, for me, ribs for TS, arms for Jordan, and Ali was fine.



Got the word back on my appraisal - bad news, but not unusual for this economy, it appraised for LESS than I paid for it. The bank is going to do some number crunching and explore other options and get back to me next week.

12/30- We did some shopping and played lots of Mexican Train game with Lowell's homemade dominoes. Steve has not been well, so I grilled the burgers out in the snow and early dark. Everyone should do that at least once in their life. Frying blind. :)

12/31 - today's plan is to get hair cuts, go to the hunting camp for dinner and then the girls will stay with me to ring in the new year.

Not-So-Quick Update

On the 23rd, I picked up the Twisted Sister Gang at the airport and snuck them back to my place for the night. It was close quarters but we managed. Jordan fell asleep on the floor in the studio by 5:30pm!

About noon the next day Christmas Eve, I drove them all to my parents, with bows on, to surprise them. Mom didn't realize who was in the car with me, only that her hair needed fixing because I had brought friends over, so she ran to the bathroom. :) My dad didn't recognize Ali with all her snow gear on until she was right in front of him. It was a fun surprise and my parents LOVED Steve's surprise Christmas present!

Christmas Day - After the traditional flurry of opening presents and making omelets, we had a few minutes to relax before the 11am brunch crowd arrived.

We had a great turn out for breakfast. However, with all the secrecy I had been entrusted with, I completely forgot to make the cheesy potatoes and never heard the end of it. I do want to point out that there was plenty to eat and no one left hungry. Cari and I chased mom and dad out of the kitchen and finished serving the omelets, made toast, and kept the coffee and tea stocked. It was a rather subdued and early party compared to most years, and Traci tried not to take it personally. I went home around 5ish and when I called around 7 pm to report I had found another box of presents, everyone was in bed except dad!

26th - made the inevitable grocery store trip to Wal-mart. We were there and back in 2 hours, that has to be a record. It was steadily getting warmer throughout the day. When I went to bed the snow was cracking and sliding on my roof. I think I heard thunder in the early hours.

27th - I woke up to rain and temps in the 40's. There was dense fog outside and in my head. I took some cold meds and stayed home to rest and try to kick this head cold. There were more thumps and thuds coming from the roof and outside, but when I looked, there was still plenty of snow on the roof. The snow is rapidly disappearing in my yard though. I tried walking in the driveway, but it was really slushy and slippery - and pouring rain, so I didn't push it.

Tomorrow it is supposed to get cold again and last I heard, we were to expect blizzard conditions. Hmm, flood warnings one day and blizzard warnings the next day?...let me check...yep, we are in Michigan.

More snow? Imagine that!

Well, they said it was coming, but when I awoke this morning the sun was shining. I packed up ingredients and went to my parents to do some baking. It hit about 2pm (instead of midnight) and we thought I better get my tail on the road!

I took several pictures on the way home (yes, while driving, the genius of this did not escape me). When I got home, I couldn't tell where I took some of them! Here are some of the more obvious ones.

This one below may not be as easy. They are in order as if on the ride home. Can you guess where? It is on Sunset/Co Rd 100


Isn't tomorrow the first day of winter?

Snow Day!

I just received a phone call from the school and they canceled my class for today due to the weather. You should see it! A fine sheet of snow. The squirrel in my feeder is covered in it too. I had a moment of understanding what Sadie is going through. Inside every day...It is pretty, but it is only December!

I will try and get some photos later.
--------------
Later







Now I am off to see if any of my students have done their Final Exam yet....

No survivor!

No, I am not referring to me. I am just saying that Survivor, Season 17, is over. No more Thursday night TV to look forward to for awhile. Now everything is reruns. Maybe I can catch up on CSI though.

I finally decorated the tree! I discovered that 2 of the 3 strands of lights I bought are the icycles that hang on your gutters outside. So I added my one strand of lights, my cards, some small presents, and I found some decorations a friend made for me last year. It is pretty darn cheery! I even wrapped some more presents and put them under the tree. Dang, I don't even know myself.

Have I said lately that I love my boss? I had a kinda rough day on the phones. Right before I left, he gifted me and I almost cried when I got home and opened his card. Also, after next Wednesday, I don't go back to work until Jan 5th.

Now if the weather would only cooperate! Another winter storm rolling in around 3am this morning. The storm made the national news and my weather crush, Jim Cantorre, was reporting from Chicago about thunder snow, gloom and doom. I am preparing for school closings. I emailed all my students and told them the final exam would still be available online for them to take from home! *evil laughter*

Then another storm for Sunday - freezing rain by Monday. I think that will change to snow as the temperatures are now forecast to be very cold. Who knows? That may change too.

Enough already, anytime now, I am tired of the bitter cold, endless snow, and lack of exercise. I didn't want to get out of the shower this morning, it was the only time I can feel completely warm! :)

I got the call for the appraisal today. I will be meeting her here on Tuesday. They are the same company that did it before, so I told her to pull the file and look forward to a big cosmetic change!

I am fighting off a cold or sinus infection. I started Zicam yesterday, so it shouldn't last too long. I feel better today than I did yesterday. But you know the swollen, stuffy head feeling, I gotz it.

Where did the day go?

Monday was a nasty day. All the schools were closed. It was windy and bone chilling cold. Due to some uncertainty regarding a memo, I went into work at my usual time. Apparently, according to the memo, I didn't have to go in until 10am. I won't make that mistake again! My boss took pity on my and is letting me leave 3 hours early on Thursday.

Monday, I felt like I was caught up on my knitting enough to put up the tree that has sat under my dining room table for a month. Before that, it had been in the shed for 3 or 4 years. The smell was nasty. There were 3 nests in the packed branches, some un-mouse droppings, and a big hole in the middle of the assembly directions! The cats were oddly indifferent, and Sadie has been so bored, she made a big deal out of the whole event. The hardest part was cleaning and sorting the branches. The tree went up in minutes. I decided to leave it overnight. If it was still standing when I got home from work the next day, I might even decorate it! I cleaned up and sprayed it down with febreeze and all is goood.

I am getting the final exam ready for my students this Friday. My 20 week class is divided into 3 six week sections (if you are counting, that leaves 2 extra weeks I use to review or allow extra time in class to work on their assignments.

After the morning dragged, the rest of the day flew by. I stopped at home to let Sadie out and see that the tree was still standing. Then I ran to Walmart after work and when I walked out, it was dark. Where did the day go?

Sunday, gloomy Sunday

It has been misty and wet all day. I got out to the store and home before noon as I wasn't sure what was going to happen with the roads, and my driveway.

There was no change in the weather and it was warm all day. 34-40 degrees. It is supposed to stop raining and then the temp will drop and then roads will freeze, but that will not be until 5am-9am tomorrow.

I am all settled in to watch the finale of Survivor tonight. I really want Bob to win, but I never get what I want when it comes to the winner of Survivor. My second choice is Sugar. The football game is running late, so I guess I will have to record the reunion and $100,000 favorite survivor winner (Bob!?).

My fingers and elbows are still sore from yesterday, so I have had enough typing for today. Happy Monday all!

Later that day...

Shoveling off the roof wasn't so bad after all. I dressed appropriately, tucked my sweatpants into my SmartWool socks, wore deep tread hiking boots, called mom before and after to check in, and took my cell phone and water with me.

I was able to do alot of the work from the ground because my roof is so low. The snow was light on top, but packed at the bottom. I was able to work the shovel under the snow, pry it up to break off large sections at a time and just drag the shovel backwards until it fell on the ground. The hard part was once I climbed up and had to work it all downwards. I was able to do a lot of the work the same, except I had to push more of it off. I think I got the worst of it on the back carport side where it backed up 2 years ago. There is already a 4-5" layer of ice on the bottom edge of the roof, so I glad I got it when I did.

In retrospect: Don't wear sweatpants. They got wet, heavy and stretched. I felt like they were riding low in back and when I got back inside, I checked, I was right. My apologies to my neighbors, it wasn't a plumber on the roof, it was me. lol Also, I would take kleenex next time. Note to self: I over did it this time. I should of quit when I thought I should've, but I stayed and finished the section I started, pushing and pulling the edges off and then had to shovel Sadie's path and the driveway where I had pushed snow into it. My elbows are screaming at me right now. However, I am just glad I accomplished what I did before the rain started. It was plenty heavy already. If I am up to it, I will try some more tomorrow.

The highlight of it was that I never once worried about my weight and falling through the roof. Five years ago, I never would have attempted this chore. I reflected on how glad I am that I am not that heavy anymore. How I can do all sorts of things I could never of considered doing before. Really, daily, I am thankful I did that one thing for myself.

As I finished, it began to snow again. Naturally, I cursed, but they were the giant fluffy flakes that gently float downwards and are too beautiful to hate. lol yeah, right. I think homeowners have had enough snow removal for one winter already.

Get er done

Gas jumped in prices overnight Thursday. It is $1.74ish now. I hope it is not a trend.

It is supposed to rain tomorrow. If it rains on top of the snow, the snow acts like a sponge and will soak it up. Naturally, this will increase the already heavy weight of the snow on the roof. Even if the roof doesn't collapse, it could damage the structure and compromise its integrity.

So guess what I get to do today?

Thankfully, it is easy to get on and off my roof on the carport side. I plan on doing that side only as that is the side that I have had trouble with ice dams in the past.

I had planned on going to Grayling to grocery shop and then to Mom and Dads' to do some baking, but that may have to wait until tomorrow or next week. I have a feeling that the roof is going to kick my fibro butt. I will do what I can, when I can, but I may end up having to hire it out in order to get it done before tomorrow's rain, which I can hardly afford to do right now.

Good news, I am making a huge dent in my Christmas knitting. Mom gave me some really good ideas too. I am having fun again with my knitting and had trouble putting it down last night. :)

TV Night

You must admit, this is the best season of Survivor EVER. Twist, turn, blindside, and stab you in the back fest! I am thoroughly enjoying it.

I left work at noon today. I ran some errands and then I signed disclosure papers at the bank. The interest rates are dropping like a rock this week! They were 5.975 on Tuesday, today they are 5.5! I will be having the appraisal next week and a lot depends on the outcome. If the house doesn't appraise for the right amount, I may have to pay PMI for awhile.

The mortgage lady said some properties have fallen in value as much as 20-30%. Now that I think about it, I wonder how many people out there have a mortgage for more than their house is worth? Isn't that a scary thought? No wonder the economy is so bad.

Okay, I am being distracted by Survivor, Tribal Council is starting. Stay tuned for some news about me that I have been sitting on for about a month. I should know more next week! Send me positive vibes!

catch up - snow

I have been on the run since last Friday. I have been officially reprimanded for not updating my blog.

Friday/Sat/Sun - Sadie and I packed up for Kristi's and missed the snow storms that have been blanketing the entire state in double digit snow fall. Gas was $1.64 in St. Helen and it was only $27 to fill my tank! It snowed heavily in K-zoo on Saturday but travel days were clear. Sadie romped in the back yard with Utah and came home exhausted. I relaxed, knitted, ate, baked and had a great time and came home feeling great. Gas was only $1.54 so I topped off the tank before I left K-zoo.

Monday - Was my knitting group's (Knorthern Knitters) Christmas party. Lasagna and tons of yummy food. I had seconds. We had it at a member's new home and it was all decked out for the holidays. ALMOST put me in the spirit. However, as I write this, my brand new tree is still sealed in the original box under my kitchen table. The cat loves sitting on the box.

Tuesday - More snow, tons of snow. My office closed! This is rare! I slept in, watched videos, knitted, and shoveled snow. My neighbor brought his snow blower and removed the 12" of snow that had fallen overnight. I will say again, "I picked a hell of a year to go without a snow plow contract".

Wednesday - Long day. My boss and I participated in a all day training 7am-4pm. We had a break for lunch and went into town for lunch. By the end of the day, my mind was numb. I come home and have to dig through all my old records for tax info and more for the bank (I will get back to that soon), feed the critters, and myself. I sit down to check my email and I have an email from one of my former students. He is the son of the $100 dramaqueen woman I mentioned in a previous post. It seems she told her son I upset her and has been crying about it. Now he is upset and asking me what is going on! I feel sorry for him, she has done similar things in the past I had to talk him through it. I haven't talked to her in how many years and now she's upset? And for the past 2-3 weeks? And she dragged her son into it too? I am speechless and angry.
Now, back to my mention of the bank. I am going to attempt to refinance my home. The interest rates are continuing to drop and I will be able to pay off my debt. It all depends on the value of my home established by the appraiser. In today's market, this is a major concern. I meet with the bank tomorrow to get the ball rolling and have the appraisal. Considering my past luck with the debt reduction attempts, wish me luck!

For the weekend, I would like to get in the mood to put up the tree. Also, I need to get some baking done (umm, Mom?) but don't have the oven, and of course, I am knitting my fingers to the bone to finish Christmas presents!

And what's this I hear? A DUSTING of snow in Houston? And you like it? LOL You can have some of ours, really? Or maybe that dusting is a result of our generosity already! I can't wait for the Life Down South photos!

Thursday - TV night

I would love to tell you something new, but...it's still snowing and still cold. :)

TV night consists of Survivor, Grey's and ER.

I am hoping the weather will break tomorrow so I can get to Kalamazoo for the weekend. I think I need to get away. Then back in time for the knitting group Christmas party and my friend Anne to arrive to stay for a few days. Remember Anne? She was stranded at my place this summer and got to know the WHOLE family in a very short time. :)

Have a great weekend.

Quick Update

Thanksgiving was wonderful and I spent the next few days camped on the couch eating leftovers and knitting and watching movie marathons. Deadliest Catch and The Stand (8 hours!) By Sunday, I had enough and had to get out.

Today we were hammered again with another 8 inches on the ground this morning and it is still snowing. Guess I will be shoveling again. My hands are sore from knitting, so I will just tell all this with pictures.

Sunday's Walk ( I walked, Sadie ran)

What my yard looked like when I arrived home today about 3:30pm