The kids in Perry Schools got an announcement at the very end of the day, sparing the school teachers and administrators from the resulting euphoria. Thing is, they didn't think about the stalwart bus drivers who had to deal with the celebrating children after such an announcement.
So it was a frazzled ride for them as they wound their way around allotment streets and down main drags to get everyone home safe and sound.
The announcement was heralded because it was not only ONE day but TWO days of no school, due to the severe wind chills and additional snow falls.
This is one of those days when all a body ought to do is find a cozy chair, get out an afghan that is not too hot, not too cold, and make a big mug of hot chocolate. Then just gaze out the window at Alaska and be happy you don't have to go out in it!!
In fact, our temperatures have beaten Alaska this year which is pretty amazing. Although, they have certainly had their years of weather woes, so maybe they deserved a break.
The two shows about Alaska on TV these days don't convince me even one little iota to think about a move there, or even a visit. It is just too isolated and forboding for me. Spellchecker says forboding isn't spelled right; who cares? You know what I mean.
The roofers in the Boston area got more business at this time of year than they would have ever imagined. They are getting up on the roofs to remove snow before the whole things collapse. The Bostonians who escaped the winter for a warmer clime still have to worry about the homes they left behind. Snowplow companies have gotten plenty of business and city/state workers have gotten overtime.
So in this kind of a winter, there are the winners and there are the losers. The losers are the poor folks who fell in the snow and ice. One of those people is a woman who goes to Curves and fell and broke her wrist and needed pins. The emergency rooms have been inundated with fall victims with all sorts of breaks including hips which is a bad one!! Hard recovery, rehab, pain.
Yesterday, I took the garbage can up the hill for today's pickup. My husband was out doing some eye screening. I started up the incline and lost footing right away, so I had to scooch both me and the can over to a more central area of the drive where it wasn't as slippery. Then imitating Igor in Frankenstein, I dragged my back foot planted sideways and slid my front foot to get to the pavement underneath. I didn't look ahead at how far I had to go, and just kept going, thinking about how funny I must have looked. Made it!! That was a good feeling because I almost quit down at the bottom area. Apparently, my first attempt left suspicious marks in the snow because the first thing my husband said when he got in the door was, "Did you fall?" Believe me, if I had fallen there would have been something far more than suspicious. There would have been a LARGE scuffed up space left behind.
Well, that's about it. It is good to know that no matter what gets thrown at us, we will get through this and have a wonderful spring to enjoy.
Take it easy, friends.
Karen
Light of Christ
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Ash Wednesday
Got back from church -- the children from SPJ did the singing today and Peg and I played for them. It was very nice. Then we stayed and practiced some new hymns and Mass music.
So I'm home right now for a little bit. The car is on top of the hill, ready to go to pick up Lauren and then that's it for the day.
Watch out tomorrow. If you don't have to go anywhere, don't. The wind chills are going to be terrible and the temperatures will likely set new records. It will begin later tonight, I guess. So I am not going to my other son's house tomorrow to relieve him so he can head to work. He will probably cancel for the evening anyhow. His clients won't want to try and come for a workout in this weather either. It's never worth risking your life for that.
The ISIS situation is getting worse. Probably because they got quite a rise out of the burning of the pilot, they went ahead and burned some Kurds yesterday. And then the 21 beheadings from the day before. The toll is now around 62, I think they said.
A woman who speaks for the State Department said that we need to work on getting jobs in other countries. She said, "We can't kill our way out of this war." Interesting she even used the word "war" isn't it? Well, with that attitude, we sure won't be able to win much of anything. And it signals weakness to those who hate us and would do harm to us.
Sun Tzu (writer and general) once said, "Know thine enemy," in his book, The Art of War. There is much truth in that. It is impossible to fight something that is undefined and misunderstood. Suppose we were only speaking of ourselves and we said in simple language, "I need to improve myself." Well, if you don't know yourself well enough to define the faults that need improvement, I'm betting about $100 that you don't improve.
This is really the same thing. When we fought in Vietnam, we ran into problems not only because the military was hampered from fighting their own fight but also because we did not understand the culture of the Vietnamese well enough. For one thing, we felt that if we befriended them and gave them gifts as we entered their village, they would still be our friend tomorrow. Shockingly, during the night the Viet Cong would enter the same village and would stay there for the night. Why? Because the Vietnamese were too used to fighting, too used to having this one and that one show up and tell them what to do. They gave up trying to pick winners and simply existed in the topsy-turvy world they lived in.
The Islamic Jihadists are not completely understood and need to be named as the combatants. Then we need to understand every nuance of their mindset. This is when academia could have a strong impact, by imparting the knowledge that would help decision makers understand this growing enemy force.
Well, it is Ash Wednesday, first day of Lent. What are you giving up? The children at Mass this morning focused most often on technological gadgets -- my tablet, my iPad, my notebook, TV, video games. A couple picked sweets. Last year I quit playing Solitaire on the computer. I can do that again, I suppose, but it would seem to me that I could come up with something more profound.
I'll think about it the rest of today and have something going by tomorrow. Best of luck to all of you with the weather pattern!! Let's vow to hang in there and get through this together!!
So I'm home right now for a little bit. The car is on top of the hill, ready to go to pick up Lauren and then that's it for the day.
Watch out tomorrow. If you don't have to go anywhere, don't. The wind chills are going to be terrible and the temperatures will likely set new records. It will begin later tonight, I guess. So I am not going to my other son's house tomorrow to relieve him so he can head to work. He will probably cancel for the evening anyhow. His clients won't want to try and come for a workout in this weather either. It's never worth risking your life for that.
The ISIS situation is getting worse. Probably because they got quite a rise out of the burning of the pilot, they went ahead and burned some Kurds yesterday. And then the 21 beheadings from the day before. The toll is now around 62, I think they said.
A woman who speaks for the State Department said that we need to work on getting jobs in other countries. She said, "We can't kill our way out of this war." Interesting she even used the word "war" isn't it? Well, with that attitude, we sure won't be able to win much of anything. And it signals weakness to those who hate us and would do harm to us.
Sun Tzu (writer and general) once said, "Know thine enemy," in his book, The Art of War. There is much truth in that. It is impossible to fight something that is undefined and misunderstood. Suppose we were only speaking of ourselves and we said in simple language, "I need to improve myself." Well, if you don't know yourself well enough to define the faults that need improvement, I'm betting about $100 that you don't improve.
This is really the same thing. When we fought in Vietnam, we ran into problems not only because the military was hampered from fighting their own fight but also because we did not understand the culture of the Vietnamese well enough. For one thing, we felt that if we befriended them and gave them gifts as we entered their village, they would still be our friend tomorrow. Shockingly, during the night the Viet Cong would enter the same village and would stay there for the night. Why? Because the Vietnamese were too used to fighting, too used to having this one and that one show up and tell them what to do. They gave up trying to pick winners and simply existed in the topsy-turvy world they lived in.
The Islamic Jihadists are not completely understood and need to be named as the combatants. Then we need to understand every nuance of their mindset. This is when academia could have a strong impact, by imparting the knowledge that would help decision makers understand this growing enemy force.
Well, it is Ash Wednesday, first day of Lent. What are you giving up? The children at Mass this morning focused most often on technological gadgets -- my tablet, my iPad, my notebook, TV, video games. A couple picked sweets. Last year I quit playing Solitaire on the computer. I can do that again, I suppose, but it would seem to me that I could come up with something more profound.
I'll think about it the rest of today and have something going by tomorrow. Best of luck to all of you with the weather pattern!! Let's vow to hang in there and get through this together!!
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Art Supplies
As far as art supplies go, there are so many that never make it to the "toy" shelves but make great kids' entertainment.
I saw one the other day in the Dick Blick catalog (no kidding, that's the name) and it was for some modeling compound that never dries out and always remains pliable. This is NOT your typical Play Doh. It was fairly cheap; I think somewhere around $8 for a large gob of it. It is cheaper than therapy.
The commercial use for it is to create scale models of things, to see how they look and how they could be made to look better before you spend the big bucks.
Another idea is some stuff that you can find in paint stores. It is somewhat the same thing and can be used like a modeling compound. I do think this one dries out though. This one could be applied to canvas or paper and left to dry to create a more three-dimensional work of art.
As far as watercolors go, there are so many to choose from these days. There are the cakes which some professional artists even like, the tubes which concentrate the color in an easy-to-use and carry form, and there are the liquids which are easy to blend. They don't have to cost a fortune and again, make wonderful amusements for kids. Get watercolor paper though; it does make a difference.
Good brushes are expensive, but there are a range of decent synthetic brushes that can be found in the art department. The brushes that come with the typical Prang watercolor set just don't give the user a full range of possibilities. The more fun a child has with something, the longer they stay with it.
Another cheap but fun idea is to use a little salt with watercolors. When wet, sprinkle just a bit of salt on the painting and see what happens. Kids will like this. It is to paper what special effects is to movies.
Speaking of movies, we watched an older one (Rescue Dawn) last night about the true story of Dieter Dengler. He was an American pilot (born in Germany) shot down in Laos and managed to survive 23 days in the jungle before being rescued. It gives a very realistic feel for what the jungle must have been like, the heat, the wet, the unrelenting scourge of snakes and bugs (some of which he had to eat). Apparently, one of the POWs who was housed with Dengler never made it back. He'd been incarcerated for three years! He was never heard from again and his family felt the portrayal of him was inaccurate. Apparently, he had gone out of his way to be kind and generous with other POWs. So that was one of the reasons why the film probably didn't get its due.
So that's about it for today. I think maybe if we can just survive another couple of weeks, we should see a change in the air temperatures. At least that's what they are saying. It may be we are surviving the coldest winter ever recorded. Isn't that something?
Take care. Stay warm.
I saw one the other day in the Dick Blick catalog (no kidding, that's the name) and it was for some modeling compound that never dries out and always remains pliable. This is NOT your typical Play Doh. It was fairly cheap; I think somewhere around $8 for a large gob of it. It is cheaper than therapy.
The commercial use for it is to create scale models of things, to see how they look and how they could be made to look better before you spend the big bucks.
Another idea is some stuff that you can find in paint stores. It is somewhat the same thing and can be used like a modeling compound. I do think this one dries out though. This one could be applied to canvas or paper and left to dry to create a more three-dimensional work of art.
As far as watercolors go, there are so many to choose from these days. There are the cakes which some professional artists even like, the tubes which concentrate the color in an easy-to-use and carry form, and there are the liquids which are easy to blend. They don't have to cost a fortune and again, make wonderful amusements for kids. Get watercolor paper though; it does make a difference.
Good brushes are expensive, but there are a range of decent synthetic brushes that can be found in the art department. The brushes that come with the typical Prang watercolor set just don't give the user a full range of possibilities. The more fun a child has with something, the longer they stay with it.
Another cheap but fun idea is to use a little salt with watercolors. When wet, sprinkle just a bit of salt on the painting and see what happens. Kids will like this. It is to paper what special effects is to movies.
Speaking of movies, we watched an older one (Rescue Dawn) last night about the true story of Dieter Dengler. He was an American pilot (born in Germany) shot down in Laos and managed to survive 23 days in the jungle before being rescued. It gives a very realistic feel for what the jungle must have been like, the heat, the wet, the unrelenting scourge of snakes and bugs (some of which he had to eat). Apparently, one of the POWs who was housed with Dengler never made it back. He'd been incarcerated for three years! He was never heard from again and his family felt the portrayal of him was inaccurate. Apparently, he had gone out of his way to be kind and generous with other POWs. So that was one of the reasons why the film probably didn't get its due.
So that's about it for today. I think maybe if we can just survive another couple of weeks, we should see a change in the air temperatures. At least that's what they are saying. It may be we are surviving the coldest winter ever recorded. Isn't that something?
Take care. Stay warm.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Cold, cold, cold
So today and tomorrow for sure, and probably a number of days yet to come, we will dress as Nanook of the North in order to venture out.
I figured we ought to know something about this Nanook so I did a little digging.
Nanook was a member of Itivimuit tribe in Quebec, Canada. In around 1915 and 1916, a man named Robert J. Flaherty was hired as an explorer and prospector along the Hudson Bay for the Canadian Pacific Railway. He took a three-week class in cinematography before he left and brought along a Bell & Howell movie camera to record the Eskimos.
Flaherty really got into it and spent two years recording the lives of the people, getting to know them and their ways. However, in 1916 a dropped cigarette caused the destruction of 30,000 feet of film that had already been developed and printed. Four years later, he finally got sponsorship from a French fur company and returned to start anew.
This time he focused his energy on one Eskimo family -- the husband known as Nanook -- whose real name was Allakariallak. He took movies of this man's family and their lifestyle, including the building of an igloo and hunting and fishing.
Although this silent film was named as one of the first 25 to be preserved in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, it was "Hollywoodized" by Flaherty in a number of different ways.
Flaherty took liberty in filming Nanook. The tribesmen were completely engaged in the process serving as his film crew and in fact, they knew the camera's operation better than Flaherty. The access they provided Flaherty made the movie possible. He had Nanook use the time old methods of hunting as had his ancestors, when actually Nanook normally used a gun when he went hunting. When they built the igloo for the cameras, they couldn't get enough lighting inside to show the actual construction inside, so they build a three walled section for that portion of the film. Flaherty also took liberties with casting. The wife of Nanook was actually one of Flaherty's common-law wives. And in the end, Nanook is depicted as dying of starvation as a testimony of the hardships of the Inuit people, while he actually died in his own home of tuberculosis.
And yet, many were enthralled with this movie that did not claim to bring no harm to animals. When Nanook went out to kill the walrus and seal, the animals that he killed were the real thing.
He staged one scene where the Eskimo entered into the trade post only to see a gramophone for the first time. They feigned surprise and amazement when in fact, Nanook knew exactly what a gramophone was already.
Now when I don my snow pants, insulated snow boots, down-filled coat, insulated gloves with a "hottie" inside each one, and my winter hat covered with the coat's hood -- and I say -- Nanook of the North is going outside -- I will know for the first time what it really means. And maybe so will you.
In 1999 Nanook was remastered and is available on DVD as part of the Criterion Collection. You can purchase it on Amazon for $9.95.
Say a prayer for the folks in Boston and its environs. They are really in a perilous situation.
I figured we ought to know something about this Nanook so I did a little digging.
Nanook was a member of Itivimuit tribe in Quebec, Canada. In around 1915 and 1916, a man named Robert J. Flaherty was hired as an explorer and prospector along the Hudson Bay for the Canadian Pacific Railway. He took a three-week class in cinematography before he left and brought along a Bell & Howell movie camera to record the Eskimos.
Flaherty really got into it and spent two years recording the lives of the people, getting to know them and their ways. However, in 1916 a dropped cigarette caused the destruction of 30,000 feet of film that had already been developed and printed. Four years later, he finally got sponsorship from a French fur company and returned to start anew.
This time he focused his energy on one Eskimo family -- the husband known as Nanook -- whose real name was Allakariallak. He took movies of this man's family and their lifestyle, including the building of an igloo and hunting and fishing.
Although this silent film was named as one of the first 25 to be preserved in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, it was "Hollywoodized" by Flaherty in a number of different ways.
Flaherty took liberty in filming Nanook. The tribesmen were completely engaged in the process serving as his film crew and in fact, they knew the camera's operation better than Flaherty. The access they provided Flaherty made the movie possible. He had Nanook use the time old methods of hunting as had his ancestors, when actually Nanook normally used a gun when he went hunting. When they built the igloo for the cameras, they couldn't get enough lighting inside to show the actual construction inside, so they build a three walled section for that portion of the film. Flaherty also took liberties with casting. The wife of Nanook was actually one of Flaherty's common-law wives. And in the end, Nanook is depicted as dying of starvation as a testimony of the hardships of the Inuit people, while he actually died in his own home of tuberculosis.
And yet, many were enthralled with this movie that did not claim to bring no harm to animals. When Nanook went out to kill the walrus and seal, the animals that he killed were the real thing.
He staged one scene where the Eskimo entered into the trade post only to see a gramophone for the first time. They feigned surprise and amazement when in fact, Nanook knew exactly what a gramophone was already.
Now when I don my snow pants, insulated snow boots, down-filled coat, insulated gloves with a "hottie" inside each one, and my winter hat covered with the coat's hood -- and I say -- Nanook of the North is going outside -- I will know for the first time what it really means. And maybe so will you.
In 1999 Nanook was remastered and is available on DVD as part of the Criterion Collection. You can purchase it on Amazon for $9.95.
Say a prayer for the folks in Boston and its environs. They are really in a perilous situation.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Wolf
Back in the 1980s we went to see a movie called, "Never Cry Wolf." It was kind of an educational movie, mixed in with some adventure and a big shot of humor.
The scientist wanted to embed himself with the wolves for a set period of time. He was dropped off in no man's land, and then waited for a helicopter drop to bring his temporary home and the supplies he needed for his work.
The scientist's idea as he waited to have a little more contact with the wolves was to urinate all over his territory, kind of like he'd seen them do. For this purpose, he drank a lot of tea, went about his business, and was rewarded with some reaction from the wolves who began to see him more like another, albeit strange, animal. He could get in closer and observe better.
He ate what the wolves ate and that was pretty funny but gross. During the nice warm summer he got rid of most of his clothes. He found that wolves dine on mice mostly and are really good at finding them. He watched them raise their young.
He happened to be on an open stretch of land when a herd of buffalo ran by and it was a near miracle that he wasn't trampled.
He debunked the savage image of the wolf, at least in his own mind. But we all know that any hungry animal is likely to be quite savage in order to survive. What got wolves in trouble as the west was settled was that they just couldn't leave the chickens, calves, and lambs alone.
So this morning, I see that a roaming female gray wolf that had made its way hundreds of miles from her home, a tagged animal, was shot and killed by a hunter that mistook her for a coyote. The first wolf that had come to the area in 70 years! How sad really. It's the kind of story that makes me realize that the animals have a lot of enemies to confront. Not only hunger or the need to find a mate, but certainly people who don't do them any favors.
So this wolf's life has ended. The hunter could get jail time. He doesn't get the pelt. No one should. Early settlers killed the bison off. The desire for a beaver fur hat almost did that species in. There's nothing wrong with hunting for our need, but not to the point of extinguishing an entire species for it.
That is just being boorish and hoggish, note the comparison to other animals.
Like hunting sharks only for their fins. Disgusting.
I'm not writing a very uplifting story today, am I? I'll try harder tomorrow, Saturday, a day when we are probably going to get a little more snow. The schools are in session today == all the class valentine's day parties are going to be held. I hope every child comes home with a ton of valentines and a feeling that his or her classmates like them a lot!
Take care. Talk to you tomorrow then.
The scientist wanted to embed himself with the wolves for a set period of time. He was dropped off in no man's land, and then waited for a helicopter drop to bring his temporary home and the supplies he needed for his work.
The scientist's idea as he waited to have a little more contact with the wolves was to urinate all over his territory, kind of like he'd seen them do. For this purpose, he drank a lot of tea, went about his business, and was rewarded with some reaction from the wolves who began to see him more like another, albeit strange, animal. He could get in closer and observe better.
He ate what the wolves ate and that was pretty funny but gross. During the nice warm summer he got rid of most of his clothes. He found that wolves dine on mice mostly and are really good at finding them. He watched them raise their young.
He happened to be on an open stretch of land when a herd of buffalo ran by and it was a near miracle that he wasn't trampled.
He debunked the savage image of the wolf, at least in his own mind. But we all know that any hungry animal is likely to be quite savage in order to survive. What got wolves in trouble as the west was settled was that they just couldn't leave the chickens, calves, and lambs alone.
So this morning, I see that a roaming female gray wolf that had made its way hundreds of miles from her home, a tagged animal, was shot and killed by a hunter that mistook her for a coyote. The first wolf that had come to the area in 70 years! How sad really. It's the kind of story that makes me realize that the animals have a lot of enemies to confront. Not only hunger or the need to find a mate, but certainly people who don't do them any favors.
So this wolf's life has ended. The hunter could get jail time. He doesn't get the pelt. No one should. Early settlers killed the bison off. The desire for a beaver fur hat almost did that species in. There's nothing wrong with hunting for our need, but not to the point of extinguishing an entire species for it.
That is just being boorish and hoggish, note the comparison to other animals.
Like hunting sharks only for their fins. Disgusting.
I'm not writing a very uplifting story today, am I? I'll try harder tomorrow, Saturday, a day when we are probably going to get a little more snow. The schools are in session today == all the class valentine's day parties are going to be held. I hope every child comes home with a ton of valentines and a feeling that his or her classmates like them a lot!
Take care. Talk to you tomorrow then.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
SAD
Yep, we are talking about SAD again; it happens at this time of the year.
Seasonal Affective Disorder -- SAD
Apparently, the lack of sunshine may trigger something akin to depression for some individuals. I've seen advertisements for a special kind of light that the sufferer sits under for a period of time each day. I don't know if it really works but it would be great if it helps.
On a segment of Normal or Nuts on FOX the other day, someone said that they tend to get a little blue at this time of year and reflect on their lives -- what they've done and maybe what they wish they would have done or could have done.
The psychologist said that is normal. We do tend to review our lives in down times, less active times. My viewpoint is that this kind of inventory is good, but much, much better if it produces some kind of result.
Suppose during one of these life reviews a person decides that they need to get off their duff and start volunteering somewhere. Or making a gift for someone special. Or helping someone who needs it. Now, that kind of reflection is wonderful! A change in the life! Even something for themselves that would make a difference in their attitude and mood -- like exercising.
Which is exactly what I should be doing this morning, but the drive is covered AGAIN. For me SAD stands for something else -- SNOW AGAINST DRIVING. Yikes, I'm tired of being stuck down in this hole when I could be going to Curves. Instead, I sit around the house doing this and that and invariably finding a magazine or a catalog somewhere -- and then going on line and buying something. Not good.
SAD is actually serious business -- it probably causes people to miss work, miss appointments, and worse -- not engage and interact with their family members as they should. It would be nice to figure out how it happens and then find something to counteract it. I mean, we aren't going to change the weather here in Northeastern Ohio, are we?
From the days in the seventh grade when my toes were frozen going to school in little pointy toed flat shoes to today, my attitude about winter hasn't changed all that much. Other than gazing out the window first thing in the morning after a tree-clinging snow, it is just a nuisance for me.
My husband said that he talked to someone the other day and there are a LOT of folks who have just about had it with the weather and are really considering a move. A guy at my granddaughter's school told me the other day that he and his wife had decided on Arizona. For real. I wonder what the results of such a move would be. Would it make a huge difference? Would it be worth it to be away from family?
I have a sister who moved to Arizona about eight years ago or so. She hasn't mentioned missing Ohio even once. Even when the temps in her area are 100 plus.
There is one place that seems to have its act together -- Western Maryland -- and specifically Deep Creek Lake. In this locale with 80 plus inches of snow per year, they have it down pat. They have found ways to enjoy all four seasons and do it in style. They have skiing, fishing, skating, swimming, and a host of other activities in both spring and fall to round out the year. They seem to have a can-do attitude about the weather. We actually considered moving there about 30 years ago. The lake has about 68 miles of shoreline and is it is beautiful. The people were friendly. There was a lovely, old Catholic Church in nearby Oakland which we attended on vacations.
One of these days we'll go back and see it again.
Look at pictures of blue water and greenery. It will help. SAD -- SAD go away.
Seasonal Affective Disorder -- SAD
Apparently, the lack of sunshine may trigger something akin to depression for some individuals. I've seen advertisements for a special kind of light that the sufferer sits under for a period of time each day. I don't know if it really works but it would be great if it helps.
On a segment of Normal or Nuts on FOX the other day, someone said that they tend to get a little blue at this time of year and reflect on their lives -- what they've done and maybe what they wish they would have done or could have done.
The psychologist said that is normal. We do tend to review our lives in down times, less active times. My viewpoint is that this kind of inventory is good, but much, much better if it produces some kind of result.
Suppose during one of these life reviews a person decides that they need to get off their duff and start volunteering somewhere. Or making a gift for someone special. Or helping someone who needs it. Now, that kind of reflection is wonderful! A change in the life! Even something for themselves that would make a difference in their attitude and mood -- like exercising.
Which is exactly what I should be doing this morning, but the drive is covered AGAIN. For me SAD stands for something else -- SNOW AGAINST DRIVING. Yikes, I'm tired of being stuck down in this hole when I could be going to Curves. Instead, I sit around the house doing this and that and invariably finding a magazine or a catalog somewhere -- and then going on line and buying something. Not good.
SAD is actually serious business -- it probably causes people to miss work, miss appointments, and worse -- not engage and interact with their family members as they should. It would be nice to figure out how it happens and then find something to counteract it. I mean, we aren't going to change the weather here in Northeastern Ohio, are we?
From the days in the seventh grade when my toes were frozen going to school in little pointy toed flat shoes to today, my attitude about winter hasn't changed all that much. Other than gazing out the window first thing in the morning after a tree-clinging snow, it is just a nuisance for me.
My husband said that he talked to someone the other day and there are a LOT of folks who have just about had it with the weather and are really considering a move. A guy at my granddaughter's school told me the other day that he and his wife had decided on Arizona. For real. I wonder what the results of such a move would be. Would it make a huge difference? Would it be worth it to be away from family?
I have a sister who moved to Arizona about eight years ago or so. She hasn't mentioned missing Ohio even once. Even when the temps in her area are 100 plus.
There is one place that seems to have its act together -- Western Maryland -- and specifically Deep Creek Lake. In this locale with 80 plus inches of snow per year, they have it down pat. They have found ways to enjoy all four seasons and do it in style. They have skiing, fishing, skating, swimming, and a host of other activities in both spring and fall to round out the year. They seem to have a can-do attitude about the weather. We actually considered moving there about 30 years ago. The lake has about 68 miles of shoreline and is it is beautiful. The people were friendly. There was a lovely, old Catholic Church in nearby Oakland which we attended on vacations.
One of these days we'll go back and see it again.
Look at pictures of blue water and greenery. It will help. SAD -- SAD go away.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Got to Hurry
The cat just threw up in the bedroom and I've got to get going because my friend down the street and I are walking at the mall today.
Yikes!
I was just trying to change my university password (they change every six months) and of course, the system is all plugged up with people who just started work at 8:00 a.m. So I'll wait until all of the hullaballoo is over with and get it done then.
So -- hope you are doing well. Hope you enjoyed the best laid plans story.
The driveway is still a sheet of ice at the end on top of the gravel. I just hope that we can get it melted off soon. I'd be willing to put some toxic cat litter up there and see what that does. Then when about a half dozen stray cats show up, we'll know.
The washer and dryer came right on time and we are all set now. I always had this feeling that I couldn't throw in a load because of the dryer making that terrible noise. It's so nice to have that out of the way now. The new pair fit in better and look very nice. We had painted the mudroom a while back and put in some new cabinets that Eric made. It really does look so much more "done."
So I'm on the way out now. Got to get my clean-up supplies out and hope that the stain comes out first time.
Take care. Talk to you tomorrow then.
Yikes!
I was just trying to change my university password (they change every six months) and of course, the system is all plugged up with people who just started work at 8:00 a.m. So I'll wait until all of the hullaballoo is over with and get it done then.
So -- hope you are doing well. Hope you enjoyed the best laid plans story.
The driveway is still a sheet of ice at the end on top of the gravel. I just hope that we can get it melted off soon. I'd be willing to put some toxic cat litter up there and see what that does. Then when about a half dozen stray cats show up, we'll know.
The washer and dryer came right on time and we are all set now. I always had this feeling that I couldn't throw in a load because of the dryer making that terrible noise. It's so nice to have that out of the way now. The new pair fit in better and look very nice. We had painted the mudroom a while back and put in some new cabinets that Eric made. It really does look so much more "done."
So I'm on the way out now. Got to get my clean-up supplies out and hope that the stain comes out first time.
Take care. Talk to you tomorrow then.
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