SNOW DAY!

I know it is Saturday . . . and "snow day" usually means time-off of a school day. I got up early this morning to a skiff of snow on the ground, and have pretty much spent all of my day, reading and watching TV with Lincoln and watching the snow fall. I think there is probably about 8 inches out there now. What a nice day, staying warm and doing practically nothing. I made some yummy brownies, and 2 square meals today (breakfast was a do-it-yourself affair!).

Now my question is . . . . . Will there be church tomorrow? Probably not . . . . we'll soon find out . . . . I need to study my Sunday School lesson a little more if we do!

Oh! I'm reading "Outliers," our book club selection of the month. Pretty interesting stuff!

Out with the old - In with the New

We've done a lot with our kitchen over the last few years. New appliances, new floor, new shelving and now new countertops. These old ones were warped and pitted. We decided that putting new countertops would be a good selling point, and why not enjoy them for a while and not just put them in for some new person. (we are not selling, by the way!!!)The new counters . . . . .

And with all my &#*$(% on them!!! Now I just need to hire a plumber to get the pipe under the sink reworked, the sinks are much deeper than I'm used to.

Fun! Fun!

Ha!

I'm sooooo excited!!!

Massachusetts has a REPUBLICAN senator to replace Ted Kennedy!!!! MONUMENTAL!

I was at a dinner party the other day and a lady from Massachusetts said, "NO-way! WON'T-happen." She must not watch the news, because I told her she might be surprised . . . and she still was firm in her opinion . . . . I wish I could be a fly on the wall! It was also predicted that Obama would have a 2nd term . . . . . still waiting for that prediction to show itself . . . . . . also that Sarah Palin was a joke!!!! Who am I associating with? (laughs!)

Woo Hoo!!! (sorry just had to let it out somewhere!)

2009 - Year in Review

I've been wanting to do a review of 2009, but just didn't know how to go about it. I'm stealing this from a fellow blogger . . . . it's kind-of long and daunting, but I'm going to give it a try - - it's not really a tag, but if you feel so inclined, it would be fun to read about your year too, so I tag YOU!!!

HERE GOES!!

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

The biggest thing was that I was an "Air Force Widow" which sounds horrible, but is what we call ourselves when our man leaves town for several months on end!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't make resolutions, but basically I want to be a better person spiritually. Thankfully I have a Sunday School class that keeps me studying on a consistent basis! I also want to eat healthier.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

I'm still awaiting being a grandmother . . . maybe I'll have something to report in 2010??? ;)

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No-one in the family- - our across the street neighbor passed away. So sad!

5. What countries did you visit?

Grand Turk, St. Thomas, Bahamas! Woo hoo!

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

Oh Boy!! A kindle, A Cricut, A baby grand piano!!! All of these take a full pocket book!

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Nothing really "etches" in my mind . . . but the 1st week in January, Lincoln left for Afghanistan . . . . . April, my surgery . . . . . . the last week in July Lincoln came home . . . . I loved our cruise week in August and our trip to Utah to see our daughter as a lead soprano in a Gilbert and Sullivan opera . . . . October Chancy moved to SL, and in November Justin followed him. It was a very different year!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Deciding to take the leap into the homeschooling arena.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Letting my anger get the best of me . . . . although I tried to put myself in "time-out" to experience it . . . . started an "anger journal" which I hope no one ever finds, but I'm not ready to part with yet.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No illness, or injury . . . . just a defect, ha! ha! Had the surgery . . . . . sacrocolpopexy . . . . I think it is spelled!

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Hmmmmm, I think we bought this in December . . . . . but still don't have yet . . . . . new countertops for the kitchen!!! Maybe it was January . . . . can't remember! (short memory here!)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

McKay . . . . . he's a great kid!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Well . . . . there is the political arena . . . . on the other hand, my older two boys kept me very busy this past year, but a certain incident including a rope, an open window, and an escapee' does come to mind! Justin totaling our Miata was also a highlight. (sarcasm)

14. Where did most of your money go?

Living! Food, gas, and fixing vehicles!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

There is so much, having my husband safe and sound, visiting our daughter, my older two boys both having full-time jobs, we are so blessed!

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

This year I listened to talk radio too much . . . . I've resolved to listen to more music, it is a love of mine!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? happier

b) thinner or fatter? about the same, I'd say

c) richer or poorer? about the same (this sounds like an eye exam!)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Practice the piano . . . . gone on more day trips . . . . we live in such a great area for that!

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

I did less of this, but I learned through 3 months of not being able to lift more than a gallon of milk and no heavy housework, that housework WILL wait, no one has a conniption fit if it doesn't get done, no one dies, no one gets sick . . . . it will wait. AND IS WAITING!!! tee hee

20. How did you spend Christmas? Christmas eve at my house with my sister's family and my mom and dad here for our traditional dinner. Christmas morning at home and then at my sister's and mom and dads!

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?

I fall in love with my husband over and over again. He's such a wonderful guy!

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Biggest Loser!

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Hate . . . . . hmmmm . . . . . can't think of anyone at the moment, but I'm not above it, sad to say.

24. What was the best book you read?

WOW! that is a tough one . . . it is usually the book I'm reading at the moment! This year I've gotten into reading about politics (love politics) I'm currently reading Cleon Skousen's "The making of America" and just finished his "The Naked Communist." Pretty heavy huh!? Book club is one of my favorite things . . . . we read so many good books!

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I am constantly "sight reading" at the piano . . . . love to sit and play new stuff . . . but no great discoveries!

26. What did you want and get?

A food processor

27. What did you want and not get?

A baby grand piano

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

The Blind Side

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

Can't remember, and I was 44.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Less stress, no hospital visits!

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

fashion, what's that?

32. What kept you sane?

Having wonderful people in my life . . . . family, friends.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Sarah Palin

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Healthcare

35. Who did you miss?

My husband

36. Who was the best new person you met?

hmmmmm . . . . .

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.

Allow yourself stew about your problems for a short while . . . . and then get over it!

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

An oldie, but a goodie:

Where are you going, my little one, little one
Where are you going, my baby, my own?
Turn around and you're two, turn around and you're four
Turn around and you're a young(boy) girl going out of my door

i.e., the nest got smaller!

Girl's Night Out

A big thanks goes out to Kristen, standing next to me, for putting together a great night out for the girls. Another big thanks to a wonderful husband who puts up with me doing all the little things I do at night with the girls. I think if it were he doing these things, I'd be pitching a fit about being left out, but he is great! XOXOXOXO Lincoln! Monique, Kiersten, Kristen, Me, and LeeAnn.

It takes someone, Kristen, who has lived less than a year in DC to find a little gem that I had no idea occurred not once, but twice a year here! Restaurant week. You can go to a participating high-class restaurant, one that I wouldn't touch with a stick normally, and they give you a deal. 3-course lunch for $20.10 and 3 course dinner for $35.10. They give you three choices of an appetizer, entree, and dessert. We went to Morton's Steak House. When I eat-out, (or even in!) steak is not my first choice . . . but steak houses cater to all of us, or they wouldn't get a whole lot of business, in my opinion. I, of course, had the Salmon. . . . it was beautiful, and tasted awesome also. EVERYONE, else got steak, but I snagged a piece of it from LeeAnn, (it's kind-a hard not to want a piece when everyone is oooooing and ahhhhing over their food!) and she snagged some of my Salmon also. I chose creamed spinach, love it!, and EVERYONE else got these truly gargantuan baked potatoes! The portions of vegies were very large. And to top it off, most of us got NY Cheesecake. The best thing of all was the conversation! We had a private room all to ourselves. The waiters were fantastic, mostly left us alone . . . . A great time!

Brrrrrrrrrrr

I haven't been blogging . . . . there is nothing to blog about . . . . . it is so dang cold outside, I've just been happy to sit in my house and feel of it's warmth. After the Christmas rush, there is a lull. Parties over, good will put on hold, calendar mostly free from activity . . . . kinda-nice!

I just realized my blog skin looks like my church bag!!!! What a thought!

SEE!!!!! Ta Daaaaa . . . . .
Have a great day everyone!

Flashback Friday

I don't know if it all this snow, freezing rain, or this frigid weather . . . . or that fact that I didn't get as much sleep as I usually do, but today I got up and had this urge to get all bundled up and lace up some skates and go ice skating. Not the regular ice-rink-ice-skating, but real ice skating. There is no place to do it around here. For one thing, it doesn't get cold enough.

As a kid and teenager, I remember LOVING when it got really cold outside. LOVING it when the temps stayed at 20 and below for weeks at a time. Why did I love it? Because I knew that the local man-made reservoir would freeze over. And just not a little freeze-over. The ice would be at least a foot thick and probably more than a foot thick. People could drive their cars on it. We'd set a tire out on it and light it on fire for some warmth. This was the only ice skating I knew. Wonderful freedom, and the awesome feeling of gliding along on the ice. We had some good times there . . . groups of friends . . . family time . . . . mutual activities . . . there were even some broken bones along the way!

I was horrified when I first went to an ice skating rink after I had moved to the city. They all skate in circles!!!!!????? Oh! if someone remembered, they might change direction and skate counter-clockwise for a while. I was thankful for the direction change because after a while, your ankles would start aching because they constantly were forced into the same turns all the time!!! Skating in a circle is just not the same as skating on "The Res" as we called it.

My kids will never know this fun I had . . . . but I am sure there are families, and church groups, and friends getting together right now, in that part of the world, suiting up to go skating . . . . and I'm glad for them! Skate on!

As I was searching for images of ice skating, I found this one taken in DC. How cool would that be to skate on the reflecting pond? Apparently before in-door skating became popular or available people would skate on the ponds . . . . . I didn't think it got cold enough here?? (oh dear, that is one point in favor of global warming, isn't it??? Al Gore, eat your heart out!)