Beautiful cold day

Its a beautiful day today! The sky is so blue and the sun is shinning and there is news that in about a week from now we will be starting to get a little warmer weather... That might mean our bitter cold will be over for another year. It is supposed to go all the way to 30* Yah..... I will have to hurry and get the final panel for my afghan finished. I also started taking the finish off an old chair and am reading a good book. I like the Cat Who books written by Lilian Jackson Braun. I only read a chapter at a time because I don't want it to end.They are some of the books I did not give away.I suppose I could go and find another one as Im just reading The Cat Who Smelled a Rat now and it was written in 2001. She probably has written at least one more since or I could go on my shelves and start again from the beginning...  Now that I have my family room changed around I decided I didn't like the color of the doors under the book shelves so I will be painting those to make them lighter. I think that would make the room look bigger and cheerier too. I'm starting on a roll now and soon I will be back in shape to do my yard work  ( I hope) but probably not as I am really taking it slow. I'm also trying to decide what color I will paint my benches outside this year. One was white and the other blue.... I think I may go with black ~ time will tell.

relaxing day

Charlie ~ Peaches~ Twinkie my 3 pals. they were tired this morning while I was on my computer and then when I went to crochet they followed me and slept there for a bit after going outside in the cold. They didn't get much exercise today. I guess they are trying to while away the cold days as best as they can. They do tease each other and play for awhile but then they go and sleep again... At least Im getting my afghan finished. I got 4 narrow panels and 2 wide panels finished so far and started on the last wide panel. Then I can do a cross stitch pattern on the wide panel and put it together. I can hardly wait because that will mean February is almost over. LOL

Dreaming

Iam dreaming of warmer days! I figured thats about all I can do is dream because I believe this is the coldest day we have had so far. It is a beautiful sunny day here and its nice and cosy warm in the house. If I want to go anywhere I will just warm up the car awhile. Think of what my grandparents had to endure ~ I just can't imagine. We sure are lucky these days.
   I hope you are all having a nice day and keeping warm. 

Just plain cold

I will only be in here for a minute. I have a terrible head cold and just came in to see what my favorite people are doing today. Only 3 more days and this month is over. The weather man said those 3 days will be extremly cold also.... wind chill was -26 at 6 tonight so I imagine its much colder now.... Now can you guys in the south understand why we appriciate spring so much.... We are in a deep hibernation now, lol

Paperwhites

My paperwhites are blooming! They were hiding under the lamp shade so they grew rather tall didn't they? Its nice to have flowers in the house. I only started them 2 weeks ago. I started my amerlis bulb before that and its not blooming yet. My birthday is next Monday so maybe it will be my birthday present... Its just starting to open today. I think I will move it so it gets a little sun today and see if I can speed it up.
Yesterday I went shopping and found 2 great sweaters on sale.... I cound not believe the bargain so I had to get 2. They were 70% off the regular price. I suppose they got too many in this year. We still have a lot of cold weather coming so I will more than get my use out of them. Nice soft, warm chenille in pale pink and a pale blue...
We did get snow too but not the 12 inches. I think we must have gotten another 3 though. The weather man said its supposed to blow and drift this afternoon too so its a nice day to stay in and crochet. My husband shoveled all the snow before I got up so I won't be doing that today. He is down the basement making bird feeders. Nice big ones out of cedar. Our son wanted him to make one and now he is making me one. He found a good deal on scraps of wood at the lumber company. I hope he can find more as they will make nice presents and give him something nice to do while waiting for fishing weather to come again. Last year he made garden stakes out of copper pipe and wire etc ( he put colored glass balls in them or pretty plates on top for a bird feeder) and then he made butterfly houses before that. I have many projects for him but they will have to wait for the right time and the right price at the lumber co. as he likes a good bargain I guess. Which is just fine with me. He is in a much better mood when he gets something accomplished~ but then I guess we all are aren't we?
     Hope everyone is having a nice day today! Stay warm.

Shopping

We just had to go shopping yesterday because we heard more snow is coming... so far it didn't get here but it is just starting so we had better get moving. We have to pay our property taxes today ;(  and I have to exchange a DVD I got yesterday. It was such a good sale but I got 2 and one I already had. Memory must be going I guess. Now I get to go to the store again and sort through them one more time, or maybe just let it go. I did get some nice pillows and a rug this weekend though to add a little color to my room. Its always fun to get a few new things to brighten up the dreary winter days. The weather man started out by saying we are going to get 12 inches of snow and the last I heard it was only 3. All the cities around us are really getting a lot so we are lucky I guess. We will get our share though as Feb hasn't gotten here yet.... More fun for the skiers and snowboarders and snomobilers I guess. The ice rink is getting a lot of use too but it has to be cleaned off a lot. Our son goes skating after work whenever he can...

Freezing Cold

Its -1 this morning and we are going to the last mass in hopes that it warms up a little. The sun is shinning and I wonder if that will help or not. It even feels colder though with the wind chill so I guess I will have to really dress warm or just be brave. brrrrrr  This dreaded month is almost over though thank goodness. I said a thousand times in my life or more how much I hate January but I feel like a warrior after its over and I lived through another one. We will certainly enjoy Spring when it does arrive this year.

Have a nice day!

A nice day for a visit

Today we went shopping. I had not gone out for a couple of days because it was just plan freezing cold.... hardly got past zero most days. Only a little warmer today, but had to go shopping as there are only so many days I can stay away from a store that is having a nice sale. We went to Sears first and I found some nice bargains, 2 sweaters and two nightgowns. They are made so nice, I always forget how nice some of their clothes are made and they were 70% off so how could I pass them up. Soooo as long as we were in the neighborhood I had to look and see what was new at TJMaxx and I found 2 really nice pillows and some good ideas for my family room.

Tonight Mindy, my Grandaughter came over and we just sat and chatted for a couple of hours. She is the sweetest Grandaughter I could ever imagine. Iam really blessed! She was telling me about her job and about learning how to snowboard from her boyfriend. I wonder if she will go again as this was her first time and she fell out of the ski lift and didn't get up in time and it hit her and she said she was sore for 2 weeks. Her boyfriend is an excellent snow boarder and he does it for compitition and travels up north as well as snowboarding around here. She is trying to figure out how she can get up the hill with out going on the lift. I think I could write a book about how nice she is but the space won't allow.... :)

Colors and more colors

I Just can't seem to get the color right so I give up.... I think I had better go and finish my laundry and get something more worthwhile finished this morning, lol   My husband took all the books to St Vincent de Paul this morning so there is no looking back on that project and I am happy how the family room turned out. I suppose this computer room will be next but I will wait awhile and just do the house work and crocheting for awhile until I get in the mood again. Its a very cold day again with clouds and a little light snow falling. Good day to stay in.

More pain

I thought I wasn't going to get gout because after it seemed to be starting I drank lots of water for a day.... should have kept it up though as now I have a full blown case in my right foot and its not fun.... I looked closer at my diet for gout and have been drinking hot cocoa and eating a lot of spinach in my salads and those are two things that are on the no list.... so back to the drawing board with my diet again.... its the pits.

   I noticed some have been making lists of their favorite things so I thought I would put mine in too.... some things change but for now this is my list/

1. season~ Spring

2.Day of Year~ Easter

3. Natural wonder~ Northern Lights

4 Man made wonder~ Statue of Liberty

5 Ice Cream flavor~ Hansens flavor of the week or choc choc

6  Snack~ crackers and cheese

7 Coctail~ virgin mary

8 Beverage~ fruit juice

9Ethnic cuisine~ Greek

10 Place ~ home

11 Vacation fantasy~ new England states in a bread and breakfast

12. Type of music~ Country

13 Entertainer~ Dave Letterman

14 Song ~ Somewhere over the rainbow

15 Movie actress~ Meg Ryan

16  Movie actor~ Tom Hanks

17 Movie ~ You've Got Mail

18 Novel  It varies from time to time

19 tv actress ~ Sela Ward

20 tv actor   ~ Martin Scheen

21 tv show ~ Late Show

22 Celebrity ~ Dave Letterman

forgot one~ natural setting~ Rainbow

This and That

Well, my husband got the cable hooked up and he and our son are moving the tv as I write this.... I am crossing my fingers that they can get it all hooked up.... I don't think I could do it as you can't get in the back of it as there is a wall so close.... If I had a smaller tv it would be a lot easier but the thing is too big I think for a small room. My husband got it for me last year for a surprise.... all I ever said was I wanted a Sony and he got me the biggest one that would fit on our stand..... I think its about 32 inches or more wide. If we get it all fixed up then I want to get a new sofa also..... Then when I sit in there it will be so much nicer.

I took Charlie to the vet today to get his shots and he got a clean bill of health, as they say... Only problem the vet doesn't want him gaining any more so he figures I should do something to get him to lose ~~~ I think he is just right and told him but he said he may get fatter in another year or two and then he wouldn't be healthy.... I thought he weighed 17 #s but he only weighs 15 and 3/4. He is a big cat and gets exercise running outside a few days a week. I guess I will try not to feed him so much but then he will eat the dog food. I just feed him dry food and a treat now and again.... We will see....

Cleaning house

What a job I have made for myself. I decided the family room would look better with the tv on the other side of the room so I started to clean.... ugh what a job. You would think my husband had all the work and all he has to do is move the tv on a nice wide shelf for me but the trouble is it all has to be hooked up again and he is not happy. It seems the cable connection that was there is an old one and he has to put in new cables now. I thought it would be a simple thing but nothing ever is... I can see in my mind though just how much better it will look so I am insisting. I am getting rid of a lot of my books because where the tv is going was used for book shelves. I have not sorted them out for a long long time and some of the books are just not the kind that are worth keeping any longer as I am sure I will not read them again. I do have a lot Iam keeping though. Well so far. I suppose I may have to send some more to a good charity or something as I am tired of a cluttered room. It is going to be so much nicer I just know it. I just have to finish what I planned or I will be so mad at myself for not getting much done this winter. I just hope Leo doesn't make me wait too long and gets the cable adjusted soon... why do they make it so hard to move the tv accross the room. Should be easier to set it up I say.... In the old days it was lots easier before cable boxes and Dvd players etc etc etc...

Sunny day

This is just a typical Monday with lots of things to do but I don't really feel like doing them and it really doesn't matter anyway I guess. I did start the laundry and got 3 loads finished but the rest will probably have to wait until tomorrow. I also got a card in the mail only to find out there isn't any mail today~ darn because I also sent a card to my sister in law and her birthday is today. She won't be getting her card on time because I just mailed it Sat thinking she would get it today. I hate postal holidays. I also finished a scrapbook I had been making of my Mother and Dads life..... well sort of. Its only an 8 1/2 by 9 1/2 so it is rather small. I don't really have a lot of pictures but I wanted to get the ones I do have in a book to have them in one place and kinda tell a story. I'm so happy I finished it and it makes me glad I did it.

Other than that not much happening around here.... Oh I tested out the new red toaster this morning and it works good!

Relaxing Sunday

It was pretty cold today and its supposed to get really cold tonight. Below Zero is cold but its warm in the house and that snow on the roof seems to be helping keep the warm in.

After church today we went shopping as usual for us on Sunday. Can't seem to ever go straight home after. We went to check and see if the toaster I wanted to get with my gift card was on sale yet and it was so I got a nice new Kitchen Aide toaster. I sure hope it is as good as my mixer and lasts a long time. It seems I am always buying a new one. Then we went to the grocery store and bought a few things and came home to watch the football games. The team I really wanted to win lost and the other team I was rooting for won. I wanted them to win because the other team beat the Packers and didn't want them to win.... thats how weird I am.

Rick and his daughter Carley came over for a couple of hours too and that was nice. Carley is getting so big. She is my Grandaughter and she is 6. My dogs like it when she comes over because they can play.... I don't think they have enough fun playing with us old foggies.

Hope everyone had a nice day today !

Lots More Snow

We had fun in the yard today and got some exercise too. Its a beautiful winter day! I bet the snowmobilers and the skiers are having a wonderful time. My grandaughters boyfriend is a great snowboarder and I bet he is in his glory. If he is not in a meet or something today and my grandaughter doesn't have to work I bet they are snowboarding somewhere today. She is going to learn and he will teach her. I sure hope they have fun and keep safe. 

I hope all of you in the southern states enjoy all my snow pictures. I should go to the park and take more but I really don't like to drive in the snow unless the roads are all cleared... The snowplow just cleared our street so that means all the main streats are already cleared... they are on the ball today. Its only noon here too and a Saturday. Gary shoveled the place where the plow left snow in the drive and by the mail box so we can get our mail today.

A Little More Snow

Just a little snow... we call a dusting but the driveway and patio have to be cleared off. It is still snowing though so maybe we will get the 2 inches the weather man was talking about... I guess i should not have wished for snow... Oh well its winter and thats what it does around here.

I woke up this morning with pain in my big toe... I hope my gout is not coming back.. sometimes I can stop it by drinking lots of water and watching my diet so I hope it works this time as its not a fun thing to have....

    I really don't have anything to do today so maybe I will just straighten up the house and work on the afgan I'm making for my Grandson. It would really be nice to finish it as I started it about  a year ago or more. I hate to have things started and not finished... also have 2 books I'm reading at the same time... I just couldn't wait to start the new one I got so now Im reading 2 and have a basket full of some more. I guess that is what these snow days are for~ unless something more interesting turns up. You never know.

I drank lots of water this morning and the big toe is back to normal... no gout today! Maybe I was just laying on it wrong or something last night, haha

I did a little crocheting today and then decided to make a pot of chili. I used ground chicken and it turned out really good. I haven't found out yet if my husband and son like it though as Leo went ice fishing and Gary is still working but I like it so if they don't I will be able to freeze some and have some whenever the mood strikes.

My puppies were out a few times today running through the paths but Charlie stayed in. Its pretty warm here compared to the New England states and I think we are lucky... Its 20* out now. Not bad at all for the 16th of January in Wisconsin. ;) Oh they loved the chili and now if I want more I have to make more. Glad they enjoyed it as much as I did though.

Our first real snow storm

Well, I got my ground cover I guess and I am having a good time with my pets playing in it and shoveling it. We have path ways all over the back yard for the little ones to run through. Charlie doesn't seem to mind the snow and just runs and jumps high in the air.... What a joy my pets are to me. They keep my heart happy happy!!!! It is still snowing so I will take some more pictures when it is all over. We may get the 6 inches here after all. Sure is fun to have snow and not have to worry about going to work although our son went to work today. he seems to like to drive in the snow. He likes the chalenge, sure hope he is not careless though. My husband has been retired for 5 years already ~ doesn't seem possible. He retired early because he had cancer and now he is all clear of it, knock on wood.... Last check up was good! Now he enjoys the simple things of life like lots of fishing and some golfing in the summer. He even goes ice fishing but last time it wasn't a lot of fun because the fish weren't biting but he did get to see and talk to a lot of guys so that was nice!

Doctors visit

I went to the doctor today and the results are already in on my blood test..... everything was good except one little thing. My potassium was too low and I have to take 2 pills a day for that and go back and get another blood  test in 2 months for everything again.... I am so lucky aren't I. Hip Hip Hooray!

Now tonight we are supposed to get a snow storm and that is ok with me. I just hope it is with those that have to work tomorrow.... maybe some will get a snow day. If it snows I will take lots of pictures because we are supposed to get more than an inch or two I guess, but you never know.

Getting use of new shovel

This is my Husband taking it out on the shovel after the Packers lost the game yesterday. We didn't get much snow but just enough to go out and get a little exercise. I used it again this morning and its still in good shape. Thought maybe he might have knocked it around taking out his frustration but whatever the shovel is still like new. Sure wish Brett wouldn't have thrown that pass to the other team but what can you do. This month is half over already (almost) so only have a couple more weeks to go and we will be over January. So far its been a pretty nice month all told.

New Plant

I got a new Spider plant today at the big sale at Steins. I was looking last year but I guess I didn't go in January. I wanted to get one for summer since my daughter in law got some in Florida last year and put the spider babies around her trees in the ground and I wanted to try that too. Now if I can keep them growing in the house until spring ~ sometimes I have trouble keeping them nice as they usually turn brown on the ends. I never took them outside in the summer or never thought to do it until Teri thought to do it..... Good ole Teri!!!!!  I also got a few bulbs to plant in my planter so will try my hand at that too. My Christmas cactus hasn't bloomed yet but maybe its an Easter one.... I will find out in a couple of months if the cat doesn't eat it on me again. Those blossoms must taste good I guess.

Oh, any gardners out there might want to take a look at the new garden site I found out about on the radio today. This guy was a guest of Mr Snodsmyth and he was mostly talking about container gardening but the site is for all gardens and mostly the newest and best flowers to plant together.... I think its a very good site so far! Its over there in my favorite sites.Proven Winners

Relaxing sort of a day

I'm not doing much today, just puttering around a bit. I made a couple of jars of hot chocolate mix and learned how to copy a cd finally. I guess I have had this computer for about 6 weeks now so figured it was time to learn something new... It was so easy that I guess I will have to learn something else now too as my brain can stand it, lol.

Someone just came in so I guess I will go and visit awhile.....

Finally

We did it!!!! finally got some things out of the basement and straightened it up a bit and brought the tree down. Hip Hip Hooray! ;)

I also put all the other Christmas things away and cleaned the house. Then I got a backache and figured it was my shingles getting worse or something ~ forgot what a backache can feel like from working too hard,  lol  I really must get into shape before summer planting time rolls around. The nurse talked to me in the hospital and said it would take 6 weeks to get back into shape but I thought she was talking to a different old lady, certainly not me.  Could it be I am gettin so old? I will fight it.... bam bam bam......

Anyway it was a good day and my house is in order again. I still have the Nativity set up and a big wreath on the window outside that I still turn the lights on.... My neighbors all have their lights on their houses yet and light them every night and morning so I figure just a little wreath until they turn theirs off. Its really pretty and maybe I will put some hearts on for Valentines day .

Taking down the tree

I took all the ornaments off the tree today and wraped them nice and put them all away for another year. Now we have to figure out how to fit the tree in the basement since it says not to put it back in the box it came in. They gave us a cover for it but it has to be taken apart to fit it all in. I was hoping it could be stored standing up down there and just covered so the cat doesn't play in it all year long. LOL I think I will have to go down and figure out a plan as my husband has no clue as to what to do with it.... He said we just might as well leave it up in the living room all year..... not!   I think I can figure it out but will let you know, haha. We just have too much stuff and now is a good time to send it on its way I guess. Good project for winter.

I decided now was also a good time to finish an afgan I was making for my grandson who got engaged last winter.... wonder if he will ever actually get married though. Maybe he is just waiting for me to finish making the afgan, hehe  So I will get busy and finish it and then wait and see. It will be nice to have a project finished before I start something new. I did about 10 rows tonight but Charlie wants to bite the yarn and sit on my lap and that slows me down because then Twinkie also wants to sit by me.... Peaches was in Garys room laying on the bed and watching tv with Gary..... We are all so much more active in the summer, but then I guess everyone is.

I got my snow plow shovel

The snow plow shovel came today and no snow to shovel. That is good though because I do not feel like shoveling even if I only have to push the snow. My back is hurting too much..... darn it anyway. I will go to the doctor next Tuesday as I made an appointment. Sure hope things calm down by that time. Seems I think its going away and back it comes again. I did get some exercise though as we went shopping at Woodmans and that is a nice big grocery store to walk around and around in. I sort of think I would get better faster if it was summer and I could get more exercise..... maybe and then maybe not.  At least most of the day I was ok and last night I slept pretty good too.... So Iam getting better. Just writing this for my own benefit so I can keep track I guess.

Its really, really cold out today, I think it was -4 when I woke up this morning and  its only 7 now. Pretty cold I say but its January and thats how it is. I would still like it better if the gardens were covered in snow and maybe the roof too to keep in the heat. We will just have to take what we get though won't we. So if you are getting warmer weather just remember how cold it is here in good ole Wisconsin. :)

Packers Won

The Packers won the first playoff game today and it was good!

I am feeling better today and that is also good!

My kids got back safe from Florida and that is good!

So I guess MY life is improving. Soon I will start to do something with it again. I was so weak in church today I had to leave right after communion but I plan on getting stronger now.  So Life is good and I am happy.  I have to go to the doctor this week and hope for a good report. By that time there will only be 3 weeks left of January. haha  And it hasn't even snowed yet. I ordered a new snow plow shovel from QVC so I figure that will be here in about 3 days so that means it will snow in 2~~~ haha  Its ok though because that is what January is for I guess. We need the ground cover for our plants otherwise some will freeze out and thats not good. I planted some beautiful daylilies last year and really really want them to come back the first year. After that they are usually very hardy but they need a good start. 3 more weeks before I will let myself get really serious about the seed catalogs....:) 

Getting on with it

Hi,

How is everyone tonight?  For some reason I am very hopeful for the first time that I will get better. I am not in the pain I was so that must mean I am getting better....

Today it is raining really really hard and if it was snow I could go and make the snowman   ;) It won't be long though as the weather is going to turn cold and the snow will come as it does every year..... Ready or not here it comes.   We will have a lot to take pictures of when it comes as it is always so beautiful. Just hope we can get out and to the store before that happens or I will really get skinny as the food shelves are dwindling in this house. Leo took the lights off the house today before the rain started. He is so glad he got that job finished just in time. He had been planning on doing it all weekas the weather man said it was supposed to be warm today and its after the new year. We did keep the wreaths up though. One is a lighted one on the big window and the others are swags with bows on the garage and one wreath with a bow on the front door.... no need to take those down any time soon. I will leave the tree up a little while also because my grandaughter is coming Sat or Sun and I forgot to put the pickle on the tree and she looked for it so I promised her it would be on the next time she came over... I can't find the pickle so I will have to put a real one on and I made her a fun fur scarf for the pickle present..... hope she likes it.... its a bright pink one... I will let you know.... Im crossing my fingers that she likes it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HERE 'S HOPING EVERYONE WILL HAVE THE HAPPIEST OF NEW YEARS!!!

Its really a dreary day today but the sun did come out for a little while. All I can say is let it begin because January has to begin to get it over with.... why do I hate January so much I wonder. I guess because its not June. Its such a long month though with all the cold and dark days and the short days too. Give me a couple of weeks and I will get into it, lol because you see by that time it will be half over :) It will be interesting to see what I will do with the whole month won't it? Maybe I should start out by reading a few books I have set aside or get a little paint by number done or I could do some scrapbooking too... we will see.................  Maybe by reading some journals I will find something others are doing and will get inspired. All I did today was feed the birds and do the normal chores around here and thats about it.... I will get it together though just you wait and see, before this month is over too, haha