Friday, statements, and forts

OK, here are some pictures of the dogs playing in the snow last night.  I could have had some GREAT action shots, but they were running WAY too fast for me to catch it.  They had a ball.

This morning, I left early to run the monthly statements (grrr, don't get me started) and truly tested the car.  The street wasn't touched.  I just plowed through it with no problem!

Work sucked,  because it's statement day.  'Nough said.

The girls had a ball at mom's today.

On the way home, I saw many cars in ditches, saw a warning for "heavy drifting and icing, choose alternate route" about 20 miles past my turnoff, saw a snow plow in a ditch, and saw many idiots learning the laws of physics.  DUH!

My car did AWESOME!  I have named the little thing "Captain Incredible"  Every good car needs a name, and mine earned this one today.

Now, I'm sipping hot tea, the girls are hiding in the relative safety of a room-sized fort, and Kevin is watching TV in the bedroom.  It's been a long day for everyone, and it's time to chill...so to speak.

Today

So, the snow started.  All of the pictures from my car were taken when I was stopped, or going under 5 mph, so no lectures, ok? It was slow and fun and beautiful.  I would have taken pictures coming out of Walmart, but it was snowing big, fat, wet flakes.  It felt like I was getting pelted by last nights soggy peas.  Soft and not painful, but very cold and wet.  splat splat.

WalMart?  Why stop on a night like tonight, you ask?  Well, Brett needed a pair of gloves.  Come to think of it, the girls coats are many years old, with broken zippers, tears, and lost hoods.  Brett doesn't even OWN one that fits.  Add to that the fact that they all own tennis shoes, nothing else.  *sigh*  Yeah, I wrote a big fat check that I couldn't afford tonight.  They all have new coats that work and fit.  The girls have snow pants, and all three have new snow boots.

Yeah, I know.  We'll be sorry later, when we pay bills, but right now, my kids are thrilled, and they'll be warm tomorrow, while playing in the snow on a second snow-day in a row.  It makes me feel good to see them so happy while trying them on.  And, they'll be so much warmer while playing in the snow at Grandma's.

Well, I have statements tomorrow, so it'll be an early night for me.  Damn TV...so many good things on tonight.  I guess I can always make up the sleep tomorrow, but now I am working Saturdays, too.  *sigh* again.  3 1/2 weeks, and the pressure lets up.  I'm counting them down, boys and girls.

For Amy

In my previous post, Amy wanted pictures.  I couldn't take any on the way home, for obvious reasons, but I took some after I read her comment.  Here they are.  That's ice...not snow.  The snow comes tomorrow and tomorrow night.  I'll get more pictures then. 

I made it home!

Well, with the freezing rain pelting down and roads getting slicker by the minute, my husband made a rare demand.  No, really, he doesn't tell me what to do, or demand anything.  He called and said, "You're leaving work NOW.  Go."  Ummm, ok?  I don't know how to handle his orders, because he doesn't give them often.  I packed up and left at 4:15.  It was at least 10 minutes later when I could get in the car to leave.  Ice to scrape, windows to defrost, and it took a bit to open the frozen-shut door.  Finally, I left.

My almost-hour long commute took 1 1/2 hours, but I made it home safe.  I-70 moved at the amazing pace of about 20 mph at best.  It's better than landing in a ditch, I must say.  Now, tonight, it will turn to snow.  I'd much rather drive on snow than ice.  The little car did great!  I love front wheel drive, always have, but I wasn't sure what to expect.  In the parking lot, I tried to force a skid, to see how slick it was and what the car would do.  It did NOT want to skid.  Awesome.

Kevin worked over 14 hours yesterday, in fact, he already has 40 hours in this week.  He's beat, and now a fuse is blown in the kitchen.  I'm going to go help him fix it.  By help, I mean shout real loud when the offending fuse is found.  Then I'm going to send him to bed.  Poor, hard-working guy.

Tomorrow, I hope to leave early, so I'm at work on time.  I love the winter weather, but don't tell Kevin.  He thinks I'm crazy, and hearing it again might make him commit me. (let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!)  oops.  I didn't say that!

The weather

62 tonight, 54 to start tomorrow.  Thunderstorms (in November???) tomorrow and dropping temps.  Tomorrow night?  Snow, sleet and freezing rain, low of 21. 

What does this mean?  It means either A) we'll get very little, and the panic will look stupid, or B) We'll get horrid weather and it'll be hard to get to work on Thursday.  Trust me, it'll be A.

Everyone in this damn state panics when the first winter advisory is issued.  They flock to the store, to the gas station, to the Dollar General...whatever.  Trust me, folks...even if we got 4 feet of snow, the trusty snow plows would have us out in less than 24 hours.  Quit with the nonsense. Let's just go on about our business.

Here it is!

I am very thankful that I made it through November with very little usage of the furnace.  Propane is expensive.  I can't complain now if I have to crank it up.  Besides, we keep it set at 58 most of the time.  Throw on a sweatshirt, kids, winter is coming!

Bath day

It was bath time for two stinky dogs tonight.  They weren't very happy about it.  Lucy was on board at first, but then she figured out what was going on, and decided it wasn't for her.  Hawkeye is ALWAYS ticked when the water runs in the tub.  I have to pick his fat butt up and carry him into the bathroom.  My back hurts.

They smelled like dogs, though, so we had to do it.  I can't have dogs that smell like dogs, you know?  It takes forever to clean the hair and dirt out of the tub.  Hawkeye has an under coat, which explains the hair in my house.  I love that dog, but DANG!  An indoor dog with an under coat will always shed.  There is no way around it.  I wish brushing would work, or the anti-shed shampoo that we use, or the millions of other things that we've tried.  Frankly, my only friend is my lint roller.

We went to Aldi today.  I have a love/hate relationship with Aldi.  We spent half of what we would have at WalMart, but that place is annoying at best.  We announced to the girls that we weren't buying any cookies, candy, cakes, or any other sugary treat.  That went over like a lead balloon, but we stuck to it.  They are hooked on snacks, and it's our fault.  We are fat people with fat ways.  Time to change things.  We've changed things before, so I think I can manage....let's just hope it sticks longer this time.

After the groceries were put away, Kevin called out, "There's a lady on a horse in our front yard!"  The girls ran out shouting, "Grandma!!!!"  We enjoy it when they stop by and Blue has a few bites from our front yard.  What a good looking animal.

Well, time to go play pogo, or some other nice waste of time on a Saturday night.  I hope you all are well and happy.

Thanksgiving happenings, Nstuff

Thanksgiving was great.  We hung lights on the house, and Kevin didn't break any bones at all!  Considering the stretch that involves perching a ladder on a tailgate and having your wife hold it steady...I'd say we did OK.

I told the girls we couldn't put up the tree until the house was clean.  It took three reminders for them to get into gear and clean up their messes, but it was finally done.  The tree is trimmed, but we still lack a topper.  I don't like the one we've used in years past. I plan to buy a new one this weekend.

Well, there are the pictures.  I'm done for tonight.  Tomorrow I'll post more....maybe.  We'll see.  I know, you're holding your breath.  Now I've gone and kept all 3 of my readers in suspense.  Sorry, didn't mean to.