SNOWY SUNDAY---AND COLD

[Nasoosie]

GOOD MORNING TO ALL!

After reading about Barbie's temperatures yesterday, this seems veritably balmy here this morning! The cold in MN is some of the most uncomfortable I have ever felt!

Sunday it is, 8 degrees F., windy and snowing. (Chill factor is way below zero) It looks as if we got about another 5 inches of snow overnight. The wood fire is feeling great this morning. I need to remember to have my son try to start my generators for me before we have to leave for the airport, just to make sure they are running smoothly. We will run them about a half hour, if possible. We also need to call the airport to see what the time schedule for flights might be today. Their flight is scheduled for about 5:30pm, so am hoping that this storm might wind down a bit by then. They also promised me they would help bring in firewood this morning so I would have a full bin inside here. So many thoughts running through my head this morning----I just can't fathom that this vacation is already over. Many of you are saying you are looking forward to getting back to work and a schedule---NOT ME! I am totally dreading having to go back tomorrow. It will be so hard to have face those kids and that schedule again. The only good thing about it any more is that bi-weekly paycheck. Can I force myself to keep on just for money? Not so sure any more. The kids will come back from their home time even more messed up emotionally than they were when we left. The kid who went to the Bronx will be talking like a street-gang member for at least a week, and will get slapped into internal suspension for swearing, shoving, and using vulgar language. My comatose girl will arrive comatose, as usual, and probably with the same set of clothes (one of two sets she has) she left with, covered with dried drool all down the front. I offered some new clothes before we left for the break, and she said her mother hated them and wouldn't allow her to wear them. ----Is that true, I am wondering, or is she just too proud to accept some help....whatever, I took the clothes back and will offer them to someone else.

Thus, here I am, last day of freedom, wondering where I will go from here......as usual.

Coffee is hot, so stop by and sit a spell and let us know what's up in your neck of the woods, or desert, as the case may be. I know that Central FL has a frost warning for last night and this morning, so those of you down there will be bundled up!

The winter is yet young!

[avalen]

Good morning ladies
last day of vacation, yep, I'm one thats ready to get back to work but thats only
because of the paycheck! If I had money coming in and could sit at home and
do what ever I wanted, I'd be in seventh heaven. Doing up just a bit of left over
laundry today so I can put the wash machine back in the corner until next weekend.
Noticed the bedroom is full of dust bunnies in those cubby holes for clocks and such,
so that will get done today for sure. Gracie has claimed one of those cubbies for
her own personal space will have to wipe little dog hairs out of that one and
change her bedding.
Temps were only 45° but it will get better of course when the sun comes up.
I'm ready for another cup of coffee and check the forum for new posts.
Have a great day and be safe.

[Cedar518]

Good morning!

Same here,... about 5". Still snowing lightly here and I know the winter storm warning is in effect until 7 a.m. tomorrow. But I expect by the time the kids fly south it will be pretty much over. If it were rain I would say it was "misting"... it's that light.

I'm ready to go back to school, but it's because I have a job that i enjoy. I feel so bad for you Soos, having to face your situation. If you want to continue to work another year is there any chance for a different assignment for the next year? I know you would like to earn a bit more $$ yet. Just know we're sending you strength from over here on this side of the hill. As difficult as it is for you I know you are a good thing for those kids.

Here it's a laundry, closet organizing, frige cleaning, grocery cupboard organizing day. B'fast is over,.... coffee almost gone,... so I guess it's time to "git'er done!"

[Echo]

GOOD MORNING SISTAHS!!!

Holysmokaronies!!! It's freaking cold outside. BRRRRRR Thermometer says 10f and there's hoar frost all over the windows. It amazes me that TN has pretty much the same weather as upstate NY and sometimes right up into the New England states. I noticed it back in '02 when I started paying attention to it in preparation to moving up there. For whatever reason, probably the way the mountains run, the swath of weather follows a line right up thru to Maine. Tho of course ya'll get more snow up there. It's rather bitter outside especially when the wind kicks up, I know it numbed my fingers pretty quickly this morning when I took the dogs out. Brought in a few pieces of wood to get the wood stove fired up and burning good to get it warmed back up in here. I am so glad that I found my winter coat in the attic. You had better believe that it will be going with me when we leave here.

The past two nights Kelly has wimped out and slept on the couch!! Me? I'm still sleeping in the room we've been using. That room should be the dining room and the next one to it is one they've set up as Connors room but he sleeps in a bassinet in the kids room. But anyway we keep the doors shut and the heat out in the main part of the house so it gets really rather cold in there. I like sleeping in a cold room with lots of blankets so I'm in good shape. Now if it gets toasty out in the main part of the house we open up the doors and let the cold air out and the heat into those rooms. But that hasn't happened very often.

Nothing really planned for today. Need to carry in wood, do dishes and there's for sure one load of laundry (towels) to wash maybe a load of clothes too? Things here have been pretty quiet and some what on an even keel but all of a sudden Jenny has up and spent the last two nights staying over to her Moms and last night David went to his buddies house to stay. We are leaving out this coming weekend so I guess one other thing we will be doing today is making sure all of our stuff is grouped up, pack away what we can and have it ready to go out the door. After that what happens here will be anybodies guess. ~sigh~

Oh goodness that wood stove is just a crackling merrily away in there and I can feel the loverly heat coming out into the kitchen!!! Ahhhhhh Shade just came out in the kitchen and her backside is all nice and toasty!!! I guess you can figure out where she's been laying! She ain't no dummy! Kelly, sleeping on the couch has now thrown off her blankets! Yep, it's warmed up nicely in there.

There's still some coffee left in the pot if anyone wants some and I still have some of the Turtle Pecan Biscotti left to share. I think I will to a warm up on my coffee cup, eat a Biscotte, catch up on the postings and then get after the dishes.

Hope ya all have a great day. For goodness sake stay warm unless your in Yuma or Mexico!!! If your out running around anywhere please be safe and watch out for the other guys on the road!!!!!

Love to all

[AlmostThere]

Oh, my muscles get all tensed up and achy when I read about how cold some of you are!! I HATE being cold! I just can't take it anymore. At 40* my knees start knocking and my teeth chattering. No kidding!! So my heart goes out to all of you who are enduring it.

Nothing planned for today. I'm just now having my coffee as I slept in till 8. I popped awake at 1 and played on the computer till 3 before hitting the hay again, hence sleeping late (for me).

Keep the homefires burning, ladies! Literally!
Everyone, have a blessed day!

[dpf]

Morning ladies! If you just wait about 45 minutes I'll have a couple loaves of freshly baked cranberry/oatmeal/pecan cinnamon bread to add to the table and some fresh brewed coffee with Irish Cremer. It's -3 this morning and little wind so the wind chill is only -11. Decided it was a good morning to fire up the bread machine and try a new recipe and warm up the house at the same time! I never bake my bread in the machine because I don't like the shape of the loaves. I'll certainly let you be my guinea pigs! We were blessed (?) with another 2" of snow last night...that puts us up to about 23" and it can stop anytime. The only people who appreciate this weather are skiers, snow mobilers, snow removal companies and tow truck owners! I really should take down the Christmas tree today but I just don't know if I'll get around to it...guess I'm still waiting for the holiday spirit to strike me! Certainly couldn't get into it this year.

Soos...I certainly understand how you feel. I taught in three different schools, loved the first two and absolutely hated the last one! It should have been a step up being a larger district, better salary schedule but going to work seemed like a punishment. In November of the second year I was teaching there I told my DH that I didn't know what I was going to be doing next year but it certainly wasn't going to be teaching in that hell hole.

Barbie...if I remember correctly you drive an Escort...my work car is a Tracer wagon...they're pretty much the same thing. I find when it gets this cold that if I take a piece of cardboard about half the size of the radiator and put it between the grill and the radiator it really helps the little sucker warm up better. If I don't it seems like it never really throws out enough heat to really warm up the interior during the 20 mile drive to work. Just remember take take it out after the Artic Blasts! Pretty much the same theory that you see on semi's with the cover on the grill in the winter. It sounds like the midwest isn't going to get to normal winter temps anytime soon...when we finally see 32* again I think I'll put on the screen windows and sit out on the deck and have a beer! Sad to think of that as a heat wave!

Echo...where are you and Kelly heading when you leave TN?

I really envy those of you going to the Florida GTG. The camping bug has hit me so bad that this morning I ran off the 90 day reservation sheets for our state parks and started looking at the weekends we'll want to go so I can mark the days I have to call in on the 2010 calendar. Had to cross off three weekends because of weddings. Wish those darn kids would be more considerate and get married during the off-camping season! Or at least get married some place close to where we like to camp!

[Cedar518]

.... when I read about how cold some of you are!! I HATE being cold! ...... So my heart goes out to all of you who are enduring it.

I guess Lenora it's been the way of life for my whole lifetime so it really isn't a big deal here. it's just how it is. To those not in the north country I suppose that seems unimaginable. We take it in stride and unless it's an ice storm like we had in '98 -- we either go out and play in it or sit back in a recliner and watch a movie!

Our homes and vehicles and clothing are all geared for the changing seasons. I spent the winter of '04/'05 in Mobile, AL, and the next early winter after my X had left me behind and gone back to AL,.. I was home alone when the first snow fell .. I went out and danced in it! It was a wondeful day! (wonderful because it was snowing and also because I'd finally realized it was good he'd gone! haha!)

[jemek]

Morning...
Well some of you are quite cold with lots of snow.
We have cool weather and Rain...it is suppose to let up a bit.

The boys have all headed off to Seattle. DH and DS 13 are going to the Seahawks Game. DS 21 and DS 18 caught a ride down there so they can go the Science Fiction Museum and the Experience Music Project.

I think the girls and I will work on getting some of the decorations put away. We undecorated the tree yesterday..it is getting dry. All the ornaments are on the table and need to put away.

Soos....I agree I am not ready for the break to end either..I enjoy the more relaxed schedule.

Kodie has her MRI tomorrow morning and we have to be to the hospital by 8am...so I most likely will not make it in for morning coffee.
She will be getting an IV sedation. They said to plan on being there about 4 hours.
This is her brain/spine MRI to check her pituitary gland. They are checking to make sure it developed correctly, that there is no cyst, tumors, or other reasons for it not to be functioning correctly and producing the proper levels of growth hormone. She had Growth hormone testing in November that showed her growth hormone levels to be low, so for some reason her body is not producing the correct levels needed.

[Echo]

Well the thermometer says it's now up to 20f. Ohhhh, getting warmer out there! I have no idea what bug bit my behind but I've been an industrious little 'Susie Homemaker'! Got the dishes done, table semi cleaned back up, a load of laundry going and next on the agenda is sweeping the back porch and the kitchen floor. Just came inside again. David had asked me if I could sweep up his mess of little rubber bits and strings he had out in the carport? So yeah I said I would. Well I did that then ended up sweeping the whole carport. Now mind you I have no idea why the heck I swept the whole thing?? First good wind is gonna blow a bunch of crap right back in on the floor of it. But once I started? What the heck, figured I do the whole thing.

DPF, Kelly and I are going to head for and end up in Yuma AZ. Whole lot warmer there. As long as I'm not stuck in a S&B I might as well be where it's warm. Also we will be going back to work at the Lodge in northern AZ come May.

Cedar has the right of it about being from the north country!!! When you are born and raised to it you take it in stride for the most part. I love the snow and have built my share of snowmen, partaken of snowball fights, ice skated, slid down more hills than I can remember, first day I got my learners permit and drove it was in the middle of a snow storm with 5" already on the ground. I've shoveled my share of sidewalks and driveways. Have had to completely shovel out after being snowed in for a couple of days. Rejoiced in the total over all beauty of a fresh snow and yes I've done my share of snow dances. I have also been known to dance with my shadow on the nights that the moon is bright enough or full enough to cast shadows. I think now tho I would much rather spend my time in the warmth. I can still do visits to snow country when needed!!!

[Orchid]

The past few days here in Indiana have been deceptively lovely. We have had sunny days complete with blue skies and puffy white clouds. It's been a real change from Christmas week with all the rain and cold dampness. The only "fly in the ointment" is that the temperatures have been in single digits and teens. I guess we can't have everything and at least it's not snow!

[BirdbyBird]

I love snow and miss those snowy days that SW Ohio used to have....now we get some snow but mostly the arctic blasts with little or no snow. In Jr High and High school I used to work at a riding stable and would be out most every weekend watering horses and filling buckets....out in whatever elements gave us.....my body has lost its ability to tolerate cold temps...the circulatory system will just up and shut down and I am looking at figures and toes with no circulation.....burr shiver. So the cold winters keep me more house bound than I or the pups would like. I miss not being able to walk through the snowy landscape....every once an awhile there will be one of these fluff 29 degree snows I thaa I can take in...but mostly no. I really miss not being able to get out and walk..... So as I begin to travel around I am keeping my eyes open for possibilities of future "landing pads" so to speak.

Soos, I retires as early as I could partly because of unfortunate politics of the Superintendent...I am proud that I made it 30 years through four different individuals before having to work for one that so "toasted" my sense of ethics that I know I needed to be gone....I could no longer help protect the staff in my section of the program from administrative stupidity and/or neglect.

In those years I watched many individuals leave and/or retire for different reasons and some who worked past when they should have retired....I left when I still had a passion for what I did but I knew that there were changes coming that I no longer had the heart to carry the work load through.....And they would not have made sense for kids..... I could have made it out on the road faster if I had worked one more year...but mentally I not sure if it would have mattered.....

When you sit down with the state retirement counselor, figure out how much your retirement might be and figure out what the difference in continuing to work really is? It may be smaller than you think. Then you will know whether or not it is worth it or if you can make up the difference some other more enjoyable way...through work camping or other seasonal employment!

We are all temporarily HERE and temporarily ABLE.....stop and consider what you will hold dear....as the saying goes, at the end very few individuals say, "gosh I wish I had spent MORE time at the office..." The possibilities of your future and good health may be limitless but nothing is guaranteed ...there is more money...or there are opportunities to dance in the fire light! If you can make it happen I recommend finding those opportunities for dancing in the fire light with friends!

[Echo]

Excellent post Tina.

I think what got me into moving into the life style was falling at work and hurting my knee so badly. Got me to thinking that I wasn't getting any younger and that my 'self' wasn't invincible any longer! Would have liked to have drove truck a couple of more years to set a better amount of money aside. But that did not happen. And I have to feel that it was for a reason.

Things all happen for a reason.

[AlmostThere]

Echo and Cedar,

Cedar wrote; I guess Lenora it's been the way of life for my whole lifetime so it really isn't a big deal here. it's just how it is. To those not in the north country I suppose that seems unimaginable.

I lived 51 yrs in the cold. First 30 yrs in the midwest just south of Chicago then 21 in Alaska, so I think I paid my dues. I didn't mind it so much till I moved to Alaska. Then it got old real fast!

Tina, it's my circulation, too. Just can't tolerate it.

Kris, will keep Kodie in my prayers for tomorrow.

[Redetotry]

Good post TIna the words "We are all temporarily HERE and temporarily ABLE." really hit home with me because I tend to put things I want to do off some times thinking of the cost etc but the reality is we live in the present. The rest of your post could have been written my my brother and several other of my close relative who loved their work and enjoyed the students but...just couldn't continue with the changes that happened so they retired as soon as possible.

The cold continues here also, it was in the single digits last night and 22 during the day with wind. I don't tolerate the cold like I used to either but do a bit better with it than I do heat and humidity. Where is that perfect climate! oh and the perfect one that we can afford!

[bluepinecones]

I'm one of those people who cannot imagine how those of you in colder climates manage to survive the winters.
I have lived in AL all my life but went to college in KY. Remember the first snow fall there. I peeked out the window and went back to bed. Never crossed my mind that the school would be open with a foot of snow on the ground. Missed two days of classes before someone came to check on me and I discovered that everyone else has been going to class.
We do get snow here and an ice storm once in a while. But they are usually gone within a few hours or days. If last more than a few hours, everything just closes down until it warms up. People, houses, clothes, and cars here are not well suited to prolonged temps below about 20 degrees. I haven't owned a coat for years. Since I don't work any more, have not needed one as I just stay home or am only out for very short period if it is really cold, i.e. just about anywhere near or below freezing. I do enjoy the beauty of snow but think I strongly prefer it from the inside looking out.

Soos, Take Tina's message to heart. I will be thinking positive thoughts for you as you return to work.