We do have a generator but it was giving us issues causing us to rely on just our wood burning fireplace for warmth for almost 5 days before we got it up and running. Let’s just say, it was no indoor camping trip!
I have so much work to catch up on and lost a week of income with my other job that requires me to work online. More than an inconvenience it causes financial hardship for so many that work from home. Many people do not understand that aspect of it.
However, nothing much can be done about that but to move forward. I feel a great deal of pressure to make up all the missed work and deadlines. I am going to do the best that I can and try to hope that is enough.
Thank you all for your patience . Let me tell you, I cannot wait for spring!!!
This morning Staten Island Chuck, in a new Plexiglas enclosure made his prediction. Chuck said we would have an early spring. I want to take the word of Chuck, really I do, but I saw some shadows under him on the video replay. The prediction of early spring is a bit ironic on the day of the first major blizzard we have seen this year.
It is snowing like crazy outside right now, so Chuck’s prediction was very welcome, not sure how realistic though. However, I decided to embrace Chuck’s prediction. That was until Punxsutawney Phil had to see his shadow and predict 6 more weeks of winter. I should share that old Phil has quite a track record of calling for more winter, he has predicted more winter 102 times and early spring a measly 17 times. Chuck has a track record of being right for the last 5 years.
So while I want desperately to believe Chuck, that negative Nelly Phil is probably right. On a side note the new enclosure for Chuck was thought to be a safer alternative given what happened last year when Mayor de Blasio dropped Charlotte (the unlucky Chuck stand in), several feet. Poor Charlotte died a week later of internal injuries, however the Staten Island Zoo has not officially declared that it was a result of the fall. Come on now, we all know that Mayor de Blasio has Charlotte’s blood all over his hands. Speaking of hands, back in 2009 Chuck bit then Mayor Michael Bloomberg on the hand.
Not to throw any more puns in but back to the question at hand. Who do I believe, fellow New Yorker Chuck or my friend in Pennsylvania Phil? Phil or Chuck, Chuck or Phil? I think I will go with Phil and hope to be pleasantly surprised to learn that Chuck was right. I just can’t get those shadows I saw under Chuck out of my mind.
What do you think? Let me know who you think is right.
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Conquer the mountain with Team SHREDZ – Brett, Brody, Chase, Justin, Luke, Mason, and Shane!
Build It – Carve It- Shred It.
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Don’t forget our Scentsationals give-away ends soon so be sure and get your entries in. I am warming some cinnamon vanilla now and it smells so good. We have so many great reviews and give-aways coming up so make sure you subscribe to the blog and like us on Facebook so you don’t miss any. Happy Spring everyone!!!
Anyway, I walked with a smile on my face, so grateful for the chance to walk in the beauty that surrounds me. As I get older I know too well just how short life is. How we never know if it will be our last day or a loved one’s last day on this Earth. Given the tragedy in Japan, I do not take lightly the fact that I can walk, breathe fresh air and feel safe. Sometimes I feel like Heidi, but I love “my mountain.” It will not be long until the remaining thin layer of ice on the lake melts, until the water is full of boats and kids and life. While I was thinking of why it felt so different to walk today than say in January on a mild day, it hit me! The birds, the beautiful songbirds, our snow birds who take off to spend their winters in the south were back. Not only were they back but they were singing loudly and it was so beautiful to hear. As we came upon a house on the other side of the lake, a man who was putting up sheet rock inside a house stepped outside. It was near quitting time for him and he was putting some of his tools in the bed of his truck. He saw Sassy first and called to his co-worker in the house, “Hey, a little dog!” Then he saw Zoey and I approach. He was adjusting things in his truck and he said, “Wow, more people walking around here then cars.” I don’t know if he expected this small private lake to be like the Indy 500, but he said it, like it almost annoyed him.
I replied, “Well, it’s a beautiful day!”
“Could be better”, was his flat reply.
I thought for a moment, maybe he was having a bad day. Maybe he was the kind of person who felt everything could be better. Maybe, he had a fight with his wife or lost someone close to him. However, I told him that is was good enough and that it will get better. He muttered something and I thought a moment and as I passed the house I turned and looked over my shoulder in his direction and called out, “I’ll take it!”
The day lilies breaking through the ground.
Who says you can’t bury your head in the snow?
Alexandra had to travel in this mess to get to Albany and the trip took 4.5 hours. She is starting her internship tomorrow. She is very excited. We are very proud of her and very glad she made it up there safely.
Hope you all are staying safe and warm if you are in the path of this storm. I am going to do some cardio on the treadmill now. Do something great for yourself today!!!
Snow, because we are getting another storm. We are luckily not being hit hard and NYC and NJ will bear the brunt of the storm. This is the trend that was last year, so hopefully it will be this year as well.
Shopping, because tomorrow afternoon, Alexandra, Luke and I go on the famous Sam’s run. Seriously we hit Sams every week. I know there are many people who only need to hit the wearhouse stores monthly, but not us. We need a weekly Sam’s run. We have to stop at the eye doctor as she drove herself the other week to an eye exam and they could not dialate her eyes. So, we need to stop in and let them do that and examine her dialated eyes. Needless to say I will be doing the driving. It also looks like a Wegmans trip is on the agenda as well. I love Wegmans.
Cleaning and organizing, because we are working on our basement right now and are clearing out and organizing. We finally got our exercise area set up and I did 30 minutes of cardio on the treadmill so that made me really happy. I have also been going through the little ones’ closets and trying to get things organized. That is always an ongoing battle.
Disney vacations, because in the Spring we are driving down to Florida and so I have spent the last few nights up to the wee hours of the morning researching villas, hotels, parks, packages and more. My eyes hurt and I am not even sure if the little ones are just too little. We are going down because Jimi is in a power-lifting competition in Atlanta, GA. Then we are going to go to Florida to see his sister so we will be in the Tampa area. I am looking at maybe doing Tampa Busch Gardens and Sea World instead. I am not sure but we have to make our minds up soon because most of the booking deals end January 31st.
Some of the other thoughts running through my mind on these cold winter days are planning my garden. Planning my garden really reminds me that spring is around the corner and I can taste it. Spring always has me thinking of free-ranging chickens but then I am always brought to reality by my sane husband who reminds me that our dogs will put an end to free-ranging chickens. He also points out he is the pet caretaker and he does not want any more to take care of at this point. I can’t blame him. He does all the work with the pets while we just get to enjoy the pets. So one can still dream right.
Hope you all have pleasant dreams and that you all are staying warm and cozy on these Winter nights. God Bless you all.
I cannot believe it is almost the end of January. Tomorrow will be the 25th!!! I think January is a hard month for most people. I just heard on the news the other day that the third Monday in January is the most depressing day of the year. I guess with the holidays being over, bills coming in to be paid from holiday spending and the winter setting in just leads some to feel depressed. Let’s embrace the fact that the days are getting longer and that January is just about over. Just think next month is so close to Spring. Before we know it we will be seeing the first crocus break through the cold ground. That little brave crocus shows that even in the depth of winter their lies the hope of spring. Hope everyone had a lovely weekend.
Alexandra is going to start volunteering with Aileen Gunther from the NYS Assembly. She is quite excited about doing that 2 days a week. Well, just a short update and some pics. Hope you all have a wonderful week and stay warm and drive safe if you are in the path of the storm. God Bless.
It was incredibly mild, I did not even need a jacket. The lake is semi-frozen. Definitely would not be on the ice as it looks a bit thawing. I guess we are right on target for the infamous “January Thaw” my mother always spoke about. I took my camera and it was a great walk that definitely worked out my body and mind. I find walking and taking pictures so relaxing and really helps to de-stress and unwind my mind. I especially love being able to look back on various pictures at different times of the year. I love looking at my beautiful bright Peony flowers on a cold winter night, or see my kids splashing and swimming in the lake when we are blanketed in snow.
I really like that I started the new year off with a nice walk. Getting my body back to the routine of my walks felt so good. I mean walking on a treadmill is nothing to the experience of walking out in the beautiful world we live in. When I walk with my camera there is always the anticipation of what I might see and photograph. What great scene may I be able to capture? I hope you all have a wonderful new year. I pray we are all blessed with good health and great love in the new year. God Bless. Welcome 2011!!!