Exciting Things!

I can't say I'm a fan of Regis and Kelly. Heck, I've never seen their show. By the time it's on, I'm at work. But a couple of weeks ago my cousin told me about this man, Dean Karnazes, who is running across the country to raise funds for Action for Healthy Kids and Regis and Kelly are doing live feeds on their show throughout his cross-country run. He started at Disneyland on Friday, Feb. 25 and is heading across Arizona and New Mexico. One of his stops on his run to New York is going to be in our own small town! At that time, it wasn't common knowledge, but it had been announced at the City Council meeting the night before (my cousin is a Councilman). The really exciting thing is, we aren't going to just be a rest stop--we're going to be a featured stop, the only one in Illinois! It could be good publicity for us. I just wish it was going to be a month or two later. It's a very pretty town in summer when the trees are all green and the flowers are blooming. I think I'm going to have to take the day off!

http://www.dadt.com/live/special/runacrossamerica/index.html

Valentine's Day

My husband and I have been married for almost 23 years. It was never a great romance, more like something that just happened. Like all relationships, it's had it's ups and downs. It seems lately like there has been more downs. Last year I wasn't sure we were still going to be together much longer. But we have "made it through" again. Valentine's Day has never been a big deal around here--not because I didn't want it that way, but because no one else participated much. But this year I got a big surprise with tea roses! I really can't explain how much that means to me, coming from a man who has never given me flowers before! He has always remembered our Anniversary and he makes a big deal out of Christmas, but V-Day and my Birthday have always just been another day to him. I had already decided to "recommit" myself to this relationship. I guess this means he has too. That's the best present, I suppose!

ELO

One of my first cassettes was ELO's Out of the Blue. I was 13 at the time and had just discovered J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. So I listened to this music while I sat on my bed and read--for hours and hours! Until I literally wore the tape out. (Now I own it on CD) To this day, 30 years later, when I hear this music I think of LOTR! And visa verse!

We got more snow on top of the ice. I want sun on my face. I want to till and hoe and pull weeds. I want to feel the dirt between my toes. I want green!

Happy Groundhogs Day!

It's been quite the week. The Weather Channel started mentioning bad winter weather at the end of last week. Sunday the grocery store was very busy with people stocking up. Monday was so busy, we had a hard time keeping up. We ran out of bread--we never run out of bread! It was a record breaking day. Tuesday it started raining mid-morning. By noon it was starting to freeze. We stayed busy. That night the weight on the lines and trees was too much and electricity went out all over the area. We live in town, so our's went out, came back on, went out, came back on, over and over all night. Needless to say, we didn't get much sleep. But we are better off than the people that live out in the country. They may not get their electricity back for a few more days. After the day of freezing rain, we started getting sleet. I'll bet we got over an inch. Ever try to walk on a layer of sleet that is covering a layer of ice? Not fun. Then yesterday we got snow. Even though it snowed most of the day, I would say we got less than 2 inches. I would say we dodged a bullet--again. Some how, we seem to be in a spot here where the worst of the weather goes around us. It's a pain but it's beautiful. The worst and the best of Mother Nature! I heard Phil didn't see his shadow yesterday and Spring should be early. Fingers crossed that he is right!