Morning Coffee

Our neighbors put this chair out on the curb yesterday and my daughter fell in love with it. So we rescued it and put it in the garage until the day she has her own place. There are a few rips in it, but the frame is solid. I ran some errands this afternoon and left the garage door up and came home to this. I think Roscoe has adopted her chair for the time being!

Long Winter Days

The days have dragged this week. It was endless. And I'm in a funky mood, which I realized this morning feels like depression creeping in. I have a problem with it, especially in the Winter. I've detected enough of a pattern over the years to know it sets in about now and it's probably sun deprivation. As soon as we get a sunny early Spring day that I can go out and bask in I'll feel the shift. Knowing this doesn't make it easier, however. My mind scatters, I can't seem to move in a straight line, mentally, at all. Every hurtle seems bigger. But.... I have a chance to go to Florida next month. Definitely can't afford it, but it isn't an opportunity I care to miss. I'm going, even if I have to hitchhike! I'm just hoping that the Florida sun does the trick!

We're All Members of the Mob

A little bit of silliness on Facebook this morning. But it's true--if you say you're from Illinois, people always say, 'Oh Chicago?'. No. It's a big state. And we don't carry Tommy-guns. (I'll bet upstate New Yorkers have the the same problem!)

Morning Coffee

Jinx finally got to go outside and run around (the rain melted almost all of the foot deep snow) until he came in, exhausted. It's amazing the positions cats get in, all twisted around. He slept all afternoon!
(yes, that's a box with a piece of carpet on in-- so he can look out the window in comfort.)

The Sun Rises on a Brighter Day!

We have water! The plumbers got here yesterday afternoon and it was an easy fix. My husband said he got done in less than an hour. While one plumber was under the house fixing the problem the other one was in the drive way, getting his truck unstuck! We have a narrow drive way and he slid off of it. Anyway, got home from work and was able to take a hot shower. Best shower of my life! It's supposed to get warmer today, maybe into the low 40s (heat wave!) with rain. My concern is the fact that there is no where for it to go. Somehow, I don't think the City crew is going to drive around this morning digging out the sewer drains. I had almost hoped to wake up to freezing rain and use it as an excuse to not show up to work. I could use a day off--such a long week!

Just for a taste of the fun we've been having, I'm sharing this video. I think you have to go to YouTube to watch it. The last 30 seconds or so are our stretch of road. People have talked about the "Snow of '82" for years (18" that year) but I think this is worse, just because of the colder temps.

I Need a Little Less Reality, Please

Well, the earliest we can get a plumber is Friday, maybe. When I was little, my Grandparents lived in the boonies and had no indoor plumbing. If they did it every day, I can do it for a few days. But that doesn't mean I'm happy about it!

My husband made it to work yesterday, but he said he's never seen anything like it. When he got into Effingham there was so many Semi's lining the roads, he didn't think he was going to make it through. The authorities were directing them to every large parking lot in town until every one of them was full, eventually they parked them on the sides of the road. The truckstops kept running out of diesel and the fuel trucks couldn't get through to refill the tanks. It may be days before they get it all sorted out. Things started to get back to normal at the store yesterday, most of our delivery trucks got through and were able to get limited orders to us. We still look a bit picked through, but at least we have the staples again. Unfortunately, they are predicting more precipitation for today and tomorrow. Every one keeps saying, yes, but it's supposed to be rain tomorrow and it's going to be in the 40s. But they aren't thinking about the fact that the rain has no were to go! I think it could be a whole other bunch of problems!

I'm keeping my sense of humor in all of this. Because it's that or roll up in a ball and cry. So, laughter all around, my dears!

Mark Your Calendar!

The continuing saga of Winter Storm Ion is making my life miserable interesting. I live10 miles from where I70 and I57 crosses in Illinois. It's a trucker's haven, lots of truckstops and restaurants. The authorities have asked people to avoid parts of the town because of the congestion caused by the truckers getting off the Interstate to rest and refuel which has become a problem all on it's own. Check it out here and here. My husband works at Menard's, which is in the middle of all of that mess. He hasn't gone in the last two days (we couldn't get the car out of the drive) but he's tried it this morning.

On other fronts, I've decided people are just stupid. We have been asked to stay off the roads--so of course the store was nuts busy all day yesterday with people who just wanted to get out and see if they could! We did get milk and bread (but no eggs) but they were both later than normal. I stayed in a good mood and handled it well but its stressful and gets exhausting. And then a half hour before the end of my day, my husband called to ask me to call the City office and see if they could turn off our water-- we had a pipe break. Oh lord. I was almost in tears by that point. We had left our facets dripping, hoping to avoid such an occurrence. One good thing, we had been collecting that dripping water into jugs so we have water to drink. I've got snow melting on the stove right now so I can flush the toilets, but no shower. I left a call with the local plumber--hopefully he doesn't have too long of a back list. I'm trying to keep my sense of humor, but it's a wispy thing right now!

Wonderful Winter Weather

When I walked into work yesterday, my boss looked surprised. The head meat-cutter, the only other person there except for the boss' son, told me no one else showed up and they didn't expect me, either. I live 3 blocks away, for heavens sake. I was going to show up. To be honest, I was a bit pissed. If they didn't want me, they should have called! How was I to assume that he would assume I wasn't coming?  The store was sold out of milk, and bread, and eggs, and assorted other staples. I've never seen the shelves that empty, and there is no guarantee we'll get any today. So I worked 3 hours then they sent me home because they closed early. I could have used one of my personal days, now I'm just going to have a short check. Oh, well. So anyway, I'm going to bundle up and do it again this morning (unless he calls. Surely, he'll call this time). It's 13 below right now. It's going to be an ice-cream headache the whole way! My husband's home again. He works 15 miles away and we still can't get the car out of the garage. Hopefully, things will be better tomorrow!

Because the Stupid People Need Those Cigarettes!

I haven't heard anything official, but I'm guessing we got close to a foot of snow yesterday. The drift is bad and the temps are sub-zero. The authorities have declared most of the roads closed and dangerous. I live three blocks from work, so I'm sure here in another hour or two I'll be trekking my way to the store--most of my fellow employees live in the next town over or in the country so we'll be working with a skeleton crew. Ideally, we wouldn't even open because people shouldn't be out! But, and I know this from experience, I'll have customers come in for one thing. Milk, a loaf of bread (I'm sure we're out of both) or a pack of cigarettes. It's not so much that they need them but they simply have this itch to challenge the elements. Not me--I'd be quite happy to stay in! I'm holding on to the tiniest flicker of hope that my boss calls and tells me to stay home. (Not going to happen, but a girl can dream!)

Morning Coffee

I wish I could have gotten a better picture, but my husband started talking to him and that was the end of that-no more poses. Besides, it's so bright outside, maybe a picture without glare wasn't going to happen, anyway! Poor Jinx is so confused. He wants to go outside, he walks around making little meow noises and walks to the door. Then he sits on the porch looking out at the snow for a few minutes before he wants back in. And then we do it all again!

Dreaming of Warmer Days

I'm stuck inside today, loads of snow coming down. It's beautiful and the temperature is hoovering right at freezing with no wind. It would be a great time to go for a walk, before the arctic cold moves in. The son has already been out once already. It's been years since I've taken a walk in the snow. But... I tend to fall and break things, so the best thing for me to do is stay inside and admire it through the window. I did go stand on my deck and bask in the peace of it earlier. Anyway, as pretty as it is, I'm already looking forward to Spring. I planned on planting an herb garden last Summer but that didn't happen. My resolution (for lack of a better word) is to make it happen this year. I love fresh herbs, and saving bees is an added plus!

Happy New Year, My Beauties!

What 2013 taught me:

We don't have to act our age. Who determines what that is, anyway?

Socks don't have to match.

Don't sweat the small stuff. (okay, we all know this, but don't we tend to ignore it?)

Don't stress over what we can't change. Hell, don't stress over the things you can change, but know you won't.

We can't live our lives to please others, so why waste the energy trying. (again, one of those things we all know, but tend to forget)

Find new (to you) music, quit playing the same old stuff over and over. It really does feed the soul.

Dance--anywhere, anytime.

Give hugs freely. 

Color your hair blue, or red, or purple (whatever color you like) at least once.

Eyeliner rocks!

It doesn't matter if your mom doesn't like your hair or your boots, not if you like them. 

Don't let other people's embarrassment be yours. 

Not new, but most important--Laugh!