Yada Yada Yada

Winter has hit with a vengeance. I'm not sure how many feet we have on the ground, but just guessing from shoveling the deck, I'd say about 3 feet if not more. Luckily after only one side of the deck, I hired someone to do the rest. From the forecast it looks like we'll get even more. It also looks like we'll go back to single digits next week for awhile. Can't wait.

Christmas was quiet around here, as will New Years. I'll probably have a few beers and watch the South Park marathon. And darn, G won't be here so I'll miss the Three Stooges marathon. How will I go on?

Can't really report much since I've been holed up inside since all the snow hit. I did have a great Christmas eve with neighbors. Prime rib and crab legs for dinner, sledding for dessert. It was a perfect snowy Christmas eve.

Oh.. here's an interesting tidbit. The white dog, Drifter, apparently belongs to a couple in town who are in prison now. Heh. I'm not going into details here, and I certainly don't want to attract that attention here, but it's funny to me that I would wind up with their dog. I'm guessing someone purposely dumped her here.

And with that... I'm outta here.

Saved

I saw Patia's story and just had to share.

Go Read it :)

:)

A Bed of Snow

Peanut Christmas

Before & After

Perfect for the holiday weight goals, eh?

This is Fun

Snowball Fight

Go play. Go.

No really. Go.

Go play it.

I'm serious.

Original

Referring to the previous post, this was taken back in Sept 2006.

He's Back

Remember my little burned/wounded buck from a couple years ago? He growed up good didn't he? :)
















I can't find the original injury photos on this computer, but here's a couple from when he was healing.

13

1. Well, the snow is here. Or seems to be everywhere actually. I'm not sure how much we've gotten since yesterday, but it's over a foot I'm sure.

2. We actually got up to 13 degrees today, felt like a heat wave. It won't last long as I hear we'll be back to single digits by the end of the week.

3. I try to get out and take photos, but you can just stay out there for so long before your hands freeze, ( yes, with gloves) or your face gets chapped. I think I took the most yesterday and today when it got over 10 degrees.

4. I still haven't made it into the big city. My Christmas projects are going to be SO behind. So, if you were expecting anything from me.. it will be late :)

5. My Christmas cards didn't turn out :( Real bummer since I ordered from the same company as last year. My fault really since I didn't read the description fully.. but anyway, I had to reorder. They'll be late too.

6. I usually order gifts online and have them wrapped and delivered. This year I thought I'd make it more personal and wrap them myself and then mail them. I'm still waiting on things to arrive and I have no paper. Guess what else will be late?

7. I've decided all Christmas gifts, projects, and decorating will start in September next year.

8. I'm not usually a fan of Jim Carrey, but I love his Grinch. I'm watching it now.

9. I haven't checked the mail in a few days, I guess I'll pop on the cross-country ski's in the morning and check that out. That's a good mile exercise :)

10. Oh yeah.... Happy Birthday, Michael!!!

11. I love to bake and wish I had someone to bake for. This is the perfect time of year for it. Maybe I should have done that for gifts. Of course, they probably would have been late too.

12. The cats haven't really bothered the tree, which surprises me. I keep waiting for the big finale.

13. They do however LOVE tissue paper from boxes. It's all.over.my.house.

Hey... How's It Goin?

Bites

6 below this morning.

Add in some wind, and it pretty much bites. No, seriously.... I have bite wounds.

This happens every year, usually only lasts a few days, but man is it rough to deal with. I woke up this morning to a house of 56 degrees. At 4:30am I decided I should get up and get the fires started. Which of course requires going outside to haul in some wood. It's a little hard on the 'just woken up' system to register such cold temps. My skin hurts.

I hear it's not going to let up anytime soon either.

I attempted to head into the big city yesterday to do some Christmas shopping. Just a few things, little things that would be silly to pay for shipping for.
It was a beautiful day, very blue skies, sun shining, not a cloud in the sky. It was also 4 degrees. It's deceiving really.

I had hoped to just drive carefully and ignore the idiots and get my day over with.
I hit the next small town in Idaho and decided that was far enough. It's not that I slid much, although the roads are all pretty much ice covered. It's not that I was scared either. I just watched the other people driving, usually young people, just acting like these were dry normal roads.
Yeah.. um...no.
All we have are two lane roads here, so you either have to pass or be passed. (yeah, duh.. I know).. but when the roads are icy... that's a scary combo. People who think they know everything, ride you and act like you're ruining their lives by being careful, which in turns makes you pay more attention to them than the road.
Our roads are pretty curvy here, and a lot border creeks and rivers. Just not safe to be acting so stupid. But.. what can ya do? Hope you see them in a ditch a few miles down the road? YES. Of course, it never happens.

I decided a few cheap Christmas presents weren't worth the scary drive, so I got what I needed there in town. Luckily it's where my feed store is, so I stocked up on animal feed, found a tiny grocery store and headed home.

Amazon.com.. here I come.


**Oh and it's 6:23am, I got the house up to 58 so far. heh.

They're always Sticking their Tongues out at Me

Love It

12 Days

Stolen idea from Michael.

Snowy

Movin' On

Recently on Facebook I found a group of people I went to elementary school with. Many photos have been posted and everyone's recalling memories from those days. I remember just about everyone. I remember the names and stories and places.
People bring up streets I used to walk by on my way to school. Businesses we used to hang out at. I remember the Big Boy restaurant and the local swimming pool. I remember specifically that my sis and I practically lived at that pool. So much so that her hair remained green most of the summer. I also lived in a bikini most of the summer... ahhh to have those days back.

I was a quiet one, I would doubt if many of them truly remember me besides being a redhead in the class. Even though, I remember quite a few redheads.
I had a few close friends at that school, two girls in particular, who have been mentioned many times on the site, although neither are on FB or part of the group. I haven't thought of these girls in many years, but at the time they were my closest friends. My BFF's as they would say now.

Of course once you go down that road, you start remembering other people, other schools, other friends. People in your life you were as close as you could be to. And now... Nothing. We moved pretty often and I lost touch with so many. Alot of my friends had moved on, gotten married and started families while I was still a wanderer.

I know this isn't an original thought by any means, but it still surprises me that you can be so close to someone for a long period of time, but when it's over, it's over. You don't think about them, you don't talk or communicate, it's just over.
Of course the relationships that end badly, or maybe you were hurt or abused... those yes, I understand are truly over.
But what about that old boyfriend, or that ex-husband, or that best friend? At one time you loved this person, you were attached at the hip. They know everything about you, you were inseparable. Now.... not so much.

I know we all just change, we move on. Needs change, personalities change, and we don't connect anymore.
I start to think that those relationships were so much easier... the grade school friendships. You have your favorite buddy for lunch, or the field trips. You write colorful notes and pass in class. You buy matching shirts and think it's so cool to wear them to school on the same day. There were still the clicks, the mean kids, and bullies just like now, but all you needed was that one best friend.

Of course as I got older, moved out on my own and moved from city to city or state to state, the BFF is really just a memory.
What really is a BFF these days except a funny commercial or to make fun of Paris and Nicole? I think I'm beyond the BFF.

I really don't know where I'm going with this post, I seem to just be rambling now. I guess going down memory lane these last few days has just brought up some sadness and reminds me what having a best friend was like. I miss it.


Anyways..back to real life.....I have cards to buy, Christmas presents to order, wood to stock, animals to feed and some snow to shovel. WhooHoo!

**I've mentioned BFF like six times in this post. Bring on the searches.

Brrrrr

Can I just skip Sunday? Or actually, the next couple weeks?

What's This?

13

1. Here I am again, wondering if I can come up with 13 updates.

2. Still not much snow on the ground yet. I've had my cross-country skis ready for days now.

3. I hear we're headed for below zero temps for the next few days. yay.

4. I haven't bought one Christmas gift yet. I'm usually much more prepared. Oh well.. good thing I shop online most of the time.

5. Speaking of not being prepared, I haven't even picked a photo for a personal Christmas card. I should really get on that.

6. We're supposed to have the biggest moon of the year on the 12th. I'll try to remember that.

7. I missed the Charlie Brown specials last week, I did happen to catch both Grinch's.. oh and the Cowboys game gave me ulcers I'm sure of it.

8. I'm watching Home Alone as I type this. He sure was cute, wasn't he? I read on IMDB.com, that by the age of 17 he'd earned enough money that he never needs to work again. Just some trivia for ya.

9. I love IMDB.com.

10. I'm going through a photo rut. Nothing seems appealing to photograph. I force myself to post on Flickr lately. Hopefully this will change soon.

11. I made three cheesecakes today. All pumpkin swirl. My fingers hurt from breaking up all the graham crackers for the crusts. You'd think I'd take the easy way out and just use a hammer or rolling pin, but it just doesn't seem right.

12. I think I'm stuck here at 12.. yep, got nuthin'. hmmmmm.....
Drifter (white dog) is still here. As is Charlie (turkey).

13. I want This for Christmas. If you need my address just let me know ;)

Turkey.in.the.Snow

I'm It.

I've been tagged by MonsterMash with 7 random things about me. I've done this a few times, but I'll try to think of something new.

1. I can't stand apple juice. I like apples, and I like apple sauce.. but apple juice seriously gags me. Not kidding.. I can't even smell it.
I like many fruits, but can't stand the juices.

2. If I leave the house for any length of time and Taylor can't go, I leave the TV on for her. Not the cats, just the dog. But... I have to leave it on a decent channel. I'd hate to leave it on some channel where a big scary zombie people-eating movie comes on.

3. I'm obsessed with keeping a full tank of gas. I rarely go anywhere and it takes me forever to go through a tank of gas, but I insist its full, or at least over half a tank. Especially in the winter.

4. Same with the freezer. I try to keep a very full freezer. We have three freezers and they're all basically full. Drives the husband crazy.

5. I love PB&J on toast for breakfast. I don't do it often since I rarely even have bread in the house, but it's still a fave. I want one now.

6. I tend to keep WAY too many items of things I like, although I can't use them or wear them all. I have so many lotions, lip balms, beauty products.. things I can't possibly go through anytime soon. But.. I have to have them. Same with shoes and jeans. I have way too many to admit and rarely get to wear any of them.

7. Speaking of lip balm/gloss. It's everywhere. All over the house, in drawers, in each room. You can find them in the pockets of most of my coats, jeans and camera bags. You'll also find at least two in my car and G's car. They melt every year in the car, but they're still there.


So I'm supposed to tag, eh?
1. Stacie
2. Laura
3. Mike
4. Ellen
5. Grey
6. Amy

That's all... have fun :)

If I go missing.....

Stolen from Sugarfused.

For The Men

Stay out of the DogHouse.

13

1. I've decided that 13 is just going to be an update list. Although, I'm not sure I have that many. Kinda sad when you don't have 13 "things" to talk about within a week.

2. I had no TTAMM on Monday, although after shopping in the big city on Tuesday, I had plenty. WHY.. do people drive under the speed limit??? Why? We only have two lane highways here, and they're curvy roads with very few passing options. Going 45 in a 55 is very irritating.

3. Still no snow here.. I'm kinda bummed. It's darn cold, and we've had flakes here and there, but nothing on the ground. If you remember the photo of Marble and Trout together in the snow... that was last year, Dec 1st.

4. The tree is up and decorated, although I can't get to the top. I bought a ladder today. The tree's about 10 feet tall, so I still might not be able to put a star on it.

5. The cats have been unusually good too...they must be planning a surprise attack.

6. I started an Etsy site. Ideas welcome :)

7. The turkey survived Thanksgiving and is still hanging around. We've been calling him Charlie.

8. I'm not sure I'll have a personal Christmas card this year, I might actually have to buy them (gasp). **oh and I want addresses for Christmas cards. If you want to exchange cards please email me an address at wildvizionz at gmail.com :)

9. I was in Walmart on Tuesday, in the Christmas section, when I saw black tree decorations. Black bulbs, garland, etc. First time I've seen that. I was trying to see just how you'd do that. Black and Gold and on a white tree? I did see a pink artificial tree... black and pink?

10. I also saw Hannah Montana and John Deer tree decor. And, they weren't even in Christmas-y colors. Just odd. Oh and.. camo stockings. I actually almost considered getting a couple :)

11. I also stopped for a White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha at Starbucks. I easily could have gone back for a couple more. SO good. Go get one.

12. Oh here's a good one, and I'm not sure why I'm sharing this, but I was in a tire place on Tuesday as my car was having tire issues. That smart little car kept telling me my tire pressure was low.
I'd fill the tires and within a few days, the light would be back on. So.. off to the tire place. We drop it off, go shopping, come back to pick it up.
I had a green tea snapple in my hands and had just taken a big ol' swig when the guy came out and told me to quit running over nails. I literally spit my green tea snapple all over the front desk.

Yeah.. you had to be there.

13. I don't think I'll be going back to that tire place.

More Prayers :(

I'm not sure what else to say here, I'm not very good with words in times like these, but that CPT Rob Yllescas, the soldier I posted about here, passed away last night :(

My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and children and his family.

Miserly