Saturday, February 27, 2010

Another snowy posting

Forgive me for adding one other posting on the subject but the follow-up of two city guests coming to the B&B last night is interesting.

I'm not always told why people are coming here to stay. . This couple is originally from Sri Lanka, so you will appreciate the fact that they grewup in a warm climate; have been in Toronto for ten and twenty years so they know snow. They have a young daughter, aged ten. She is here in the area overnight at a camp..camping out in tents in the snow. Imagine that if you can, you folks in the sunny south. The snow..well, we've had more snow since Thurs. noon than all winter combined and it's still snowing. The radar map shows that 'Celia' is sending us snow from the East Coast of Canada. It doesn't look like it's going to let up for a few days yet. The drive norht from Toronto..an hour... after much debating between the couple ended in the decision later in the day, to come. The husband did not want to; the wife, a doctor, wanted to be near her daughter if needed. And so they came. Jock took the snowblower and blew out the long laneway, at five yesterday afternoon. Between five and six-thirty, the laneway blew in again. About 6:45 pm a knock came to the door.. two guests standing there...the husband in running shoes, the wife in boots and no car. It got stuck at the end of the laneway coming in and they walked in. ......the husband grousing to his wife, saying: I told you so. You can imagine how they felt, not seeing the house, not knowing, in the dark and swirling snow where they were walking to.

This morning it's a different story. It's like a Currier & Ives winter scene outside, snow still falling, Jock has blown the laneway out once, it will have to be done again. And the couple are all smiles and want to come back...but in the summertime.

And there you have it...life in the snowy countryside and I'm heading into Curves...which I thank Jean profusely for introducing me to. More guests arrive later this afternoon...more snow blowing. And, it's as pretty a picture as I've ever seen and keep feeling blessed to see, here in the country with falling snow, birds eating me out of house and home with bird seed which needs replacing today and on it goes. Mind you, cabin fever can set in about this time too. It's always good to have a quilted project on hand in wintertime.

Rosey

Friday, February 26, 2010

Quick note

Sara, guess what...snow is FUN. I'm glad your 'kids' are all enjoying the change. I love Florida but I don't think, after living with the four seasons here all my life that I could manage HOT for long although Siesta Key was pretty darned nice last November and I still can see in my mind's eye, the wonderful Gulf, sand and palm trees from the balcony of our 2nd floor condo.

We've had more snow over this past 24 hrs. than we've had all winter....right up over the tops of my boots snowshoeing just now. B&B guests apparently are on their way up from Toronto...can't believe it...the driving is awful right now but they may be hardy souls. Have to move that quilt from my dining room table in order to feed them in the morning...

Rosey

Sara....glad to hear the family is doing well.....sometimes change is the best .....

Curling is not that familar sport in the USA....from some stats given over this past week apparently in Canada there are well over 1 million people who are active registered curlers at local clubs whereas in the USA there is only 15 thousand ........explains a bit why curling is more popular and very well televised now in Canada....and over in Europe curling is becoming more and more active along with countries like Korea, Japan and China.....China won last years worlds competition......the skip of the ladies USA team is actually a young woman born in Canada and later became a US citizen.....she won the worlds a couple of years ago for the USA.....

I think Doris is an armchair curling fan as well if I remember right.....

hope everyone is safe and warm, especially those in the n/eastern states and southern Ontario...apparently there is a heavy winter snow storm coming thru once again.....it certainly has been a weird winter....we have had very cold but the amount of snow so far is barely 25% of what we had this time last year....but March isn't even here yet so the shovels will stay ready to go !


Heather

So good to be back with cyber friends

It's been since Monday when the WWQP went down. Good to get back on.
It's sort-of like facebook, only without the pictures.
CURLING? I didn't think anyone watched that. But who am I, can't do any "sport" that requires any coordination.
The family in N.D. are doing fine. For some crazy reason they love the snow and the change of pace from Fla. DSIL finally has a job! Yea!! He starts on Monday. DD works 2 hrs. a week at the local post office. The kids love the school. Two of the boys are enrolled in gymnastics. I can see DGS#3 doing the snow "halfpipe" in about 8 years. He's the hot dog of the group.
#4 just turned 9 this past week.
I need quilty advice, but will post on the other board.
Sara in 32 degree Fla.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

stuff from cold Alabama

I heard on the radio yesterday that we are 16* F below the normal average temp for this time of year. I'm feeling every degree of it, too. There is a reason I live in Alabama by choice, and it does not include lows in the low twenties. At least it should be killing off some of the bugs!
There is little quilty going on here, as I've gotten involved in facebook, and reconnected with some of my friends from high school. If you have friends pushing you to join, it was really easy, and really does make it easy to contact and keep up with friends you used to write at Christmas. It does, however, eat time, if you let it.
Tomorrow is the 31st annual Tractor Day at LCHS, and I'm missing it. I have taken a personal leave day, and it just happened to fall on the same day. I am going to see a friend as the Mother Superior in "Nunsense," tomorrow, and then going to see the Auburn University production of "The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee." My niece is majoring in technical theater, and this is her final play of her senior year. She's the stage manager.
I've missed seeing everyone post, but I've been guilty of not communicating with my e-quilting buddies, and I will try to do better.
Laura

Better post while I can

Seems everytime this board goes off-air my password gets nicked out. The last time it happened, I recorded it in a folder. Just had to consult the folder and it worked.

Heather, nice to see you post and sorry about the bugs from grandkids...that happens. One of mine donated the worst sinus infection I've ever had. Now, I just try to avoid sick grandchildren if I can. Doesn't always work. They can look perfectly fine one moment and not the next.

We are waiting for a big storm to arrive. It didn't amount to much today but more snow is expected tomorrow and I have B&B arriving this week-end...always dicey in winter with our weather up here. Will they make it or not? Will they get snowed in here or not? Oh well...I'm looking forward to them coming. Winter's usually a quiet time for the B&B and it's nice to have guests at this time of year.

Snowshoeing twice today and the snow is deep. I'm in training to stave off old age.

Rosey

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

TUESDAY A.M. and the Olympics...

and it is early, dark and darn it .... cold.....my eyes are red and tired .....up way way too late watching the ice dancing finals last night.....Okay Rosey....I will admit that I don't usually watch most of the other figure skating events but have always followed this event whenever I see there will be coverage. Of course this week there was so much hype over the young Canadian couple from the London, Ont area as well as the other younger competitors from the USA .....what was so wonderful was how both sets are not only good competitors but friends as well....both young meno played hockey against each other when they 8 years old I believe and now to be competing against each other last night for Oylmpic Gold....wow what a performance was given.....I thought we would have a tie for Gold and deservedly so.....but our young Canadians came out out on top and it felt so good to see how excited they were and gracious as well.....they both sang the national anthem loud and proud for sure....

As for other sports I have mostly been watching the curling and it seems like we will see both our women and men's teams have a spot in the final four...that will be fun to watch as well.

Today will be busy.....haircut, accountant coming to do year end for the son's business....Grandson #1 is now 2 years old today and there is party I am told and of course "booms and ache Gramma" (balloons and cake) according to Adason.....Let's just hope that we are all feeling better than last week when the two darlings shared all their germs with both sides of the family and we have all had a nasty round of a horrible gut wrenching flu.....do hope Em has decided against a heavy menu !

We are due to have an arctic air mass infiltrate us this week ending what has been "balmy" weather the past couple of weeks....temps have been only minus single digit Celsius with the occassional plus single digit.....would have thought we were in Vancouver at the olympic events.....oh wait a minute.....no flowers blooming or grass to cut ......guess that I will still have to wait a few weeks on....

Sara....how is your family in North Dakota making out......hope their adjustment has gone well and more importantly everyone is happy and content....

Heather

Monday, February 22, 2010

Blisters!--the run

Well, the good and the bad.
Yesterday was a beautiful day. Warm, sunny, high about 65.
The bad, I'm not in as good a shape as I thought I was. After the start at 7:30 AM, the group that I trained with left me in the dust. After the 6 mile mark I had to walk the rest of the way. It made for a long day. Finished the 13.1 miles in about 4 hrs. I don't know the exact time yet.
About mile 11 my feet started burning. At the finish line all I could think about was the porta-potty, and then some fruit. After that went to the first aid tent to get my feet looked at. Large blisters on the bottom (the ball of the foot) part. A nurse treated them and put some mole skin patches on them. I hobbled to the busses. It was about 1 hr. from that time to get back to my car. A very long hour.
Was quite sore last night, and doggie #2 got us up about 4 times during the night. She was sick, and wanted outside.
This morning after a hot shower I'm much better, and think I'll be OK.
The dryer decided to die after 25 years of faithfull service, so I'll be going to the local laundry mat today.
All in all, raising money for the breast cancer research was a good cause, but I won't do it again unless I lose 40 lbs, and train better.
The blisters will heal in a few days, and the sore muscles will go away.
Time to get some jeans on and go to the laundry mat.
Fortunately it is a beautiful, sunny day here, about 65 already.
Sara in Fla.

Winter . . . will one day be over and behind us!

We had a glorious weekend here, with highs pushing 60° F. It felt so strange to be outdoors without gloves and earmuffs on Friday. Yesterday morning, I didn't even wear a coat to church. I kept thinking I had left it somewhere and needed to go back for it. I had the back door open yesterday, all day! But cold weather is returning with lows of 20 later this week.

I was really surprised to see it had even snowed in Rome, Italy, at the Vatican. This is truly a very different sort of winter, this year.

I freeze all winter long. It may be due to low blood pressure (100/60 is my normal) or just poor circulation, or who knows why. DH is worse than I am about it, and he's got lots of personal insulation (LOL) and wears more layers than I do. He even grew up in Pittsburgh, PA and went to college in Michigan, for heavens sake. I think he's now more 'southern' than I am. LOL

Unfortunately, I can't take the heat & humidity, either. Once it's over 90° and the humidity is here, I stay indoors. I am such a wimp. Aaaack.

I don't know if I'll ever have time to watch all the Olympics that we have recorded. I've missed most of the curling, due to lack of time to watch. I'm faithfully watching the figure skating and ice dancing, though. None of the pairs figure skating impressed me. I'm pleased with Evan Lysachek's gold medal and think he Russian guy has a very bad case of what mother called "sour grapes." That young man forgets that (I believe it was)Victor Petrenko won a gold based on his reputation and career, not his performance in the Olympics.

Ice Dancing should be fun to watch tonight. I really liked the Canadian pair's performance last night, along with the Americans who did the Bollywood type performance. I truly didn't care for the other American team, whose outfits were distracting, and I ended up FFWD--> thru theirs. Meh . . .

Down here in the lower 48, we are all completely shocked over Miracle On Ice v.2 yesterday. Who would have thought it possible???

Welp, I'm off to my volunteer work today. Hugs to everyone, and stay warm and dry!