Weathering the Weather...

It occurs to me, as we are about to get the third round of storms in a week, that we have been weathering the weather since before we left on our trip. We plotted the trip for our 51st anniversary before the actual date of our anniversary because I had a strong impression we need to go if we were going to go. Last night I checked the Weather Channel on television and learned that Houston, Texas is actually going to be receiving ice and snow when we do here in Kentucky. If we had waited to take our trip, we would be sitting in a hotel room because of ice and snow in the deep south. Goodness. Happy we traveled when we did. 

We left January 28th. We get news alerts from our local newspaper, the Georgetown News-Graphic. They let us know that on January 30th there was a winter weather advisory. On January 31st there was another winter weather advisory with the possibility of 1-inch to 3-inches of snow during the night. On February 1st we received an alert there was no school, a real snow day for the kids, no NTI (Non-traditional Instruction). On February 2nd the alert said No school, No NTI, Icy roads. February 4th, the day we returned, the alert was for light rain. We returned home in the rain most of the drive in Kentucky. We dodged a bullet as the weather on our trip was fairly good. We had jackets we wore and coats for the swamp tour, but we didn't get rain on us when we were being tourists. It rained around where we were but not on us. Richly blessed. I love seeing the blessings in the events in our lives.

Friday, February 5th, was a cloudy day with a high temperature of 39 during the day and a low of 26 at night. It was cloudy. I spent the day getting all the laundry done from the trip. Claude surprised me by getting up earlier than me and going to the post office to pick up our mail with a stop at Hardee's to get me a biscuit and Mello Yello. Such a nice guy. Think I will keep him around. In the afternoon we put together a treat bag for Papa. Claude went into Georgetown and dropped the treat bag and filled Papa's birdfeeder while I kept washing those clothes. 

Claude received a neat gift from his sister, Lynette. She knows her brother well. He was very happy to see this unique gift.

Saturday, February 6th, we were grateful for weather that held off. It was Bailey's 14th birthday observed. I would spend the morning labeling pictures from our trip. Claude fetched the mail from our mailbox. We had a letter from Nissa, our daughter, with a picture that Nelson, her grandson and our great grandson, colored at her home. I tried to scan it but it is all yellow on a white piece of paper. Just doesn't show up. Nelson was coloring sunshine. This is one of the happiest creatures God ever placed on this earth, so sunshine from Nelson is a perfect picture!

The day before we left for home while in Memphis, I received a text message from Hayden, our grandmonster. He found out they were going to show each of the Lord of the Rings movies at an AMC IMAX theater in Louisville. He wanted to know if we wanted to go. Translation, I want to go, I know you love these movies, would you take me with you. The concern was it was showing on Friday at 7:15pm. That would be our first day home and we were ready from a break from traveling. After multiple text and questions and answers, we settled that Claude and I would take him on Saturday to the 3pm showing. Before that we would go to their home with pizza in hand to have dinner with the Marx family and give Bailey her birthday presents early. It was a plan and the weather cooperated.

I suggested to Bailey that we have Steve0's pizza. She was hoping that was what we would do. As we drove over, I called to order the pizza for us to pick up and take to their home. Found out that SteveO's didn't open until 4pm. Plan B. I called Hometown Pizza and placed a pickup order. We could still have pizza. 

These are pictures of Bailey opening her gifts. She is opening a guitar instruction manual and DVD's from Great Courses, her box of Girl Scout cookies, a box with things to do with cooking including two recipes from Claude and one recipe each from my mother and her mother, Bailey's great and great great grandmothers. The last gift is from Claude and it is magnets me made with a card he colored.

We took Hayden to see Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Rings at the AMC Stoneybrook theater in Louisville. It is an IMAX theater. As many times as we have watched these movies, we really enjoyed this experience and left looking forward to the next weekend when they would show the next Lord of the Rings movie. 

Sunday, February 7th, we had a high of  30 and a low of 19 degrees. We stayed inside and watched Zoom Sacrament meeting and did scripture study at home. It was a welcomed quiet day.

Monday, February 8th, would start out sunny with a high of 44 degrees. Then the cold front would hit and we would get light freezing rain followed by a little snow on top. This was Bailey's actual birthday. 

The Griffith family from Church made valentines for the residents of the nursing home with a special one for Papa. Claude and I went into Georgetown early enough to pick those cards up and deliver them with a treat bag for Papa. We would get salads for dinner from Zaxby's and take them home to eat. We beat the freezing rain and were ready to stay in as long as we needed.

I took this picture just before we went to bed of the light shining through our tree in our front yard. Clearly there was ice on all those bare limbs.

Tuesday, February 9th, our weather alert let us know that there was no school due to icy roads. It would be the kids first NTI day. There was also a weather alert from 1am through 7pm Thursday. I had an ophthalmologist appointment on Wednesday. I was concerned about driving on those roads. I changed that appointment until March. I really believe my eyes will be okay till then. 

This day we received word that one of our neighbor's son had died. It was very sudden. He was only 36 years old with a wife and two children. These are difficult times and losing someone that you love without warning is extremely taxing emotionally. Prayers for this good family.

I had Claude drive me to the post office early so I could mail a package to the Ropers. Then we went to Hardee's for a biscuit before sequestering our selves in our abode again. 

Katelyn sent us this sweet picture of Raelyn making a valentine in her pre-school class. Please note that she is using purple colored squares to glue on her valentine. She does have a great gramma Sandi gene coursing through her veins!

I was able to take these pictures of our ice with snow and then more ice on top of that. Please note that all of these pictures are taken from the front and back doors of our home. I am not as steady on snow and ice as I once was.

Wednesday, February 10th, another alert from the NewsGraphic. This time there was NTI Day 2 for the kids. We were told to expect a wintery mix during the day with snow in the evening. The high this day would be 30 degrees with a low of 20 degrees. Then we got a second alert for a winter storm warning from 1:52pm to 7pm on Thursday. Grateful I moved that ophthalmology appointment!

Thursday, February 11th, the alert said NTI Day 3 for the kids with a high of 28 and a low of 19 degrees. Cloudy and cold all day. Yep, they were right on target. 

 

What does one do with a day like that? One gives in to the need to curl up and stay warm. One goes to one's basement and retrieves the boxed set of Psyche television shows. Then one curls up in front of the television with a crochet project and enjoys the warmth of one's home. 

While checking Facebook, I came across this lovely thought and shared it with Jake, our English major son. Jacob said, "I liked it but it made my head hurt."

I also ordered a pizza dinner to be delivered to this good son. Cottage Inn Pizza is getting to know me and exactly where that pizza should be going. Jake was happy to receive this treat. 

The Ropers sent pictures of their family. The first is Emelia watching ice hockey with her dad. Drew genuinely looks happy with his situation. Good dad. Our littlest great grandmonster is getting bigger!

They sent this picture of Raelyn enjoying her first Valentine's party at pre-school. The teacher must cover the other children's faces, this time with hearts, for privacy purposes. Raelyn in at the back eating her ice cream. She does love pre-school.

Friday, February 12th, the kids had NTI Day 4. The forecast was 34 degrees for a high and 22 degrees for a low. It was to be cloudy all day. For some reason, Claude was sure Friday was our anniversary. It really was Saturday. We had decided to go with Claude's impressions. Good thing we did as that was the best day to get out of the house. We think, since we were married on Friday the 13th, that might be why he had that stuck in his head. Anyway, it was for the best as Saturday was awful.

We left before 2pm to go to Georgetown. I needed to pick up a refill at Dr. Fine's office. I took these pictures as I walked down the grass to put a letter in the mailbox for Papa. Mind you the grass now is a thick layer of ice around each blade of grass. But it is still more stable that walking on concrete covered in ice. I do like the pretty pictures though. Especially that red berry on the bush covered in ice. We had a friend who posted a picture of his drink with icicles from his home as stirrers in that drink. Making the best of our ice box situation.

Then we went to the nursing home to leave a treat for Papa and to fill that birdfeeder before the next round of storms came. To fill that birdfeeder, I have to go down the sidewalk in front, around the end of that wing of the nursing home and up to the second set of windows on the back side of that wing. Clearly the nursing home was not clearing snow and ice from this portion of the sidewalk. I managed to get down the end of that wing on the grass. Trying to find a place to get across the sidewalk which had a 2-inch sheet of ice on it was another problem. Once I was on the back of that wing, I could walk against the wall where no snow had come. Filled the birdfeeder and waved to Papa and blew kisses. Then I had to figure the best way back. I walked back along the wall of that wing of the nursing home. When I came to the end, I realized the roof overhang kept the snow and ice off the mulch in the flower beds along the end of the building. I walked there. The mistake with that was that the mulch made a hill down to the sidewalk, neither of which was anything but a sheet of ice. Hum... I slid down that hill of ice and walked with one foot on the icy sidewalk and one foot on a thin line of snow along the sidewalk to a clear place in the sidewalk. I was ever so thankful I didn't fall in any of those gyrations. 

Then we made our way to the Scott County Public Library. We had appointments to get our first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. We would get the Moderna version. You have an appointment to come anytime between 3pm and 5pm. We got there at 2:30pm and the parking lot was just about full. We went on in and they had a room full of people they were already vaccinating. It was well laid out and moved quickly. You must sit for 15 minutes after the vaccine till you leave so they can see if you have any bad reaction. Even with that 15 minutes of sitting we were in there a total of 30 minutes start to finish. Back in our car at 3pm.

Into Lexington we went so I could stop at Hobby Lobby to pick up one more skein of yarn. Then we had our anniversary dinner at Montana Grill. This was the choice of both of us and it was delicious.

Claude had a few items he needed so we stopped at Meijer's and Claude got groceries while I waited in the car. Then we made our way back home. 

Once home we enjoyed a telephone call with Jacob. It was a nice was to end our anniversary date.

Saturday, February 13th, was our real for sure anniversary. I spent my morning doing the laundry while make a photo album of pictures from our trip to post on Facebook. This time, Claude got his Facebook post about our anniversary done before me. I had tried to make that album a couple of days before. For some reason, it will not now let me save the album and post it later. All that work simply disappeared. I tried a second time Saturday morning and was doing great until I saw a flicker on my screen and all the work was gone...again! I told Claude, "I have tried this twice. I will try it one more time. If it doesn't work, I must come up with a Plan B." I was successful that third time. It was 172 pictures...but still. 

We had a fun video chat with Katelyn and her girls. While we were on our trip, Raelyn was missing us. She said she wanted to have a video chat with us. Katelyn explained we were on vacation and she would have to wait until we got home. Raelyn looked at Katelyn and said, "They are NOT on vacation." Katelyn assured her we were and Raelyn then explained, "They are not one vacation because the are not here!" In this precious 5-year old's mind, we only take vacations to come to Michigan. During the call, Raelyn wanted to show how she could be the Statue of Liberty. She picked up Copper's (the dog) chew toy and went to the toy room to get a book. Back to the living room she came and Katelyn got this picture for us. Katelyn actually took a screen shot which had Claude and I in it. I am only posting the part with Raelyn. Too cute!!

Some years ago, Claude gave me a bowl with a nickel in it for each of our years of marriage. This year he gave me a card with the next nickel. Then he had a 'flash of intellect'. He issued an eMail challenge to his kids. Claude had gone through all the change we had in the house looking for a nickel with the year of each of our years of marriage. His eMail to the kids had a list of the years he needed to complete his collection. Their challenge is to find those. The one with the most wins...get this...$1!! Almost immediately we had a response from Katelyn who works as a bank teller and assured him she would begin her search the next time she was at work. He had not thought of that! Then we heard from the Marx family who actually returned his list with a huge portion of those nickels found. Such a fun exercise for our family. Claude now believes he may have created a monster...ya think?

The saddest things was we did not get to go see the next Lord of the Rings movie at the IMAX theater with Hayden. We were looking forward to that. But Friday we had our Covid-19 first vaccination and couldn't do it then. Saturday we had sleet hitting the side of the house and didn't want to be on roads for 4 hours to get this viewing done. It is sad but we will blame this weather!

Sunday, February 14th, finds us waiting for the snow to begin. It could have freezing rain before but we are right on the line between freezing rain and snow, so we'll see. We have enjoyed our Zoom Sacrament meeting and our scripture study. Claude has had another Zoom meeting where he taught a lesson. Claude has had a nap. I have written to Papa and taken that letter to the mailbox before precipitation starts. I have written our missionaries. I am finishing the Blog. Claude will make hot turkey on toast and mashed potatoes topped with gravy for dinner. 

Claude and I talked about the amount of time we spend together these days. It is pretty much all the time. Even if one of us has a chore to do outside our home, the other seems to tag along. We decided it often feels like we are in the movie Groundhog Day. 

The alert is for a winter storm warning from 7pm Sunday through 1pm Tuesday. The NewsGraphic said three inches expected. The weather man on the television have said 4-inches to 12-inches. Who has any idea? The Man up above. Our job is to be prepared. We are. Plenty of food. Clothes are all clean. Generator at the ready with gasoline to keep it running in case we lose power. We did with the last big ice storm for five days. We know to be ready. 

Life is good. We will weather the weather!!