Some random tidbits. . .

The winter weather, or lack of, has been a bummer this season.  I love snow.  I love it with a passion.  Yesterday we got snow.  Big huge wet flakes of snow.  The forecast was anywhere from rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow (1-6 inches depending on where you lived and what weather person you listened to). . . We also were predicted to get high winds.  Our weather was warm last weekend and early  this week so the actual weather was dependent on what the temperature did and how low it dropped.

Yesterday morning we woke to howling winds. . .  and discovered the electric pole just outside our house was leaning. . . if it fell the wires would fall on our house for sure.  Nice.   It was not snowing at my house but the TV was showing rapid snowfall in the StL area.  I made a quick decision that I'd take the leap and drive to work and I needed to leave sooner than later.   I drove right into the slushy snow.  Turns out we got nothing more than a dusting at home.  But at work I got to enjoy great big flakes of snow.  I sit in a basement and I can't see outside from my desk, but I got up often to go check out the snow.  Unfortunately by the time I left work it was basically gone.  And when I got home later in the evening there was no evidence at home that we had a single flake.

This photos shows the view from my office at 7 am and 3 pm.

I was really disappointed when I left work.  We will be up around 70 degrees again this weekend.  I know spring is coming, but we haven't had much of a winter.  Last weekend I was getting bit my mosquitoes.  The bugs needs to DIE.  We need freezing temps and below for quite some time for that to happen.  There's a reason for the seasons and things are off balance when we don't have the correct weather.  This winter has been all wrong and such a disappointment.

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I realized I never shared this photo of Eli modeling his new cooler.  I have a green cooler for him that I love.  It's from Schneider's and is fantastic.  Their fleece is such great quality.  But I was bored.  I wanted something fun.  Weatherbeeta has a line of coolers that are kind of fun and they are lighter weight.  Going into spring that will be beneficial.  I find sometimes I wasn't using my cooler cause I felt it was too heavy.  I didn't think about having varying weights of coolers.  Anyways, it took me a while to pick one out and I went back and forth on this one cause I usually don't put anything red on Eli.  But since a cooler isn't on for days on end like a blanket I made the leap and I bought this one. 

I haven't really got a chance to use it because when he's gotten sweaty enough, it's been really warm.  Like this past weekend when it was 70 and I hosed his sweaty self off after our ride. I've been practicing my horse selfie skills. . . . I can't wait to get a new phone with a wide angle front camera.  That will make this much easier!

The last photo I leave with you is a collage of Doughnut.  The barn kitty that was found at Krispy Kreme. I think I shared her photo before.  She's freaking gorgeous but a total female. . . she doesn't really like you.  She wants to be around people.  Her purr motor is crazy loud but her bite is very quick.  You think she wants you to pet her but 5 seconds later you get bit.  It's a bummer cause I find her totally beautiful and I want to love on her and snuggle with her. 

TGIF - 3 day weekend ahead. . .

It's Friday!  It's a 3 day weekend.  It doesn't get much better than this :)  

It's been a long week.  Days have moved slowly.  Stress has been involved.  I wrote a blog and took it down cause I felt it was too personal.  So that brings me today and I'm feeling the urge to write. 

Last weekend was drop dead gorgeous.  Especially Saturday.  When you see this you know it's a wonderfully nice day.  (none of those are Eli)

I had a good ride on Saturday and took Eli for a walk in a grassy lot afterwards.  It was just too beautiful - we had to go out and soak up the sunshine. 

I went for a run Saturday morning and finally had a pretty good pace.  The kitty selfie is Mr Puddin'.  We call him Puddin' Pops, Pudding McPoppers, Puddy.  .  . he's an amazing kitty.  He lives outside in the shop with his brother. 

My pace was purposefully fast because I want to keep up with my husband during the 5K we are running tomorrow.    The thing about tomorrow is. .  

It's going to be REALLY cold!  Look at the "feel like" temp.  I'm not sure we should actually run this race, but I'm sure we will.  It's paid for.  My husband is going to pick up the packets today. 

So while last weekend was gorgeous, come Monday the temps were 30 degrees lower and we had a couple days of light snow this week. 

I love snow!!!!  I want more than we ever get unfortunately. 

Today is February 12 and it's the release date of Vince Gill's new CD. 

I was really excited about this, but I'm kind of pissed right now.  I pre-ordered this CD.   The website said it would ship a few days ahead of the release date.  The tracking appeared in my USPS dashboard this morning.  There is a tracking number but it doesn't appear that the package has actually been accepted by the post office.  I assumed I would receive this *on* release day.  I could have pre-ordered from Amazon and I know I would have received it.  I could go to the store and buy it.  Yes my pre-order included a t-shirt, but I don't need that shirt.  I just ordered it in advance so that it would show up in my mailbox on release day.  When will it arrive now? Monday is a holiday and so I'm guessing I don't see it till Tues or Wed.  I'm really bummed about this. 

This morning was rather interesting.  We got light snow overnight. .  . *maybe* a 1/2 inch.  As I was driving out of my drive and onto my road I saw tire tracks with some snow over them. . . and some foot prints with some snow over them.  I thought to myself "who was walking on the road".  My road is a dead end.  You are either coming to my house or my neighbors house.  Once I got to the end (which is a very short drive) I see this. 

Oops!  Someone had some problems.  I called my husband.  He walked down from the house (again this is really not far) and looked at the truck and the plates.  I headed to work.  My husband called me. . .the foot prints didn't go anywhere.  They never came onto our property.  They walked past our drive and then walked in a circle.  We assume the person was calling for help.  My neighbor said no one knocked on his door.  My husband called this into the police.  They took 1 hour to arrive.  They talked to my husband, called a wrecker and another truck showed up (presumably the owner or someone connected to the owner) and that's about the last I heard.  The roads weren't slick.  Based on the snow in the tracks/prints this had to happen sometime after midnight but likely before 4 am.  There was a small window of snow last night.  Maybe the drive slid.  Maybe he was drinking.  Maybe he fell asleep.  My husband did say it appeared the driver broke the window of the passenger side with a hammer to get out.  The driver's side of the truck is facing the photo and that's pretty flat as you can see.   What an interesting morning!

So three day weekend coming up!  Valentine's day (I'm having cake!) and a 5K.  Hopefully some sleeping in will be included during the weekend.   Have a great one!

SNOW!!!

This was a crazy weekend!  OMG.

First we had another Christmas on Saturday.  So Friday night we made more sugar cookies!  YAY. I had got some really tiny cutters from Target after Christmas and I just couldn't wait a whole year to use them.  I really really love decorating cookies.  I think my goal this year is to learn how to get better at it.  It's so relaxing and therapeutic for me.  This time I felt like Roger rushed a bit more than the last time, so his didn't look quite as good.

So Christmas on Saturday. . . my Dad's family is a HOT mess.  They are never on time.  But apparently they are also not very clear on plans.  We were told Christmas at 3:00.  I figured we would eat by 4.  Around 4:30 I found out that eating was a 6:00pm.  And some people knew that and other did not.  I would *never* have been there at 3:10 if I had known.  My poor dad. . . . he had been out delivering gas that day and rushed. . . he was "late" (for the 3:00 time) but was not thrilled to sit there wasting time when he could have not rushed and also finished some chores at home (feeding animals) before coming to Christmas.  Ugh.  I literally grazed on crap food for 3 hours!!!   Not good.  Not good at all.

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The weathermen kept saying it was going to snow Saturday night through Sunday.  I'm not sure I really believed the predictions (10-ish inches).   When it wasn't snowing Sat night I thought maybe we wouldn't get it at all.  Umm . . . no we got it.  Whew.  It snowed ALL day Sunday.  And it was windy as could be.  Snow was blowing sideways.  Since we don't live in town it was hard to get a feel for how much snow we got cause the wind caused 4 ft drifts and left some places bare.   I enjoyed spending the day inside watching it snow.    I did go outside to take photos and I'm not sure why.  I was miserable.  I couldn't see the LCD of my camera very well.  I just trusted I knew what I was doing.  I got some good pics though.  And here you will see my poor little snowman all buried in snow. I  imagine he loves the snow but probably hoped it didn't cover his eyes!

My office was closed yesterday and again I enjoyed the day at home.  I was lucky my dentist remained open and I got my tooth fixed without taking time off work.  We watched The Host last night.  I loved that book and I enjoyed the movie.  I thought it was well done.

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I know why I put my heart rate monitor for my Garmin on upside down all the time!  I didn't run this weekend.  However, on my last run I noticed about 30 secs into the run that it was upside down and was able to correct it.

It's the exact opposite orientation from my Polar HR monitor.  I always put my Polar on with the rounded side up.  I didn't matter with the Polar though. It would work no matter what.  With the Garmin, the little runner dude has to be right side up in order for the running dynamics to work.  The heart rate will still be recorded, but not the running dynamics.   And it appears I still want to put it on with the rounded side up - which makes the runner dude upside down!  My husband said "I can paint a mark on it so that you will know which way is up".  I said "honey there is a mark on it, there's a little runner dude!  But apparently I still can't follow directions!"