Snow snow go away

The blizzard is over for now but more is expected tonight and we are bitterly cold. -37 tonight with the wind chills. I am ready for this to be over.


We ran at full speed all night at work. Chest pain city with all the shoveling and people with respiratory conditions having flair ups. Not everyone could make it in due to the weather so we were not staffed quite as well as I would have liked. And I felt like crap.

I still am having pleurisy but now it feels like it is turning into a chest cold. Bummer, a cold for Christmas, hopefully just a cold. 2 more nights to go. At least I have everything done for Christmas and can just work and sleep and not think about getting out and doing anything else.

This winter weather seems like it wide spread, I can't believe all the places that are getting snow that never get it. And is it officially winter. Is that today or tomorrow?

Surprisingly not many accidents now. The majority of them are the first day until people get it through their heads they need to slow down. Now it is broken limbs from falling and frostbite type things along with the chest pains and things I mentioned earlier. Yup, love Iowa.

Well. Rick did make it home yesterday and did have plans for supper. Tonight he is making egg pie. It smells so good. I am hungry. I never lose my appetite, LOL. And it is time to eat so bye all and take it easy this weekend.

Digging out

I slept lousy as all the background noise is people digging out of their caves. Snowblowers and snowmobiles, ATV driving by and the big plow. People getting stuck and then yelling instructions back and forth as they try to get out of my ditch innocently buried by the snow. Now who would have thought there was a ditch there? Thing is most are my neighbors and should by now I have a ditch in front of my house.

So I slept poorly. And woke up with pleurisy. Ever had that? It's an inflammation of the lining of your lung. Makes it really painful to breath. Probably brought on by breathing in the cold air. And a throbbing headache to boot. Ah yes, the beautiful Iowa winters have done me in again.

Actually this is more like the winters I remember as a child. It was like this every year. For the last several years we have had mild winters. Still cold but not snow like this. Well last year we got that 14 inches but that was in March and didn't last long. This snow is destined to be around now until spring. And we are going to be adding to it.

Rick isn't home. He doesn't have the cell phone on and I have no idea if he is stuck somewhere or just running around. Should I plan supper or has he got a meal planned. Should I be making plans for someone to bring me to work? Should I have a search party out looking for him. Did the old van bite the dust. Who knows. Time will tell. Of course he will get a little nag from me about not having the cell phone on.

Oh man, breathing just hurts. I wonder if my inhaler would help something like this?

Well enough of this post. Sounds pitiful. Zoey was just out and now has to do leaps to get across the yard as it is deeper then her tummy. Kind of hard on the old girl and she isn't as thrilled as she was a couple of days ago either.

Well, think I will heat up some ham and beans for supper. Heck if he has something planned or not. By all.

Blizzard

We had 10.5 inches last night and a full out blizzard. 21 people were late or absent from work and we all worked late while waiting for our replacements to come in. I was charge and was really sweating it as my replacements was one of the last to arrive. Remember I had been up for 25 hours by then. No way could I do another 8 and still come back at 7 pm. Our street hasn't been plowed so we plowed are way through with the old van. Now we see something leaking that looks sadly like trani fluid on the snow. Oh no. Not the old van.

My son arrived safely home all 30 miles and then had to park a half a block away as his street isn't plowed either. This snow was on top of our 5 inches and we are expecting another storm Sunday. Good old Iowa weather.

Well, bed time for this tired nurse.

I remembered my MIL's old Danish Christmas postcards so thought I would post one of them. Aren't they cool. Very old from the early 1900's.

Weird headline of the day. Plane hits cow, pilot able to land safely.

We are expecting more bad weather today. Sleet followed by snow. Now I guess I don't mind the snow, but the sleet is awful. My youngest son has to drive over 30 miles in this bad weather. And yesterday my oldest son had another scare with his work truck.

It started sliding and when he corrected it went up on 3 wheels then slid again and then the 2 front wheels went up and the spring suspension broke bringing him to an abrupt stop. It almost rolled. Now remember, this is a huge garbage truck. There was a very good chance he would have been gravely injured or killed. 2 weeks ago it burst into flames. I didn't realize what a dangerous job his is until he got it. When he lived in Phili he got his job because someone was killed. People throw away cans that explode, bullets, people run into them, all kinds of things.
And he has to be out in all this type of weather. They never cancel. And my youngest sons job never closes for weather. Of course my job never does either. So here we all are having to be out in weather they tell you to stay home in. What fun.

In ice storms I always think of the power company workers and city workers out fixing our lines and cleaning our streets. Praise god for them. We just had one of our radio announcers freeze to death in his own home when his power went out. So they have a very important job. So kudos's to them.

I start my long stretch today and won't be off except Monday now until Christmas day. We are usually busy as I have mentioned for this season so it makes it go fast.

Please stop by Nancy's. Her mother passes away. Such a sad time for many people.

Well, time to actually get some work done before work. I am going shopping to get Rick on more visit and I am going to stop and donate some money for Christmas to the American Red Cross. That is my gift to myself. Take care all.

Yippy, the snow stopped

Zoey would be happy if it snowed every day as she loves it but I can live without it. Makes driving difficult. We have had several accidents since yesterday and I can't help but wonder about the bicyclist. Did he stay in the motel another night? I hope so.

The sons stopped over yesterday and my youngest with gifts for his nieces and nephews he wanted me to wrap. Oh mom, you do it so much nicer then me, suck up suck up. Of course I will have to run them to the mail. Hope they make it on time. Talk about waiting until the last minute. They were both thrilled with the cookie baskets though.

I have to go the post office anyway. A gift I bought Rick arrived broken and I have the insurance claim ticket now. I hope they don't give me a bad time.

Today is Donna's surgery so I am keeping her in my prayers and sending her warm healing thoughts. I hope Dutch got through her surgery without incident and will soon be back with us.

Well, time to wrap presents and get ready. We are going to be up to 14 above, a heat wave. Yesterday I was shoveling snow and it was 9 above. I didn't even have my coat buttoned it felt so much better then 12 below. However I put my wrist and back out doing that little bit. I feel so useless some days.

Well, off I go. Take care all.

The Other Battle of the Bulge

Weather like below, of which I am guessing we have 6 to 8 inches so far......







And cookies like below are creating my own battle of the bulge, can't exercise, LOL.

Actually both of the baskets are now full and ready to be delivered to my son's houses. They will be thrilled. Not sure if it will be today though. It was suppose to stop snowing around 1 but so far it shows no signs of stopping soon. I can drive with the old van in this weather. Thank goodness for all wheel drive. But its the other people on the road that worry me. I am grateful neither of my sons have to work tonight.

The cookie dough comes like it looks below. I swear these taste just like home made and are so easy. My kind of cooking.


It's beginning to smell alot like Christmas, la la la la la


By the way, there is a meeting of 650 global scientists going on right now that are fighting the notion of global warming. They want to know how someone could have been awarded the Nobel Peace Price on a notion that has no basis in scientific fact what so ever. They demand to be heard, no silenced. I'm listening. See, I am in good company.

Could use a little global warming right about now, its +9 out and falling, as is the snow.

Battle of the Bulge

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Bulge,

bet you thought it was about my on going and not very successful battle of the bulge, Just thought I would toss this in.

My Dash

Once upon a time my grandson left the little blue lizard in my van. I stuck it on the dash. I had fun moving it around when Rick wasn't looking and seeing how long it took for him to notice. Then I started added a few more, some fake trees, a large fake boulder, some fall leaves. A silly little thing that cheers me and gives people a giggle. I have thought about getting things for each season, Christmas trees, swimming pool for the summer, flower for spring but Rick is putting his foot down. It serves the purpose of having my son's not ask to borrow the van either, giggle. They lead the way. Sometimes you just have to indulge the child within. I used to have one of those cactus that ride on your antenna. I dressed it for the seasons also. Even made it a Santa suit, a beach suit, easter, St Patties day. It was so cute someone made off with it. Oh well. Hope they kept ole Spike amused.

Heard on the radio today. Some man said every time he hears Al Gore speaks he gets a little global warming as he makes him so hot. Had to get a giggle from that also. So I am having a giggly morning today.

Finally got my cookie dough. Peanut butter, sugar cookies, chocolate chip and some other type, can't remember right off what. I am going to bake them and make up plates for the son's. I got some cute platters to put them in.

Yesterday my granddaughter had to go to ER as she is sick. I asked my grandson who is 4 if he was going to the hospital with his sister. We aren't going to the hospital gramma, we are going to ER he say's. So I asked. If she has to be admitted do you go some place else to go to the hospital? Got to play with their minds a little you know.

It is still dangerously cold out. Being out yesterday was terrible. I hate wearing all the layers of clothes this time of year. Put 10 pounds on just dressing to go out. And yesterday we had some man go through town who was riding his bicycle to Brookston, ID! Yikes. He said he didn't recommend Iowa to other riders as it is so hilly but the people were very nice. I think he holed up for awhile up the road. I hate to tell him the route he is taking to get through the rest of Iowa is hillier. Maybe Rick and I should take a road trip and offer him a ride. Too cold to be out.

Well, Time to get on with the day. It is snowing and cold again today. Not even winter yet. My thoughts are with Dutch today as she has her surgery, Please everyone take a moment today to send warm healing thoughts and prayers her way. I will do the same tomorrow for you Donna.

Rant and Rave

Stuck in the house. Temp finally up to - 2. Blowing snow. Wind chill -32 so I am listening to the radio and working on photo's. And what do I hear. Things that tick me off.

I remember when they started making obesity the leading cause of all thats wrong in the world besides Bush. This was after cigarettes and after global warming and after car exhaust and after the ice age and after and after and after. They have managed to tax the heck out of anything they deem the worse thing. So really you can't tax cigarettes much more. I mean, aren't they up to about 6 dollars a pack in some places. The car industry is going down the tubes. I'll get to the the scam about global warming in a minute. So that leaves the fat.

Just tax them. Our governments answer to all the woe's of the world. Tax that sugar ladened non-diet pop drinking obese of the world. Tax those government workers who are obese in Alabama. "Just out of curiosity......What do they sell in their vending machines to eat for supper? Apples and fat free yogurt. I bet it chips and candy bars plus horrors of horrors.... POP. They should in turn turn around and sue them for not giving them healthy alternatives thus making them obese and ruining their health!" Just for the record I don't drink pop and I don't smoke so I this is not sour grapes. I am however obese!

Last year when the government started making this their newest cause.....besides global warming which I will get to in a second, I mentioned, "mark my words....they will find a way to tax this". And they have. Tax the pop people. Tax the obese. And I predict it won't be long before the government run health care system they will put into place will not cover you for all these sins. Don't work out daily? sorry can't cover you. Eat fattening foods? sorry can't cover you. Had any pop this week? Did you take seconds? Sorry sorry sorry. Not only can we not cover you, can I have some tax money for that?

You probably know I am against government in your face. I am against increased taxes. Oh and I do like seconds occasionally. Remember the pictures of all the people in China exercising out in the square before work. They have to show up early before work and work out. Its coming. Now....before you say anything. and I know your thinking it. Yes. Daily exercise is good for you. But it should be your choice. YOUR CHOICE.

Now as long as I am on a rant today I'll move on to global warming. You, if you have read my journal for long know my thoughts on that. I do believe in global warming. And global cooling and hot and cold. Did you know that the polar caps on Mars are also shrinking. Its a cyclical thing. It has happened since the beginning of time, before dinosaurs walked on earth, before man and long after man with our dirty little carbon footprints are gone.

Why do I think it is news now? I think it is because some rich man wants to get richer on it. He has created an entire company based on global warming. On selling carbon footprints, on taxing the guilt of people who feel guilty to be doing well, but not so guilty they want to give up anything. You can buy carbon footprints and drive green cars to offset your greenhouse emissions and sooth your guilty soul. You can toss your McDonalds sack and finished cigarette out of your SUV knowing you have purchased enough carbon credits from Al Gores company to last you a life time. Sheesh people.

This is not just the thinking of a silly little nurse in Iowa either. Leading scientists and people in the know have been trying to set the record straight for years now. Their funding has been cut, their books have been put on the back shelfs of Barnes and Nobles and their voices shushed. Because there is big money in this. Endless ways to tax the guilty. Who will be glad to pay. And pay big.

Wouldn't it make more sense to take care of our planet by picking up all the trash laying all over. To buy biodegradable packaging. To not toss your cigarettes and stop hacking goobers all over. Ride your bike or walk if your not going far. Reuse things. These are all good things. Demand manufacturers made things that can be repaired again instead of having to be tossed. Be repaired thus re-created all the jobs and businesses that went out of business when the toss and throw generation came to age. Shoe shops, small engine repair, appliance repair shops, camera repair, jewelry repair, shops shops, shops, and jobs no longer there. Simple things. Pick up your spring water bottle after your jog. Use the garbage bag. And trust your instincts. When someone tells you something wonder to yourself whats in it for them. And if it is lots of money, lots of power, a noble peace prize. Question it. Easy as that.

And one last thing. Why is it we feel guilty if we are successful? Don't we raise our children to believe they can be anything they want to be. Praise them when they are successful? Send them off to college with high hopes all their dreams come true. And then when people do become successful beyond their wildest dreams, like Bill Gates for instance, we get angry at them. They create jobs, new industries. Make other peoples life richer. But now they are the bad guys, the rich. Make them pay more. Make them feel guilt. Well unless of course your a football player or sports figure. The world is their playground. And who do they employ? Double standards and yes, maybe true sour grapes.

Well, If you made it this far congratulations. You don't have to agree with this. Personally I think you should, but you don't have to. Now I am getting on 4 layers of clothes to venture forth in - 2 degree weather with wind chills of -32. Because I still plan on baking cookies. Cheer all.

A year already

Nov. 1, 1921 to Dec. 14, 2007
It has been a year since my MIL passed away. Seems so hard to believe. The time goes so fast. I miss her. I miss the woman talk. I miss the things she used to do that made me laugh even when I was frustrated with her. I miss making Medisterpolse with her. I miss her smile. Rest in peace. Hope she making Medisterpolse with both of her sisters and mom up there and having a grand time.

We are making Medisterpolse this year. Rick saved the sausage maker and we have the original danish cookbook with the recipe we used all these years. Yes Betty, I will add the salt, LOL. If you have been reading my journal for long you will know this is a danish sausage we make a Christmas. I have always been on a low salt diet and my MIL salted her salt. So when we started taking over the sausage making she was very concerned we wouldn't put in enough salt. It was a big part of our holiday tradition, LOL. Her reminding me to add the salt, me saying ya ya I have it in and then watching to make sure she didn't add more and her watching me to make sure I added any. It won't be the same.

So today, whats new. We didn't go to the play last night. I got my new Netfix movies. Michael Palen's Himalaya's. What a wonderful series. If you haven't ever seen it I recommend it. We did go out to eat and I have an observation I will share. I have noticed that restaurents that have air dryers as opposed to those with paper towels are less sanitary. That is because most people don't want to take the time to dry their hands under the blower so they just don't wash. That includes the waitresses in some cases. Most people will wash when there is a handy towel ready. As I nurse I notice these things. I like the new towel things that are motion sensitive. So that is my observation. I should get a million to do a proper study on it but I know I am right. Start watching.

Last night my oldest son hit not one but two deer on his way home. Neither was killed, at least they ran away and since he wasn't going fast not much damage to his monster truck. Lucky for them all maybe.

We did marathon shopping yesterday. Got everything but the cookie dough and a gift that I couldn't find. We are going out to get that today and then I am done. Yippy.

We are making white chicken chili tonight and staying in. It is 3 above and going to get colder with bad weather heading our way. Bummer. Yesterday it was in the 50's. I did get some lake shots. The snow was melting away. We saw this tree I named the lure tree. How many bobbers can you spot in it?
Slowly the snow is melting only to be replaced probably tonight.



The warm weather made the middle melt but I bet it is frozen today.



Checkers anyone?


A beautiful sunset and then we watched the meteor shower for awhile last night, saw some good ones. Anyone else watch it?


Well, time to brave the cold. Have I mentioned often enough my love of my heated van seats, LOL

Worth re-posting

Why there are Grandchildren

My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, "62." He was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?"
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After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. At last she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, "Who was THAT?"
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A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like: "We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods." The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"
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A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word processor. She told him she was writing a story. "What's it about?" he asked. "I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."
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I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me, and always she was correct. But it was fun for me, so I continued. At last she headed for the door, saying sagely, "Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these yourself!"
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Our five-year-old grandson couldn't wait to tell his grandfather about the movie we had watched on television, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." The scenes with the submarine and the giant octopus had kept him wide-eyed. In the middle of the telling, my husband interrupted Mark, "What caused the submarine to sink?" With a look of incredulity Mark replied, "Grandpa, it was the 20,000 leaks!!"
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When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, "It's no use, Grandpa. The mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights."
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When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandma," he advised. "Mine says I'm four to six."
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A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, "Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today." The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. "That's interesting," she said, "How do you make babies?" "It's simple," replied the girl. "You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'"
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Children's Logic:
"Give me a sentence about a public servant," said a teacher. The small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant." The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked. Sure," said the young boy confidently. "It means carrying a child."
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A nursery school teacher was delivering a station wagon full of kids home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties. They use him to keep crowds back," said one youngster. "No", said another, "he's just for good luck." A third child brought the argument to a close. "They use the dogs", she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrant."