More Snow in Hermiston

Yep! We were hoping winter was over here--at least the part where we got snow. But no! We had more yesterday and today. Fortunately it didn't cause big problems on the roads. The temperature has not risen above freezing for more than 2 weeks. I'll be glad to see spring arriving.

I'm getting rid of cookbooks. I've managed over the years to accumulate quite a few, many of which I never used. I don't really like to cook all that much but I've always liked to buy cookbooks. Now that just doesn't make sense does it. Aaron had to empty out the piece of furniture that holds all the cookbooks and my china (which my dad got for my mom for their 25th anniversary in 1967) so that he could more easily move it while putting down the new peel and stick tile. So all the cookbooks are in the living room on the floor. I need to pick out say four of them to keep and dispose of the rest. Oh, I won't throw them away. I'll give them away or list them on paperback swap.

And the next time I see a cookbook I think I can't live without...I'll learn to live without it.

Our Grandson

Our only grandson Curtis has turned 4.  We are going to Milton-Freewater to spend the night, babysit while Larisa goes to practice at church, and then be there for the party tomorrow.

I had had a counter on my site for awhile and suddenly it went away and I had to put on a new one.  So now it looks like only 2 people have read my blog.

The boxes were just delivered for us to send back the Dish Network equipment.  If only they hadn't been having a "fight" with Fisher Inc. we'd have stayed with them.  But not having CBS.....can't live without CBS.  Well, okay, I COULD live, but there are programs on there we really like.  Like NCIS, The Unit, Amazing Race, Survivor to name a few.

Time to put the rest of my over-nite stuff in a shopping bag.  Grab the toothbrush and get on outta here.  Have a good weekend.

Lonely in the USA

There's a whole bunch of military personnel that are lonely in the USA.  You can be on a ship with thousands of other people, you can be on a military base with thousands of other people, you can be on a college campus with thousands of other people, you can live in a city with thousands (perhaps millions) of other people and still be lonely.  Sometimes I feel lonely and a whole lot of it is my fault because I don't reach out to other people.  I can sit here in my little house feeling sorry for myself when if I'd make an effort I could talk to a friend, go out to coffee with a friend, etc.  

When my husband was in the Marines he found a church right away where he regularly attended.  He met another Marine at the church and they became fast friends.  He got involved at the church, helping out in any way he could.  He was 19 years old.  He'd be going to Vietnam in a year or so.  A whole bunch of young guys had to grow up really fast.  Who ever said life was fair?  Not me, that's for sure.  

Like my mom always said--Don't forget to take a jacket.

Life is better with a jacket.

New Year's Day

Ok, so New Year's Day is never one of my favorite days.  Just wayyyyyy toooooo much football.  And I've kinda lost interest in the parades.  

So I did laundry, played on the computer, watched a Netflix on the computer.

Today Aaron and I went to the church where I got the music ready for Sunday plus between the pastor and I downloaded some new backdrops for our Easy Worship program.  I also got some music together for a funeral I'm playing for tomorrow.

Then as we prepared to go to lunch...Pastor R discovered he'd left his lights on and the truck's battery was deader than a door nail.  We tried the push 'em and pop the clutch method but it didn't work.  What it did do was put a dent in our license plate which Aaron later fixed. 

So while they waited for their daughter-in-law to bring the jumper cables, we headed for the restaurant where we placed the order they'd requested.  Guess they trust us!

Good food, good friends, good fun.

Last night I went to see Bedtime Stories with 2 lady friends.  Great movie, very funny, good for kids and adults.

Aaron and I saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button earlier in the week.  Incredible!  Very interesting concept.

Is it my turn yet?

Due to Aaron having come down with a mild case of pneumonia, we postponed our holiday dinner with our daughter and family until Dec. 26.  They brought all the food over from Milton-Freewater and cooked it at our house.  

During the cooking period we began to open our gifts.  We don't give lots of gifts to each other--just one or two.  Curtis, almost 4, kept asking, "Is it my turn yet?"  

Then we loaded everything in the vans and took it to my parent's house where we all ate together.  Leg of lamb, mashed yams, green beans and rice pilaf.  What a yummy dinner.

Today the temperature begin to rise and the snow began to melt.  My dad's gutters were full of ice and needed to be removed.  Aaron spent 4 hours helping to chip out the ice.  The clean-up from a beautiful snowfall is not pretty.  The streets are mushy and dirty.  It's slippery.  And if the temperature falls tonight, oh boy, it'll be a mess tomorrow morning.

Yes, Virginia, we will have a White Christmas even if Bing doesn't sing!

All of this beautiful white stuff has resulted in schools being cancelled 3 days this week (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) so students are getting an extra long Christmas break.  So far the roads haven't been difficult to drive on as long as you slow down and watch out for everyone around you.


Winter in Eastern Oregon, 2008.  Here is the front of our house.  After Aaron shoveled off the front porch earlier this week, it is now completely covered again.  We can't use the front door.

Our beautiful back yard.

Picnic anyone?  

               The neighbors appreciate

               Aaron clearing the side-

               walks and driveways.

The snow-blower is a gas hog.  One

neighbor gave him $5 and then also

gave him a gallon of gas.

  

                                Our neighbor's pine tree.                                                            

Be Prepared

When I arrived home from work and exercising at Curves my husband had quite an interesting adventure to share.  He and our Pastor, Ron, had gone to a place that does special wood cuts, etc. for Ron to buy a mantel for his parent's fireplace.

On the way home they spotted a car along side the road with a woman looking through her trunk.  They decided to see if she needed help and sure enough she did.  She had a flat tire and her donut tire was unusable and she had no other spare.  Aaron and Ron told her about calling Les Schwab.  She had no money but both Aaron and the pastor said that they would pay for the tire.  The guys went over to the nearest McDonalds for lunch and then came back to wait with the lady.  After an hour the tire guys showed up (right on time) and fixed her tire.  $136.  Ron gave her his address with the hope that she'll be able to pay him back.  But even if she doesn't he will have done a good deed.  We'll split the cost of the tire with him.

So Aaron sent out an email to our lady friends telling them they should make sure to have a spare and a jack and any other needed tools in their vehicles.  So if you only have a donut tire-think about getting a spare.  Make sure you have a jack.  You don't want to be stranded along a freeway or back road unprepared.