Two Days Left

There are two days left in 2009, two days left in the decade. Ten years have passed so quickly that it seems like it has just been the year of 2009. Scores of things have happened over the past decade - some good (retirement almost three years ago and having regular lunches with former co-workers) and some bad (losing my parents, my husband, my mother-in-law and her sister, my brother-in-law and some former co-workers). I have become the "older generation" in my family and it is a sad thing. Nothing that I can do about it however, so I have decided to go forth gracefully, always accepting the fact that my hair keeps getting grayer and my reflexes get slower.

I have joined the 21st century by becoming a cyberspace junkie of sorts. I have Face Book, El Tigre on MyFamily.com, this blog and just plain e-mails. I have renewed old friendships, made new friends, and reconnected with family members. All of the time that I have spent on the computer, about two hours each day, has been worthwhile and very nice. It has kept me connected to the world and what is going on out there. It does not take the place of actual face-to-face contact, but it is a close second, especially when so many of the people I keep in touch with are scattered all over the country.

I have a couple of friends that I have to resort to snail mail and telephone to keep in touch with because they refuse to join the 21st century. We are all the same age, but I have chosen to move forward. I like the fact that if I am lucky it is almost like being in the same place at the same time when we communicate. I like keeping in touch via cyber space.

The next two days will speed by and before we know it 2010 will be here. I hope that the new year and the new decade are good to all and that we can continue to be in touch and swap stories about what is happening in our day to day lives. Take care everyone....

Mother Nature at her best

These are a few pictures showing the results of the snowstorm that we just had. The third largest in the history of December storms for Maryland. We usually get out big storms in late January through the end of February, with a smattering of smaller storms up until spring arrives. Mother Nature has just made sure that we get our fair share of the weather that has been going around.

The storm started late Friday night and lasted until the wee hours of Sunday morning. It took us (I should say Terry) most of the day to dig us out. Even with the help of the neighbors snow blower (half the size of ours, which was sitting on the back porch broken) it took most of the day. I helped as much as I could by cleaning off the vehicles and shoveling snow into the path of the snow blower. Terry did go to work today with a big load of snow in the back of the pickup. I figured that we could at least get rid of some of it that way.

Today it is sunny and looks rather nice outside and even though we are able to get out I have opted to stay home, bake some cookies for friends' Christmas presents and occupy myself in my "cyber" world of e-mails, blogs and other social networks. It is time to go get something to eat move on to the next project. Talk more later...

Winter Is HERE!!

Two days before winter is actually official and we are getting hit by a major snow event. So far the flakes are little and dry, but I just noticed that they are getting bigger, wetter and heavier. This is supposed to go on until the wee hours of Sunday morning. Terry and I will have to go out and shovel or snow blow some of the snow so that by the time that it ends the job will not be impossible.

Major snow means double digits - 18 plus inches is what they said earlier, but I am going to bet that it will be closer to two feet. Big UGH!!! I am so glad that I went out yesterday and stocked up on the essentials (bread, milk, eggs and of course T/P) and got the rest of my errands done so that all I have to do this weekend is watch it happen from my window. Of course, I will get out and help with the removal part - I just wish that I could remove it all the way, but the best that I will be able to do is clear off vehicles and make pathways to get around.

I will take some pics when we are out in it and after it is over and done with to post here and on the El Tigre page from MyFamily.com Several others have posted their winter woes on El Tigre so far, so I will join the club and post mine as well. This storm is going to end up being fed by a good old fashioned "Nor'easter" which is a type of storm that generates a lot of its power and moisture from the ocean. Looks like we may have our White Christmas after all.

Christmas is Getting Closer

Christmas is getting closer, and closer, and closer still. Won't be long and it will be at our door. I still have tons of stuff to do. I could have had it done by now if I had not been attacked by a case of "procrstinitis" (I started procrastinating and things are now falling behind). Oh well, I had good intentions.

Started out with good intentions this morning, but ended up going to lunch with some friends instead. We had a very nice lunch at an Italian restaurant in Catonsville called Chef Paolino. Food is good and prices are reasonable, plus it is centrally located for Anita, Linda and I.

I then had to come home and face the mess that I left behind for lunch. I finally got all the paperwork done, sorted some of my piles of papers into other piles and then returned to my computer to read e-mails, comment on Face Book and the El Tigre site on MyFamily.com and now I sit here composing this little diddy. Been a full day, but once again things have not gone as planned and things still need to get done pronto. I will never learn.

It's Snowing

Snow - the harbinger of winter - is 15 days early. It is still fall and that darn stuff is falling. This term was used by the weather people yesterday - holidayish - isn't even a word as far as I am concerned. It is big fluffy flakes and the grass is disappearing fast. Too fast!! According to the weather gurus - our area is going to get anywhere from one to three inches of this evil stuff. It is a good thing that I bought my supplies the other day when I was running errands because now I can sit in the coziness of my room and be warm. I just remembered - I don't have any snowboots at the moment - I gave them away because they were actually too small. Winter-style Crocs (the ones with no holes) are not going to cut it. Another good reason why I can't go out - Yea!!!!

Looks like the leaves all over my yard are going to have to wait until next spring to get cleaned up. I will have to find out Mike's address and send him what I owe for earlier mowings and the new drain box for my downspout out front. I was waiting for him to come and clean up leaves and mow one last time, see where that got me. Yucky leaves all over the place - gutters to I bet. He was supposed to install gutter guards for me this year - oh well, such is life in the fast lane.

Time to be moving on - have all sorts of "holidayish" projects to do, so I guess that I will take advantage of the fact that I am "hibernating" today. More later...