Christmas Day and the Blizzard

We had a lovely snowbound Christmas. It was really nice to get up and open our presents while snow swirled around outside. We kept watching the drifts pile higher and higher. By late afternoon Den went out to try to get a headstart but came in after a couple of hours feeling like he'd hardly made a dent! We went out Saturday morning when things calmed down and shoveled and ran the snowblower for 2 and a half hours. Andrew's car was completely buried! It just so happened to be in a drift place, and it's not very high off the ground! I think the side next to the fence is still up to the top of the car. The battery is dead, so we can't move it to get at the snow. Will got his car shoveled out yesterday so he and Linnea could go to a movie. Incentive, you know.

Our celebration begins Christmas Eve usually by going out for Chinese and then to a service, but this year the blizzard was roaring and we weren't THAT in to Chinese. So I made an Italian dinner, nothing extravagant. Then later we have panettone and champagne and open a present. It was Will's Settlers of Catan. So we (Den and me) learned how to play that before we went to bed.

We usually have a very lazy Christmas Day. We nibble on this and that all day and have dinner about 3 or 4. They watched Series 3 of BlackAdder that they got for Christmas. More crazy, twisted British humor...The family was very cooperative with my attempts to get a decent family picture. And no one missed not having the flaming pudding this year! I used to get it at World Market, but they all closed. So I never got one. I love it, but the rest of the family really only likes it for the fire! I had bought the crackers last year. We watched the new Harry Potter movie and then played another game of Settlers of Catan, or maybe the other way around.

Linnea and I are crocheting squares of all different patterns to eventually put together into an afghan. Crocheting is a good movie-watching activity. As is drinking GALLONS of tea!! :)

Today, praise God, the SUN IS SHINING! Hopefully, the nearly bare place will clear of snow.

Snowflakes

Linnea and I are learning how to crochet snowflakes. This is our first attempt. We found this pattern online and modified it. We're on to some new ones now. I even found some sparkly thread!

Today is a dark cloudy day. Charlie Brown's Christmas music is playing on the CD player, Linnea is reading a book and I'm finishing up some blogging. Then I'm going to try my hand at this snowflake business.

This rain we're getting is supposed to change to snow tonight and become another major storm. Six to 12 inches they're telling us. We have no plans to go anywhere so let it snow, let it snow, let it snow-again! Lord willing, we'll have clear roads for our trip to Chicago next Tuesday!

Andrew called again last night. Denny was home, so they got to talk Navy!

Our 30th Wedding Anniversary

Yesterday December 22nd was our 30th wedding anniversary. We got married then because I was teaching school and it was Christmas break. While the children were growing up, we used that day to do our Christmas shopping and then went out for a quick meal alone. But now Linnea lives away from home, so we don't want to go out while she's home.
We decided to have a nice meal at home .
Den likes Prime rib, so we got one and then added all the delicious bits that go with it like mashed potatoes and gravy, Yorkshire pudding (Linnea makes the best!), steamed carrots and green beans, mushrooms, and fresh cranberry sauce. For dessert we had a trifle.
We ate at 8 and finally finished about 9:30. It was a really delicious and fun meal. We even have leftovers. Nice not to get the check, but still had to clean up!

Den brought home the most beautiful bouquet I have ever seen. Another nice thing about getting married at Christmas time is that things you get have a Christmas theme. This bouquet has red balls and pine branches in it as well as the gold ribbon. Sooo lovely!

Mental block

I should be writing a lesson for my Wednesday evening class, but I'm writing this hoping to prime the pump.

Last lesson was on "LIGHT". Jesus being the Light. Christmas and Light. I had just finished reading Not Without My Daughter and was so struck by the darkness of Islam. The lesson was forced upon me practically. So obvious is the light we have in Christ. So dark was the world before the coming of Christ. So dark is the world to those living outside the light of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But now I need one more Christmas lesson. Most of the children have grown up in church and are either homeschooled or go to a Christian school, so the regular story of Jesus' birth is very familiar. I'm thinking about JOY and PEACE for this week. Hence my stalling. I need to think how to develop it into a lesson for 9-12 yo's. AND come up with some kind of activity.

I went to Bible Gateway and read verses with "joy" in them. Now THAT will lift your spirit!

Since I'm still "priming"...in other news... We had more snow today. But it's stopped now. We had a super letter from Andrew on Friday. He said things are going really great for him. He sees God at work in him and for him and he's so grateful for that. He sees answers to his prayers, and sometimes even before he asks, he says. Thank you so much to you who have been praying for him. He really sees the result in his life. He is doing well physically as well and sounds very happy. He goes to Pensacola, FL January 6th. We're looking forward to boot camp graduation December 30th.

In preparation for that trip and because of our getting stuck experience last week, Den bought four very good tires for our car on Saturday!

OK, maybe I'd better get back to work....

SNOW DAY!

Yeah, something I could blog about

Yesterday afternoon was the annual free performance of Handel's Messiah downtown Omaha. I should have taken my camera because the lights on the trees at the park were beautiful! And the snow falling made everything look so Christmasy.

The snow falling. I'm an NOT of fan of driving in snow. I contemplated not even going to the performance when I heard there was a chance of snow. But I checked the forecast before I left and it said, "snow-showers" which I interpret to mean snow blowing around in the air from time to time but not really sticking and accumulating.

Well, as we walked out the people there were telling us to be careful because it was slippery. It was still blowing fine snow quite heavily. A friend dropped me at the church where I had left my car and I gingerly got on the interstate and off on to the streets near us. Everything was just fine, no problem, until I was about a mile from home. There's a stop light at the top of a hill. I figured if I drove slow enough to catch the green light I wouldn't have to stop at all. However, there were about five other cars in all manner of directions on that hill, and the light was NOT changing to green!! I've never seen it so long! I managed to get to one side of one car when my car just started spinning tires. I backed up and tried again. Same thing. And so were the several other cars on that hill. No grit/sand had been put down, no snow plows had been on ANY roads that I could see. So I and a couple other cars backed up and tried a side street. Good for a block until I had to turn up the hill. And then it was worse. I tried several times, and finally gave up.

What was I going to do? I don't know anyone who lives nearby. Dennis was on a plane somewhere between Omaha and Atlanta. So I got out, locked the car and walked home. I'm thankful I was wearing wool pants (sorry, trousers for you Brits!) and my long wool coat with a wool scarf. And also, thankfully, the wind was behind me.

It took me about 35 minutes, and because I walked very fast I stayed warm. It was about 21 degrees and windy. I only fell once.

When I got in the house there was a phone message from Denny that he had arrived at the airport. So he was driving home in it, too. I phoned him and told him to take the flattest route home! Wish I had thought of it earlier!! He arrived about a half an hour later. While still bundled up and his car warm he said, "Let's go get your car." And I thought, "You're crazy. I just came from there. There's no way you're going to get it up the hill." But I said, "You drive down there and park at the top and walk down and see if you get it up. When you do, come home and we'll drive both cars home." About an hour later he arrived home. Without the car. It's just a little farther down the hill...

It's about 12 degrees right now. The sun is shining, but they're predicting a heavier snow for tomorrow. Hopefully, after work tonight, they will have sanded that hill and we can get the car home!

Christmas in Italy

I've been missing Christmas in Italy, so I thought I'd see if YouTube had any zampognari. Sure enough! These shepherds come down from the Abruzzi mountains and play in the streets of our town. One time they even came right in to the foyer of our apartment building. The reverberations off the marble floor, stairs and plaster walls was deafening! As in Scotland, they are better heard in the open air.

This video is taken Christmas Day it looks like. It's pretty dark, but very realistic. Our kids will identify. It looks like Maranola, although it isn't. Maranola had a live presepe that we visited several times, the whole town was transformed in to the 18th century with Mary and Joseph and their animals and baby Jesus at the center and top of the village (It was on a mountain.)

The song they're playing is Tu Scendi dalla Stelle. Ah, Gaeta friends, it brings back such great memories!

One afternoon in November

I know I didn't blog much in November. There really wasn't a whole lot to say. I have lots of things that go on in my head, but thankfully, not much gets written! I did spend much of my writing time writing letters to Andrew. He's thankful that he gets letters most every day. And he's doing great, I might add. Found friends and is happy.
One thing Den and I did do on a sunny day in November was walk around downtown Omaha. It was a gorgeous warm day.
The cat stayed home and read a book!

Our Thanksgiving

This year we traveled across the great state of Iowa for a mini-family gathering. Our niece and her family and her brother and his wife (nephew, of course) came from Pennsylvania. Linnea came from South Carolina, and we all met up with my sisters' family at my mom's right on the banks (not literally) of the Mississippi River. We set up two big tables in Mom's sitting room and had more food than we could eat. It's amazing that we could make more than enough. Sometimes I think it multiplies! We thought 19 people would be so many and we needed so much!
It was great to have Linnea with us, first time since 2000! Felt like I got a sneak preview on Christmas. We sang, played Boggle, crocheted and talked. Lots of noise. Lots of fun. We're so thankful for a great family, safely in travel for everyone and a good time together. How blessed we are!

I love living in the Midwest!

Every once in a while I get a couple of hours out in the real Midwest. This morning was one time. It's not all that great of a video, but it sure is cool watching those claws grab that corn and chew it all to bits.

The second bit was an accident, so only a couple of seconds, but the corn pouring out is to cool, too!

Guy Fawkes Day Harvesting

I arrived home from grocery shopping this afternoon just as the combine was passing the back of our house on his last sweep across the field. I just stood there and watched, laden with my bags, while clouds of corn dust swirled around me. It's awesome! I never ever get tired of watching. And today is one of those perfect Midwest days, clear skies and 66 degrees!

I ran into the house after all the dust cleared, and got the camera. This is what I caught.

We're so thankful that the rain has stopped, the weather has been warm and there's been wind to get things dried out so that the farmers can get their crops out. The harvest hasn't been this late for decades.

The past continues to teach

Many years ago we learned this song in choir. Then I taught it to my dad and he sang it as a solo. I can still hear him singing it. I wish it had been recorded, too. This morning I was playing through the old Intervarsity hymnbook they sang through at Cono, and came to this song. What meaningful words that are just as much my prayer today as they were when I first learned them.

(The field makes me think of "the future's broadening way...peace)

O Master, let me walk with Thee in lowly paths of service free; Tell me they secret; help me bear the strain of toil, the fret of care.
Help me the slow of heart to move by some clear, winning word of love; Teach me the wayward feet to stay, and guide them in the homeward way.
Teach me they patience; still with Thee in closer, dearer company, in work that keeps faith sweet and strong, in trust that triumphs over wrong;
In hope that sends a shining ray far down the future's broadening way; in peace that only Thou canst give, with Thee, O Master, let me live.

It's not so bad

Ah, what could be nicer on a Sunday evening than reading a book under a cozy afghan with a nice warm kitty?

And if it's a party you want, sit on the floor. It's like being part of a pride!

Head over Heart

It's time for child number three to leave home. He's lived on his own for a year and a half, but here in town. Linnea and Will went away, far away, to college, now Andrew joins the Navy. Cute little Navy boy here!

It's always hard the days before they leave, especially the first time. And then (with Denny) every deployment. Everyone has a coping mechanism, and it may not be a positive one. But what else can you do but cry? Can't do that.

So I must discipline the mind. Reason with my heart:

• It's not that long, really. Boot camp is only 8 weeks. Will and Linnea didn't communicate much their first weeks away. And Linnea didn't even come home at fall break that first year, or any year for that matter.
• He'll probably be home for a few days around Christmas.
• Maybe he'll get stationed in Europe and we can all go visit!
• And who says he'll make this a career?
• And who says he'll not be back here living and working when he's finished?
• It could be worse.....

The other part of the mother heart is concerned for other son who is going to be living alone and bearing those expenses. Adjusting to that. Hopefully, he'll find someone to live with him at least for awhile.

We take him to the recruiting center this afternoon. They take him to a hotel to spend the night, but we can pick him up for dinner. (What's with that?) He leaves sometime tomorrow but we don't know when. I hate all this living from moment to moment. Why don't they tell us every thing all at once. Like when they leave and what they're doing all day???

Think I'll vacuum.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Yes, this is what it looked like when I got up this morning, October 10th!
I've grown up in the Midwest, but I've never seen snow like this in October, ever! It blows around in the air sometimes in mid-October, but snow lying on the ground, covering the grass, piling up on the deck? Wow! Are we in for the long winter?

Our birthday celebration

Dennis and I have our birthdays four days apart. Usually we do something for his birthday, then the parties are done. This year his birthday was on a Wednesday, and I'm always gone for dinner that day. So we decided to celebrate together with several friends on Saturday. And everyone could come! miracle of miracles!

We sat the men at one end of the table and the women at the other. That ended up being a great idea. At one point in the evening the conversation at the women end was about breast-feeding (how did we old ladies get on to THAT) and the men were talking about diesel engines and theology! After the celebratory song and cake, the men went out to the bonfire-wish I'd gotten a picture of that- and the women stayed in the living room.

It was a great evening for good conversation and catching up with friends. I think the men particularly enjoyed the time since they rarely get together as a group and have good stimulating conversation.

Hurrah for great Christian friends, and birthdays to celebrate!

'S Happnin' today

Three's Company

Yes, three cats. Pretty drastic for a family who has only had pets in cages. And, yes, the mice were that bad. We came home to a house that smelled of mice. That's disgusting. Year after year living near a field we've dealt with a mouse problem. Dennis is the one who'd had it this year. I'm not even going to say what put him over the edge, but he said we HAD to get a cat.

We chose a cat over a dog since it is easier to leave a cat for a few days, we don't have to walk it and they pretty much take care of themselves.

We chose three, well, they were a package deal. We went to the animal shelter and these three were older cats who had always lived together, so they know their pecking order and routines. And they will take care of each other.

They are three friendly females.The oldest one is seven and the other two who were litter mates are four. Thanks to Linnea's creative genius we've named them Signe, Hilda and Inga. Some Swedish aunts' names. :) We got together on the phone and with photos last night to figure it out. We couldn't go too long with no names! They are three strong women's names!

Andrew says this will take the pressure off to get grandchildren! We'll give them 5-10 years now.....