True Confession

Unless I've bet on a square or two in a Superbowl bet, I don't usually have a vested interest in the game. This year, the game was close, so I kind of enjoyed watching, and I usually like the ads. This year, with the exception of a few, most were lame. The Doritos ad with the creepy cheese sniffer was, well, weird and uncomfortable.

I loved the Snickers commercial with Roseanne, and the Pepsi Max commercials made me laugh out loud.

Did you have a favorite?

Sick and Tired

Well, our one to three inches of erroneously predicted snow turned into seven more inches that fell fast and furiously. It started around 2PM and was all over but the shoveling around 7. Not so bad except we have limited space and are running out of creative places to shovel the collective mess.

I went out around 6 PM to sweep what I thought was just a couple of inches off the porch and steps. When I realized I couldn't push the broom through the snow, I knew we'd gotten more than those filthy liars told us we'd get. I bundled up to tackle the task of shoveling the walk and drive so my husband wouldn't have to after working all day.

I'm already sore, but I'm here writing, so I obviously passed my exercise induced stress test. It took an hour, and required lifting, which they tell you not to do. Push the snow, they say. You know who I'm speaking of--those know it all television reporters. Push it where? If I push it against the mounds we started back in December, it would avalanche back down on the walk I just cleared. What's the point of that? So I lifted. And grunted. And lifted some more.

Sunday's weather predictions are for, you guessed it, more snow. Yep. Sick and tired of it all.

I can't think of the saying, sick and tired, without thinking of Bill Cosby's skit on how tired always follows sick. Back when this was first released, and that was ages ago, I laughed until I cried when he talked about his parents because apparently, our mothers were cut from the same cloth.

In case you missed it, or the snow makes you want to cry, here's a little laugh for today.

Snowtigue

Snowtigue:

1. : the tendency of a human to snap under repeated stress caused by inclement winter weather and the appearance of one snow storm after another.

I figure if those stupid weather people can make up their own weather related words, well then, so can I.




Sigh...

More of the same today. I awakened, made coffee and lounged around in my jammies watching PBS shows that highlight Michigan. I like that on Saturday mornings. I pondered the idea of packing up my wheel to go spin, but decided that included too many steps to get there--you know--like showering, putting on a down coat, slipping on my boots and carrying my wheel through slop. Meh. I stayed home and knit.

I didn't even know snow was in the forecast for today, but as I prepared to go buy some new underwear at Kohls, I noticed it was snowing like mad. Ugh.

Oh sure, it's pretty and magical looking, but I'm over it. Over. It.

Hence the new countdown clock. The flights are booked, the condo rented, the rental car secured, and now the only thing left to do is go find new underwear at Kohls.

Maybe tomorrow.

Sara sent me this so I could see how things seem to be piling up at her house, too.

Every Picture Tells a Story

Last month, we liberated Leo from his crate and allowed him to have the run of the house while we were out. What I didn't know, and what was kept from me by the men folk, is sometimes Leo wasn't being as good as I was being led to believe. He became adept at getting into the trash, helping himself to whatever was around and generally, making a mess that my son and husband cleaned before I made it home. One night, I busted the dog myself, and it came out that he'd been doing this naughty stuff every single night.

Too lazy to fetch the crate, I began to keep everything I thought he might destroy out of his way.

Some things escaped my eye before I left.

Another tape measure (Leo's second sheep measure murder) bites the dust. Sadly, it was my favorite.

A day or so later, it seemed a bull in a china shop was let loose and an unfortunate death was the result. We can't pin this crime on Leo. This decapitation was perpetrated upon the victim by the man of the house who promptly blamed the size of the house for the "accident." Yes...that was a Lladro figurine. Now she's just broken porcelain.

Though the shining sun casts pretty shadows, don't be fooled as the storm left bitter cold in its wake. It's freaking freezing cold. As I write this at noon, it's only 18 degrees (F) out there.

As my mother used to say when I left the house for school, "don't eat the yellow snow."
She was wise. Who knows what I would have done if not for her words of warning?

It took all week, but I've finally made some progress on Cloud Chaser. The back is done and I'm knitting the right side. Love, love, love this pattern (and the yarn).

I'm knitting the vest with these tools.

I was minding my own beeswax at the yarn store--really just there to purchase yarn for a baby blankie--when the clerk happened to mention I'd earned a coupon worth 20% off any purchase. Really? Anything? Next thing I knew, the Addi Lace Clicks jumped into my bag.

What's not to love about brand new pointy sticks?

And this is for you. It's the least I could do for putting the song in your heads:

Have a great weekend!

Chicken Little

For my friend in Perth...this is why I knit mostly with wool. And by the way, your quilt kept me very cozy last night. Thank you, again.

The heavens opened up at exactly 7:05 PM in my town last night. I know this because I was just getting home from the hospital and took note of the time. It snowed, the wind whistled, whipped snow sideways and I even heard thunder some time last night. I thought someone was upstairs moving furniture around, but of course, it was too late to be rearranging anything.

When the storm finally died down, I awakened to find a fresh blanket of snow, and while around seven inches isn't anything to sneeze at, it wasn't the 'Doozie' that had been prognosticated. We had a typical Michigan snow event that came without the ice. I'll consider myself blessed compared to other areas of the country.

Still, even with an average snowfall, 15 of my colleagues called in sick today.

This is what my colleagues are probably really doing today.

One of these people said to me last month, "I don't ever have enough time accumulated to take two weeks off like you're doing in February." Really? I wonder why. Since we have combined time off, if you call in sick, the scheduled amount of hours are automatically deducted from your bank of time. This tends to put a ding in the time banks of people who call off at least every first Monday and Tuesday of the month--as though they have no pattern. Since these folks can't seem to do the math, I wonder how their bank accounts look. Ah well, not my problem. It may be my problem come 4 PM, but it won't be my problem in 10 days when my plane takes off for sunnier climes.

Note my sundial. Do you see a shadow? For the life of me, I don't.

Speaking of sun, and shadows, how is it the Michigan groundhog saw her shadow? It's not possible. Punxsutawney Phil didn't see one though and today, he's the only groundhog that counts. It will be an early spring. Hopefully someone is making groundhog stew out of the Michigan rodent.

How did you fare in the storm of the ages?

Storm News

We're screwed!

Romancing the car

Her-- Good morning. Don't bother looking outside, we didn't even get that first four inches of snow that was forecast overnight.

Him-- It's not that snow I'm worried about. I don't even have an ice scraper for my car.

Her-- No. You can't have mine.

Him-- I didn't ask you for yours.

Her-- Yes you did, just in not so many words. While we're on the topic, you can't have my SUV, either.

Him--I didn't ask you for your car. Can't you call your boss and ask what the plan is for tonight?

Her--The plan is I punch in at 4 PM and go where I'm sent. And no, you can't have my car.

Him--Dammit, I didn't ask for your car.

Her--Yes you did and I'm not calling in sick for something that hasn't even started yet.

Him--Why? Your patients are dead anyway. Why do you have to go out to see them if they're dead?

Her--Because that's my job, and no, you can't have my car. I'm sorry if you didn't think to buy your own SUV, but just because the weather is bad doesn't mean you can take mine. I mean hello? That's why I bought this vehicle.

Him--FOR THE LAST TIME, I'M NOT ASKING FOR YOUR CAR!

Her--Yes you are.

Him--What am I going to do to get to work?

Her--It isn't snowing yet and right now, you're channeling your father.

Him--I AM NOT.

Her--Yes you are. And no, you can't have my car.

Later...

Him--You're right. I am turning into my father over snow. I'm not doing so well with this blizzard thing.

Her-- I know, I know. Look, I packed you a nice lunch. Everything will be ok. We'll cross this snow bridge when we come to it, honey. Now go to work...