Saturday, Feb. 8

Up at 7:30 on this snowy day. Another inch of snow fell during the night, which covered the snow pack already on the ground. We are very winter-weary, but more snow is predicted for next week.

I dressed to do exercises, but got absorbed in watching the Winter Olympics opening ceremonies that I'd recorded on DVR, so it was after lunch before I got around to doing stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises.

At noon, Hubbie went to Mother's house to heat leftover chicken noodle soup for her, while I got ready for the day. Against my better judgement, Hubbie was determined to attend a basketball game at the college at 4 p.m.

I was afraid there would be ice or snow on the sidewalks and the parking lots at the college, but after Hubbie had seen to Mother's lunch, he drove over to the college and reported that everything was fine there, so there was nothing preventing us from going to the game.

During the afternoon before game time, I enjoyed chatting with Son, and later with Niece from New York. When Niece and I had finished our conversation, Hubbie and I headed to the college. It was a cold walk from the distant parking lot to the gym.

Unfortunately, our team lost, after coming within three points of the opposition, who are number two in the league. Our team has come a long way under the leadership of the new couch (Hubbie's nephew-in-law).

There was a mishap at the game, when a boy of about twelve went running and sobbing past us with his forehead gushing blood. The attending medic, a man, hastened to bandage the boy's head, but it was an injury that seemed to need stitches. I'm sure his dad took him to the emergency room. Meanwhile, the medic retraced the boy's steps and cleaned the spots of blood off the floor.

Back home after the game, we gathered salmon chowder, cracker and cheese, and grapes, and went to Mother's house to have supper with her. It was near 6:30 before the chowder was heated, so we were all more than ready to sit down and eat, since our normal supper hour is 5 p.m.

At home again, Hubbie and I watched our favorite state college basketball team, as they played to a nail-biter win. I'd recorded the game on DVR.

Finished the evening episodes of "Jeeves and Wooster." 

Friday, Feb. 7

Today is Son's birthday. Happy Birthday, Son!

Up at 7:30. I delayed exercising after breakfast, and instead gathered materials for working on scrapbook pages, and a birthday card, as well as ingredients for making salmon chowder later. For the scrapbook pages, I went to the office computer to type and print journaling information. This was for pages featuring two new great-grandchildren, as girl and a boy. I think I went up and downstairs six times gathering bits of info...dates of birth, full names of the babies, etc.

Once I'd gathered everything, I finally got around to doing stair stepping exercises. Since it was so late in the morning by this time, I skipped the resistance bands and weights exercises.

Hubbie saw to Mother's lunch, while I got ready for the day, and then after he and I had lunch, we took all the stuff I'd gathered over to her house. I spent the afternoon with her, and we worked until 4 p.m. finishing four scrapbook pages, making a birthday card for a great-grandson, and putting together a double batch of salmon chowder, some of which we had for supper.

Back home after supper, Hubbie and I watched TV, including episodes of "Jeeves and Wooster," a 1990-1993 British comedy series, based on stories by P.G. Wodehouse, and starring Hugh Laurie (of "House"), and Stephen Fry. Borrowed this from the library.

Predictions are for more snow tonight. It has already arrived in the southern counties and is creating traffic havoc. But as of 10 p.m., nothing had arrived here, yet. Hubbie is keeping his fingers crossed it doesn't arrive, and that the temperature will rise sufficiently to melt some of the ice, so we can attend a 4 p.m. basketball game at the college tomorrow.

Thursday, Feb. 6

Up at 7:30, and did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Did this and that around the house once I was ready for the day.

Mother stayed home again today, since the temperature remained too low to melt the snow (now ice), and the path is slick between her house and ours.

Lunch today was the remainder of the chicken noodle soup, a bowl of which Hubbie took to Mother. After lunch, Hubbie and I ran a few errands...to the bank, to the newspaper office to leave this week's word search puzzle contest, to the post office, and to a department store, where we used two $10-off- $25 purchases to buy me two new pairs of jeans, one denim, and one black.

Besides the coupons, which I'd printed from the store's online site, we used a couple of gift cards. The coupons were one per customer, so I bought one of the pairs of jeans, and Hubbie bought the other, so we could each use a coupon. Using coupons, the jeans were a pretty good deal, especially since they were already on sale.

After shopping, we went on a photo safari around town, where I took several snow/ice pictures. Uploaded a few of them to my social network page later.

Back home, I relaxed until time to go to Mother's to prepare supper. Mother helped with the supper preparations by fixing garlic bread, and cutting veggies for the salads.

Hubbie stayed home until time for supper at 5 p.m. The spaghetti and sauce, salads, and bread were as good tonight as they were last night. Hubbie returned home afterward, and I stayed at Mother's until after the 6 p.m. news.

Back home, Hubbie and I wasted time watching TV, as usual.

Around 8 p.m., the water aerobics leader called to say the pool would be open tomorrow, but that so far everyone she called has said they will not attend. I remarked that after going over to the college today, I also did not plan to attend, because while the sidewalks and parking lots were cleared, there was snow-ice along the sides of the sidewalks, and the street was mainly ice. This is a recipe for disaster for older ladies trying to walk from one side of the street to the other. I'm not up for it, and I cautioned our leader to be extra careful if she decides to brave it.

Wednesday, Feb. 5

Today is Daughter-in-Law's birthday. Happy Birthday, Daughter-in-Law!

Slept late this morning, until 8 a.m., but did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast.

Mother stayed home again today, of course, since the temperature stayed low enough to prevent much melting of the snow and ice, and the path between our houses is pretty slick.

I did this and that for the rest of the morning, including starting a pot of spaghetti sauce simmering later.

After I'd gotten ready for the day, and we'd had a chicken soup lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands. I wasn't anxious to get out today, but I needed to select certain foods at the grocery store that I didn't want to trust Hubbie to do.

First, we went to the library to turn in a DVD and pick up one we'd asked to be held...the final installment of the series, "The Wind at My Back." I sort of confused the librarian, when I asked for "The Wind Beneath My Wings," instead of the correct title, but she managed to find the correct DVD in spite of me.

From the library, we went to the post office, to the bank, and to a pharmacy/grocery store to pick up a prescription and this week's free item, plus several on-sale items on which we could also apply online coupons that I'd uploaded to the store card last night.

After the grocery store, we went to the WDCS to get the remaining groceries on our list, and then we returned home.

The parking lots at the places we went were snow-cleared, but of course our yard is not, so I nearly lost my footing close to the porch. I know I looked comical with a purse over one shoulder, and carrying my camera bag, as I flailed around, flung out my hand to catch the edge of the house, and slid into near splits, before steadying myself to step up on the porch.

Hubbie, holding a couple of bags of groceries, was already on the porch trying hard not to laugh. But when I grinned, we both cracked up. This proved to be hygienically disastrous for me, and I had to change some of my clothes after I finally got into the house.

Before we left the house, I'd turned off the spaghetti sauce, so now I started it simmering again. We relaxed for a while and read newspapers, and then I started water boiling for spaghetti. Meanwhile, Hubbie took French bread and salad making over to Mother's house, so she could make garlic bread and fix individual salads. When the spaghetti was cooked, we took everything over to her house, and joined her for supper. It was a very satisfying meal on a cold night. Cold weather brings on carb cravings, I think.

Back home later, we watched a couple of one-hour shows, followed by our favorite basketball team, as they played to a win. Yay!         

Note: got a phone call from a water aerobics friend, who invited me to join her and a group of other women at a table for the upcoming "Red Shoe" event at the local college down the road. I haven't been to this event in a couple of years, because I was disappointed by the last one I attended. But this year, an internationally known heart specialist is the speaker, and I want to hear her.

A week or so ago, I asked a few of the ladies at the pool if one of them would like to go to the event, since I'd prefer to be seated with someone I know, but no one seemed interested...they, like me, were disappointed with the last one they attended. I'm glad that one of the ladies changed her mind, though I had already decided I was going to go, even if I knew no one I was seated with.

I'm glad the weather prevented me from going to town to buy a ticket, because the lady who reserved the table for eight paid up front for all the tickets. So I will reimburse her for my ticket on the day of the event, which takes place on Valentine's Day. Hope predicted nasty weather for next week doesn't interfere with the event.





















 

Tuesday, Feb. 4

Up around 7:30, and did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Since our county was included in an ice storm warning, I lost no time in showering and dressing, just in case the power went out. At this time, though, it was only sleeting.

Once I was ready for the day, I put my tablet on the charger, and Hubbie charged his cell phone...just in case. Hubbie also filled gallon jugs with water, since we rely on well water, and if the power goes out, the pump at the well house doesn't work.

After that, Hubbie helped me start a pot of chicken noodle soup. Nothing like nice hot soup on a wintry day. Again, I was hoping the soup would cook before a possible power outage. Fortunately, it was done before a freezing rain began.

Mother stayed home today, of course, so at lunch, Hubbie took a her bowl of Ramen noodle soup. For our lunch, Hubbie and I had cold pork roast sandwiches and chips, with canned pear halves for dessert.

Afterward, I made a double batch of blueberry muffins. I sort of held my breath, hoping the freezing rain would not coat the power lines and douse the electricity halfway through the baking time. But twenty minutes later the muffins were done, and the power remained on.

In fact, we dodged the bullet all day, thank goodness, though thousands in counties south of us are still in the dark.

At 4 p.m., we took the soup and muffins to Mother's house, and joined her for supper. She will probably have to stay at home for one more day. I know she's getting cabin fever, so I hope that by Thursday she can come over to our house again.

Hubbie's getting cabin fever, too, so I hope the temperature rises enough tomorrow to clear the main roads, so he can run errands. As for me, I'm fine entertaining myself at home.

While I was at Mother's house, I shot a few pictures through her kitchen window of the birds at her colorful red feeder, as well as shots of a small ice covered tree. Later, I uploaded a few shots to my social network page.

There was a Friends of the Library executive board meeting scheduled at the college for 5 p.m. tonight, but I got an e-mail message this morning cancelling it, since the college itself was closed today because of weather. The board president hopes to re-schedule the meeting for sometime next week.

Spent the evening watching one-hour shows on TV.

Monday, Feb. 3

Slept late, until around 8 a.m. Skipped my exercises after breakfast, so I could dress and go out to take pictures of the snow. I meant to do a session later in the day, but never got around to it.

I stayed outdoors for as long as my fingers would allow, and then started to upload selected pics to my social network page. Before I could do that, though, I had to do some housekeeping on my laptop, which included burning photos to a CD, to make room for new photos.

By the time I did all that, it was 11 a.m., so I fixed Ramen noodle soup for Mother, and he delivered it to her. She stayed home today, since there was two or three inches of snow on the ground, and her ramp was a bit slick, even after Hubbie scraped it with a shovel.

Hubbie made grilled cheese sandwiches for our lunch. Afterward, I spent time sorting things from the bathroom again. It's amazing how many bottle, tubes, and assorted other things can accumulate in drawers and cabinets of a bathroom. I filled two more bags with items I culled, and organized the rest into boxes and storage bags.

Among the items bagged is an entire storage bag of dental floss accumulated from trips to the dentist's office. We shouldn't need to buy any of that for a couple of years or so. There's also a world of hand creams and lotions. We can treat ourselves to a different one every day, or several times a day.

When I completed the task, I goofed catching up on reading newspapers and playing on my tablet. Later, Hubbie and I took leftovers from last night's supper over to Mother's house, where I heated them for supper. I served everything hot, except the pork roast. We prefer meat served cold on the second day. When wrapped tightly in two layers of plastic wrap, as well as foil, and stored in a container, it keeps its fresh-cooked flavor. When re-heated, it changes flavors.

Back home after supper, Hubbie and I watched episodes of "Downton Abbey." I discovered that somehow I failed to record Episode two on the DVR, so we watched it on my laptop. This is not the ideal way to watch movies, since the sound is so low on the laptop, and Hubbie's hearing is weak. But we managed it and then were ready to watch a couple of more episodes on TV.













  

Sunday, Feb. 2

Today is Groundhog Day...Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter, of course. No surprise there.

Up at 7:30, but skipped my exercises after breakfast, as I usually do on Sundays. Predictions were for wintry weather to set in later this afternoon, but it came in early and began spitting sleet pellets around 9:30, when Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house.

The three of us set to work right away preparing a pork roast for the slow cooker. Hubbie peeled potatoes, Mother peeled and quartered onions, and I did the rest...browned the meat and seasoned it, added the potatoes, onions, carrots, and couple of cans of fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth (I usually add a can of chicken broth and a can of beef broth, but we are out of beef broth right now). Also added spices...pepper, no salt seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, and            .

While the food cooked, we watched an episode of  "When Calls the Heart," from the Hallmark Channel, which I'd recorded on DVR. As we were watching the movie, it began to snow.

Around 1 p.m., the roast was done, so I made gravy to accompany it, and served it with individual cups of applesauce, and slices of Sis's homemade bread that I'd retrieved from the freezer and heated in the oven.

Since the weather was getting more iffy, Mother decided to go home right after lunch, so Hubbie accompanied her. She will probably be confined to her house tomorrow, so I sent her with a stack of magazines to entertain her while she's housebound. We'll see to her meals, of course.

Hubbie and I spent the rest of the afternoon watching the movie, "Cinderella Man," starring Russell Crowe, and Renee Zellweger, that we borrowed from the library. This is a good movie, even though I'm not a fan of boxing.

Following that, we watched the third and final episode of "Klondike," from the Discovery Channel, also recorded on DVR.

Spent the rest of the evening watching the Super Bowl. Surprising game.