A Lovely Afternoon Indoors

A soft light snow is falling.  Usually I would be out snowshoeing but instead I am enjoying time indoors with emails and fun projects.  And here is why...I was walking through the house after breakfast.  Not rushing - just walking.  I stepped on the side of my foot and put my full weight on it.  Don't you just hate it when you do that!  To recover my awkward step I pulled a muscle on the inner thigh of the other leg.  No pain -just not as it should be.  Retirement?  Age?  Or merely klutzy?  Anyway I am going easy today to be able to get out and about tomorrow. 

Winter Discoveries

I was snowshoeing on the lake this afternoon and decided to climb a bank to get back to the house.  I found a den in some exposed tree roots.  Definitely this animal has been going in and out recently because the dusting of snow from last night was removed around the opening.  It would be only a guess on my part who it belonged to.  Then in a clearing  I saw a circle of tracks from a small animal with tracks of a large bird that landed next to it.  In the snow I could see the brush of the wings outstretched as the bird landed quickly to catch its prey.  Don't know who those two parties are either.  However, I could identify Foxy's tracks as she went from our neighbors' place of feeding her to our stump on the other side of the garage.   

Fantastic Road Trip to the Engagement World

Case and I have been on the road for a bit.  We met his fiance's parents. (They're great!)   I went with the bride when she selected a wedding dress.  (She's beautiful!)   Case worked on the house where they will live after the wedding.  (He's tired!)  I was major cleaning that same house.  (I'm tired!)  All six of us have wedding fever and all the excitement that goes with it.  We are home and we are resting until the next visit.

One last Packer note until training camp:  As we were winding our way through Wisconsin, we saw many Packer flags on flagpoles as usual.  However, one was at half-mast.  Very appropriate...

Insurance

Life can be complicated and dull.  Yes, I am talking about insurance.  My COBRA health insurance from work in Illinois will be ending in February so I am in the tedious process of securing new insurance.  I am jumping through several hoops but will end up with Wisconsin's high-risk pool.  The plan is pretty good and the premiums aren't outrageous especially with someone with insulin-dependent diabetes like me.  I was speaking on the phone with agent Brian from Humana in Waukesha, WI.  He ended the 35 minute call with "Awful about the Packers - at least we won Miss America."  Got to love Wisconsin!

Closing note:  I think the bye week as well as the death of a Green Bay coach's son didn't help the team's frame of mind. However, if the the Packers play like the Bears and the Vikings, they deserve to lose.

Time On?

It was exciting to ride the red gondolas to the top of one of the mountains at the ski resort.  Our condos were 20 feet from Lake Superior so lake watching was a highlight as well.  We faced south so could see the sunrise and sunset daily from the large windows in all directions. However, no snow.  These tourists places are shriveling up before our eyes...here and back in Hayward, too.  So we hiked or went to the pool  One of my hikes with just one other woman caused us to cross paths with a wolf.  He was about 30 feet away.  I had never seen one in the wild.  Big would not even begin to describe it - even a St. Bernard would pale in comparison.  And he was healthy, well fed so he merely glanced at us and kept trotting along.  Returning to Hayward found 4-5 inches of fresh snow so I guess that I have come home to ski and snowshoe.

Time Off

At 8 am I am leaving with my walking group to a ski resort on the north shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota - Lutsen.  It has all the bells and whistles.  There are 13 of us going in 3 vehicles staying in 2 villas.  As with past outings I am sure a good time will be had by all.  We were planning on 2 nights then we got a third night free.  How could we not stay?  So I'm getting from time off from retirement.  Case will be keeping the home fire burning - literally (in the wood stove). 

Wisconsin Makes Me Smile

During Christmas I was telling how many Christmas Cookie exchanges I had participated in.  (four)  We certainly enjoyed them throughout the season.  Our son Tad said that he was in an exchange this year, too.  "Cookies?" I inquired.  No.  "Beer."  Everyone either makes their own beer or buys beer from an out of the way brewery and brings 24 bottles to the exchange.  You go home with 24 bottles of different kinds of beer.  A Wisconsin Beer Exchange.   Most of you know that Case and I don't imbibe, but the state and its ways still make me smile.

As a final note for today...I only send checks to two organizations through the mail.  One is MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving.  Drinking is up to you.  If you drive, then it is up to all of us. 

Winter Rainbow

I have never seen a winter rainbow.  During my walk the sun began to shine and there it was...a winter rainbow.  Snow on the ground.  Thirty some degrees and a rainbow.  I didn't know it was possible.  I could see the entire rainbow.  I sure needed that today.  It was calming and beautiful. 

 From the Bible in the Book of Genesis, Chapter 9:  God said to Noah, " I will set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the everlasting covenant between me and all living beings, so that the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all mortal beings." 

Difficult Week

This week we have received notification of two deaths and one person in hospice that we know.  That news stops me cold.  I think of and pray about these people and their immediate families.  Of course, I remember people who have died in the past.  Then, being human, I think of my own death in the future.  Yes, a difficult week. 

The World Needs to Make Up Its Mind

It is January 2, 2012.  Is it a holiday today?  There was no mail service but Hayward Schools were in session.  The Rose Bowl with Wisconsin was today in Pasadena but I went to work.  The banks were closed but most stores were open.  Doesn't matter to me what kind of day it is today BUT is it a holiday or a regular day?  It made me cranky just thinking about it.  However, I brightened up when I watched the stealth airplane fly over the Rose Bowl after the National Anthem with The Badger and The Duck standing at reverent attention.  It was amusing.  I am sorry that Wisconsin lost, but it was a fabulous game to watch.  And the Ducks had those cool mirror helmets.  Wow!