Yes, I really went.

Florida holds many happy memories from my childhood as well as being warm and in bloom right now.  This trip is the first time that I took "selfies."

 Everything is so bright!

With my brother on his boat...we are circling Marco Island on the the Gulf side.  Beautiful day!

&#*%

Enough of this...I am going to Florida.

Winners AGAIN

Hayward, Wisconsin again posted the state low at minus 26 below zero.  Case gets such a kick out of receiving this status.  Unfortunately, we seem to be the winners frequently.  I am still going in town today for a haircut, plus we are going to the gym for a workout.  We had a strong feeling that joining a gym this winter would be a good thing and we were right.  The last time it was this cold - two weeks ago - the schools shut down and many businesses as well.  Today everything is open.  It is amazing what one gets used to.

We had a taste of outdoors yesterday.  Our elderly neighbors got stuck in a snowbank.  Case and I got our shovels and buckets of sand.  They were out in less than an hour.  We had planned to go to the gym.  No need.

Kata and Friends

During Christmas week we had a lot of enjoyable "hanging out" time at Tad's house. Case, Tad holding his daughter and Jo

Message from Above

Religious classes are Wednesdays and the Youth Commission provides meals for the children as well as their families.  Otherwise, all the classrooms are filled with McDonalds bags.  It is my turn and I have spent much time preparing for serving 60 at church this evening.  Well, you know...the planning, the shopping, cutting up chicken and boiling eggs yesterday, arriving early afternoon to serve the first meal at 4:30.  There are others who are coming to assist, but I am the one in charge.  As all of this goes on, I try to keep a positive attitude.  I am human and a bit of resentment creeps in.  Then I read this morning's devotion from the Gospel of Mark.  Jesus preaches and heals all day, goes to Peter's house and cures his mother-in-law, eats and cures for the rest of the evening.    The writer of the reflection states "What does this mean for us who follow Jesus?  Do we recognize that time is given us not for our own needs, but for service of God and service of neighbor?  Rest if good, but the need is urgent."  That is what I needed to hear.  I will pack up and head to town with a smile on my face.

Indoor Activity

We finished this puzzle just about the time the temp got over zero.  I am particular about my puzzles - 500 pieces, landscape or a still life like this one.  No baskets of kittens.  No cardboards boxes of puppies.  It needs to be do-able and enjoyable.

Sorry, didn't turn the photo.  But sometimes I work the puzzle from the side or upsidedown to get a different prospective.

A Kata Christmas

I think that I need to spread out the grandchild pics for one of two reasons.  One, there are those of you who are waiting to see more photos, so I am stringing you along.  Two, there are those of you who think one or two are suffice.  Hence, I am spacing them out.  Today's grandchild photo shoot is on Christmas morning.

There was, of course, much hurrying and scurrying around to get to church by 10:30 with 6 adults and one 5 week old baby.  We arrived in plenty of time to choose a good baby location.  In fact, the organist was playing carols before Mass.  It was so peaceful there celebrating Christmas with family, sleeping baby, and the sun shining in the windows.  I thanked God for all my blessings.  After Mass we went home to presents and pictures.

Kata wore a smashing red dress (additional white sweater in church). 

But, like most models, being beautiful and posing is so tiring. 

 What a Christmas!

Nature Has a Sense of Humor

This is the fence near the end of our drive.  I don't know how the snow piled on the post got to be in this position, but it is comical.  I risked 3 minutes in 8 degrees below zero to capture this photo - all for the sake of art.

Playing Indoors

This is getting ridiculous.  At least at minus 26, we didn't have the state low.  All the schools are closed...so Case and I went to town this AM and joined a gym.  The owner Mike had us try out all the equipment and set them up for our sizes and strengths.  We knew about 50% of the folks who came in.  The weather will be breaking SOME time but we felt as though we were growing to the couch so this is a good decision for us.  In Illinois I went to the gym since the fall before my 40th birthday.  I decided that I needed to embrace the birthday and get pumped.  I thought my new active lifestyle wouldn't need a gym.  I was wrong. 

Finally - a Day Out

Upon arising the temperature was 17 degrees.  Refusing to check the windchill, I had a quick breakfast and set out to snowshoe for the first time this season.  It was wonderful, quiet.  The sun came out making interesting shadows of all the trees.  I started to follow what I thought were deer tracks (hard to tell in 18 inches on the level).  The tracks went under a very low tree that had fallen over but got caught up in another tree and didn't make it to the ground.  So...not deer tracks but fox tracks.  I thought about going under.  I remember always being one of the last 3 in limbo at parties in school but thought better of it and went around. 

We enjoy Foxy so much that I had an artist friend Katie George paint a picture of a fox especially for me.  She named it Fox and Frog.  Two years ago she allowed me to dig up lupines from her overflowing garden.  She put those in as well. 

Taken in May after we hung the picture.

Beautiful Scene

This is Morgan Road that we drive 2 miles from our house to the State Highway.  It is gorgeous with the sun filtering through the trees.  The side roads stay like this until spring thaw although the main roads are cleared to the surface and dry off during the winter.  The problem right now is the temperature.  Hayward, again, had the state low of minus 26.  Also, a 20 to 25 mph wind.  Listening to the radio, I just heard that a cold front is coming through.  What? Pardon me, what do we have now?  Reportedly, it will be minus 35 to 40 below zero.  Well, I have my stack of reading and many sewing projects that I want to do without interruption.  With the weather at this rate, I will sew a quilt large enough to cover the State of Wisconsin by March.