I was glad I had opted to stay in again today. I still am dealing with a productive cough although much less intense. And there was a coating of snow on the driveway. After I got a shower and had breakfast, I bullied myself into clearing off the incline section of my driveway, and throwing salt. The sun was bright, temps were still in the 20’s, and no wind. It didn’t take very long and I wasn’t even cold. Then when I came in and changed, I noticed that the rest of the driveway had melted itself! Go figure!

I then got inspired to bake a batch of cookies. Not sure why. It took me hours. While they were cooling I got the meatloaf in the oven and it’s still baking. That will be supper today and tomorrow and Tuesday and….

Christina and Hope were outside yesterday and took a picture of a snowflake on Chrissy’s sweater! I don’t know how they did that! Chrissy loves her photography and does a great job. Look at the detail of that little flake!

Today’s trivia is: What year was Facebook created? Answer tomorrow!

Birthdays for January 14th: Mark Anthony – 83BC; Benedict Arnold 1741; Faye Dunaway – actress, 1941; LL Cool J – rapper 1968; In 1952 TODAY Show premieres; in 1960 Elvis was promoted to Sergeant.

PEANUTS thought for the day:

TOMORROW January 15th is:

National Bagel Day; National Martin Luther King Jr Day; National Strawberry Ice Cream day; National Hat Day.

So… have a bagel, with strawberry ice cream, and wear your hat! And maybe you have the day off in respect for M L King Jr. God bless…

This is the first time since the pandemic that I have stayed inside so many days in a row, and have not done any projects or been busy all day. I continue to feel better hourly but the motivation and energy is lacking. So I’m binge-watching HOME TOWN TAKEOVER with Ben and Erin Napier, sneezing, and drinking lots of liquids.

This morning the sun was shining with an intense brightness and reflecting off my bedroom wall. It didn’t last long. Within the hour the day has turned gray, spitting snow flurries almost like clouds. Again, I stayed in. I did force myself to walk up for the mail – junk mail, of course!

Now if I only had a cook, I would probably order up something tantalizing and yummy and devour it slowly and happily. Alas, I will probably have leftover soup and a muffin!

Calendar trivia is a tongue twister: Top chopstick shops stock top chopsticks. Go figure….

Birthdays, etc, for January 13th: 1979 – Jill Wagner, American Actress (Hallmark); 1930 – Mickie Mouse comic strip first appears; 1962- Chubby Checker’s THE TWIST goes #1.

PEANUTS Thought for the Day:

TOMORROW January 14th is:

National Sunday Supper Day; Ratification Day; National Dress up your Pet Day; National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day.

I should tell Jen to dress up Piggy Smalls! THAT would be cute… God bless...

What a day – feels like OZ out there. We’re not in Kansas anymore!

Although I still have a ways to go I feel much improved. Still coughing and sneezing and my neck and shoulders ache, but I am breathing easier and resting well. It’s boring being sick! So many things I want to do and here I sit! So I’ll catch up tomorrow and hopefully have something exciting to report.

Before signing off I need to send a big birthday wish to my favorite Skunk Hollow Cousin who’s name starts with a ‘B’! Happy birthday Beth! Hope your day was happy and warm and that those around you made you feel loved and special, which you are! Sending love and hugs! And blessings!

And also happy birthday to her daughter Sabrina! Hope your day was happy and bright! Love you!

Calendar trivia: Plan your meals each week to avoid overspending on groceries.

Birthdays etc for January 12th: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (developed Transcendental Meditation and was actually a friend of the Beach Boys!) born 1918. In 1966 BATMAN debuts. 1995 OJ Simpson trial begins.

PEANUTS Thought of the day:

TOMORROW January 13th is:

Korean American Day; National Sticker Day; National Vision Board Day; Stephen Foster Memorial Day; National Peach Melba Day; National Rubber Duckie Day.

Ernie from Sesame Street loved his rubber duckie. I used to be the sticker lady at work – I had a box of them and the kids would come in to see me and make pictures! Have a great Saturday. God bless…

Well, as I have spent most of the day sneezing and coughing there isn’t much to post. I didn’t feel too out of it this morning and was able to work. Picked up Chrissy (last minute request) at school, got Autmn and Cameron (last minute request) and took them all to Nate’s. I didn’t even get to nuzzle over Cameron – I didn’t want to share my germs!

Got gas in the car, stopped at the post office, came home and had soup. The sky is alternately bright blue with white clouds and dark clouds.

Hoping tomorrow is a little more exciting! BUT – if the rapture happens today I will have to grab my Kleenex!

The answer to yesterday’s extra was ‘Dinner is on me’. Today is a fun fact: The largest snowflakes to ever fall were 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick! I would have loved to see those!

Birthdays etc for January 11th: Alexander Hamilton born 1755 or 1757 – two sources, two dates!; Rod Taylor – actor – born 1930;

PEANUTS thought for the day:

TOMORROW January 12th is:

Kiss a Ginger Day (not what you think; look it up!); National Marzipan Day; National Curried Chicken Day; National Pharmacist Day.

I’m voting for National Feel Better Day! God bless…

I went to bed last night with a cough and didn’t feel well. I took cough medicine and 2 Tylenol and slept pretty well once I fell asleep. That being said, I woke at 6:30am, reheated my rice bag, and stayed cuddled in bed resting and reading until about 9am. I bundled up and went outside, walked around the house, and checked the trees and the siding. All is well. The only casualty is the wind chimes. One of the chimes and the weight blew loose and were laying in the driveway. I brought them in, and once everything dries out I will re-string it. Didn’t lose power at all – thankfully!

Kelly txt me that they haven’t had power since yesterday afternoon. If they don’t have it in the morning she’s coming up here for the day and getting showers and doing a few loads of laundry.

I took my time and spent the day – til about 6:40pm – cleaning the house and doing laundry. That was my whole day, so nothing else to report. I did, however, get two Christmas cards in the mail today!

So, until tomorrow’s post!

Extra – today is a joke: What did one plate whisper to the other plate? Answer tomorrow!

Birthdays, etc, for January 10: Ethan Allen, Revolutionary war hero 1738; Jim Croce, singer/songwriter 1943; Rod Stewart, singer – 1945; George Foreman, boxer – 1949; ‘Common Sense published by Thomas Paine 1777.

PEANUTS thought for the day:

TOMORROW January 11th is:

National Arkansas Day; National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day; National Milk Day.

I believe, under the circumstances, I won’t be stepping in any puddles! Try to resist the temptation — God bless…

The ice on the windows and the wind woke me a little after 5am. I though I could fall back to sleep but that didn’t work. I called work and both stores had no deals – just pending work – so I didn’t need to rush. I thought I was going to get Autmn and take her and Cameron to her dads (to finish laundry) but he had to reschedule. I went over to Giant Eagle and picked up my prescription, then grabbed 3 food items and came home. The roads were fine but the rain and wind were relentless. You can see by the flag blowing sideways, and the two wooden signs that blew off my wall, that things were somewhat wild.

Since I had an unexpected free day, I did some research emails then worked in the kitchen. I baked cinnamon muffins and then made a batch of chocolate covered popcorn. I am now officially very low on chocolate so I’m hoping that on beef day (1/27) I can stop at the bulk food store and get more.

As you can see, something (one!!!) is missing today…)

The answer to yesterday’s puzzle is GO UP IN SMOKE. Took me a few minutes to figure it out. Today’s EXTRA is a coloring page. I didn’t say they’d all be exciting…

Birthdays, etc, for January 9th: Richard Nixon, US President (1913); Bob Denver (Gilligan – American actor) 1935; Joan Baez, folk singer (1945); Crystal Gayle, Country singer 1951; Dave Matthews, singer/songwriter (1967); Kate Middleton, Princess of Whales (1982); 1861 – Battle of Fort Sumter; 1967 – 2nd album by the MONKEES released 1967.

PEANUTS thought for the day:

TOMORROW January 10th is:

National Houseplant Appreciation Day; National Oysters Rockefeller Day; Save the Eagles Day; National Cut Your Energy Costs Day; National Bittersweet Chocolate Day.

I don’t think I have every truly appreciated a houseplant. Seldom do they thrive under my care! Thank goodness I don’t raise eagles. Have a happy Wednesday and God bless…

Both stores were pretty busy today, especially Greensburg. I even brought a few things home to finish up. I had errands to run, and wasn’t very successful. I was getting frustrated – but then Autmn txt me that she needed to do laundry and could I pick them up? Thankfully Nate, with 2 sets of washer/dryers, stopped and got half the clothes and we did the other half. It’s almost 9pm and I am finally getting to mine! Oh – and I caught my left hand in the door, and cut my right hand on the car. I just kept bleeding. All good now!

Autmn made some phone calls, watched a tv show, took a nap, made herself lunch, and took care of Cameron while I got organized. Then I took over and we had a fun day. He napped, cuddled, played, chatted, slept, ate, and kicked. We entertained each other all day.

That being said, it’s late and I’m worn out. Very busy day! So I’m hoping tomorrow is a little more low key and I can finish up the errands that were unsuccessful today!

Puzzle: What is the phrase depicted below:

Birthdays, etc, for January 8th: Soupy Sales (comedian) 1926; Elvis Presley 1935 (Did you know Elvis had a still-born twin brother, Jesse?); Little Anthony, singer – 1941; David Bowie – singer/songwriter – 1947: 1790 George Washington gave the first State of the Union address.

PEANUTS thought for the day:

TOMORROW January 9th is:

National Balloon Ascension Day; National Shop for Travel Day; National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day; National Apricot Day; National Static Electricity Day.

When the kids were little we used to chase hot air balloons. They would land in a field very near our house. Sometimes we’d even go in our PJ’s! God bless..

Wow – what a low-key day! It’s about 35* and right now there is no snow or rain. Very dreary. My friend Gen who lives in NY posted that they have seven inches and it’s still snowing! I’m sure it’s beautiful but I’m thankful I don’t have to shovel it…

Sunday School’s lesson was about Jesus in the temple at age 12. I think I may have left out a key explanation because at the end of the lesson they thought Jesus ran away, back to Jerusalem! So we went back and started over and they were fine. Mary had a cute craft for them, and on a scale of 1-10 I think their exuberance level was about a 13…

Todd’s message this morning was on Hope – where do you put your hope? Often the hope is still there but we walk away from it and move on. We feel like we are defined by our past, and we feel the ‘mess’ around us. But we are not defined by the ‘mess’ – we are given a new identity in Jesus, in whom our Hope lies. Our motto, or life words, will be ‘Real Hope 4 Real People’. Live your life so others see hope in you.

There’s nothing exciting on my list for today – some ironing, some writing, some vacation research. I found this little town in North Carolina called Little Switzerland. Some of you my know the significance of that… We’ll see!

Calendar thought for today is a Household Hint: Make yourself a daily, weekly, and monthly schedule with all the necessary household chores. This will make the tasks seem less overwhelming and will keep you from forgetting to do certain things. (This is key for me – I am a HUGE list-maker!)

Birthdays, etc for January 7th. First, it’s my friend April (and her husband Quincy)’s wedding anniversary – wishing you many more happy years together!

Other important events: Millard Fillmore – 13th president (1800); Nicholas Cage – actor (1964).

PEANUTS thought for the day:

TOMORROW January 8th is:

National Career Coach Day; National Winter Skin Relief Day; National Clean Off Your Desk Day; National English Toffee Day; National Bubble Bath Day; National Argyle Day; National Joygerm Day.

Joygerm might sound funky but it’s really cool. Check it out, put it into practice and have a great week. God bless…

I had a restless night trying to sleep. I promised Autmn I would pick her and Cameron up this morning and I was concerned with the snow forecast. I got up, changed bed sheets and washed them, and printed out my bank statement. The printer still isn’t working right and keeps jamming. But I did finally get it printed, just in time to leave for Mt. Pleasant.

Just as I left it started to snow the big heavy flat flakes. The road from here to Route 119 South were snow covered and appeared to be dicey. Once I hit Mt. Pleasant, though, it was just rain and above freezing. I didn’t hurry driving but we made good time back home. As soon as we got back in the door it turned to snow again and within minutes everything was covered. The snow/salt truck went through and the roads appeared clear. While Autmn was feeding Cameron (and it had stopped snowing again) I bundled up and went outside and shoveled and salted the driveway. Also changed the front flag from New Year’s to Winter.

Cameron had been up most of the night, too, so Autmn took a nap while Cameron and I were upstairs playing on the floor. I turned on ‘Mares eat Oats’ and he listened to it and ‘sang’ along for about 20 minutes. He also liked my stuffed cow pillow and spent a good deal of time talking to that and singing. They just left for home, and the house always feels quiet without baby noises!

The answer to the Sudoku puzzle:

Today’s ‘extra’ is a ‘This Day in History’ post: On January 5th (day behind!) 1925 Nellie Tayloe Ross became governor of Wyoming, making her the first female governor in U.S. History.

Birthdays for January 6th: – Here’s a puzzle for you. I looked up January 5th yesterday and got the 6th! So I’m just admitting defeat and moving on – I’ll start fresh tomorrow!

PEANUTS thought for the day:

TOMORROW January 7th is:

National Bobblehead Day; National Tempura Day.

Tomorrow – more snow! Ugh. God Bless us, every one!

My day turned crazy mid-stream, but it was a good crazy and only a little stressful. All turned out well as you will see. I started out the day doing laundry and starting a pot of veggie soup. I had some errands to run, most especially getting honey — I ran out and hadn’t had time to track some down. Gotta be local, ya’ know!!! I bought a larger jar of the wildflower and a small sample of the clover. I’ll see once and for all which I like best! Miller’s Crossing has local honey – while I was there I walked around. I love Fleatiques!

Since I gave Autmn some of my tea bags yesterday I stopped on the way home and got more. They don’t always stock them and I wanted to make sure I had a nice supply. I was just putting the soup together when Autmn txt me and said the formula they ordered was on delivery delay and Cameron was stuck! I turned off the soup and buzzed to Mt. Pleasant, got two cans of Enfamil, and dropped them off. Cameron was visibly relieved!

Of course, I couldn’t just walk back out the door! I had to stay and play for a few minutes. He was in a happy mood, playing Hokey Pokey, This little Piggy, and Creepy-crawly. He even tried to do sit-ups! All the while he was smiling and trying to explain everything to me.

I was just getting ready to leave when Sir Rege called – they had a customer on the car I was driving. So I bid a quick adieu and zipped to Jeannette – transferred everything out of the Cherokee and loaded it into the Compass, which had very little gas. With the snow storm pending (or NOT!!!) I went straight over to fill up the gas tank.

With everything tossed in a bag in my car, I made a quick stop at home, grabbed the Oreo Ice Cream and headed over to Kathy’s. We had our planning meeting for our spring trip to Biltmore. We picked a date and even talked to a lady from Reservations, and found that it will be tulip season when we are there! We have a few other stops on our list, including a visit to The Mitford Museum in NC. That is the museum based on the Mitford novels by Jan Karon – one of my super favorite authors! We have all of her books! So I’m excited about all of that.

Autmn sent me a txt after I left – she put together his walker/car and he loves it!

Kathy sent me some old snow pictures – I guess to get me in the mood for tomorrow! These are all from several years ago.

I got home about 8pm or so, and here I sit. I heated the soup up and added the alphabet noodles. That will be lunch tomorrow, after I change my bed sheets and move all the stuff back into my car. It was a good day!

The answer to yesterday’s puzzle (CONSIDERATE) was the phrase ‘care is noted’. I think that was kind of lame but hey – whatever! Tomorrow’s puzzle is a Sudoku, which I have never done. Good luck.

Birthdays, etc, for January 6th: Sherlock Holmes (author) 1854; Danny Thomas (actor) 1912; Loretta Young (actress) 1913; Earl Scruggs (banjo player and a favorite of my dad) 1924;Pepe le Pew (cartoon skunk, Warner Brothers) 1945. Lots of birthdays today!

PEANUTS thought for the day: (I’m with Snoopy!

TOMORROW January 6th is:

National Play Outside Day (Perfect if it snows!); National Cuddle Up Day (Perfect if it snows!); National Technology Day (perfect if it snows!); National Shortbread Day (Perfect treat if it snows!); National Bean Day — naaa!)

Enjoy tomorrow – God bless…