Lost Days

What day is it? I have only worked 1 1/2 days this week, and with all that time off and holidays, I am having trouble keeping the days straight, Wednesday felt like Saturday, Thursday felt like Sunday and yesterday felt like Saturday again.

A couple of days ago, it was negative wind chills, today it is almost 60 degrees. A lot of the snow was melted by the time I got up, about 8.
Here are a few pictures.

This one is looking out toward the horse pasture, behind the barn.


This was taken from the front of the pole barn looking at the pond.


And this one is looking through the "gate" at the horse barn.


and this across the pond, at the back of the pole barn.

They look a little spooky and eerie. They also look like they are were taken in black and white, but I was using the digital camera and they were printed in color.

Charlie said that the pond water level is up several inches, and the water is "gushing" through the underground drainage pipes he put in and it is still running all over the pasture. He said the water in the middle of the pasture the area behind the first picture is about 10 inches.

Quiet Christmas

Well, it was a quiet Christmas, Shonda came on Wednesday evening, we ate and opened our presents, then she had to get back to work on Christmas morning. Charlie and I just hung around the house and had steaks fixed on the new George Forman Grill that Shonda gave me.

Charlie got a new Michigan Atlas, he has used the old one some much it fell apart.

We also got some new camping equipment, cast iron swing away grill and cook set to hang pans over the campfire, there are pictures at Sportsmans Guide

Charlie and Shonda got a couple of dress shirts, and a new digital camera that didn't include the memory card (now wonder they were so in expensive.)

I sent the annual newsletter out on Wednesday, but if you read this blog, you had already seen most of it. I did forget to add that Charlie spent most of the summer building a large horse arena which will come in handy for the 4H kids to practice. In case I didn't mention before we now have 10 horses. Two of them were given to him because the owner didn't want to feed them all winter, three of them he is boarding, they pay for the feed.

I was supposed to work today, but just as I started out the door, it started sleeting, and with all the weather reports, I decided not to go. It was probably a good idea our driveway and road were a solid sheet of ice.

Gees, isn't this exciting? Hope you aren't too board, or maybe you should read this just before you turn in for the night, it might make you sleepy.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL.

Podcasts

I am so excited- I just created a podcast, and put it on the Library web page. It is a test, the location on the web page is not permanent, so check it out http://myjdl.com/minutes_12_11

We have a poetry contest in the Spring and are going to have the winners read their poems and put them on the website.

Stay tuned for more details

Winter

This was supposed to be ... Just a quick post, I am stuck at home this morning because we have a snow drift over 2 feet high in the driveway. (the picture on the left. I'm waiting for somebody to come and plow it out so I can go to work.

The window box was drift was almost 15 inches and that was close to the house (the picture on the right).

I also took a few more pictures while I was out there.

....but I have been having trouble getting the pictures to line up the way I want them. So I give up.

Happy Winter Solstice

Happy Winter Solistice (I noticed some churches are having longest night programs. When did that start?)

Shonda and I went to the Wharton center to see Grease on the 11th. It was great, most of the people there had probably seen it so many times they could sing the songs. Taylor Hicks played the part of Teen Angel, he was pretty good, in a suit that looked like it was made of glitter.

It looks like it could be pretty busy, at work in the New Year. They are writing a grant, to fund a partnership project with the library and Community Action Agency, to provide computer classes, in low income neighbor hoods.
I have contacted the Department of Aging about holding computer classes at some of their nutrition centers. If this all happens I may have to clone myself.

I finished my Christmas shopping this week, and even have it all wrapped. Yay!! I finished the last of it Thursday night, and the store was a mad house. As I was going in an older man on the way out said "Are you sure you want to go in there?" I had to, I had to pick up a prescription. I figured while I was there I might as well get it done. Part of the crowd may have been because of the impending storm, that was predicted for Thursday night/Friday morning.

The storm came, I left early to get to work, it took me over an hour. I got there - before everyone else, because .... the library was closed. I drove home, trying to stay in the tracks of the snowplow, and not get stuck in the piles of snow crossing my line, ice kept building up on the windshield wipers. Sometimes visibility was pretty low. I made it all the way home and got stuck in the driveway (backed up and tried again about 4 times.) Then I found a message on the answering machine that must have been left when I went out to clean and start the car at 6:40AM. Charlie didn't answer it because he thought I was still in the house.

I am writing this Sunday morning, It is now snowing and blowing again.

Charlie is watching hunting or golf or football on television, a few minutes ago, a Blue Jay flew in the screened porch (someone left the door open) and took some Boston's dog food. Then couldn't figure out how to get back out.
Charlie tried to shoo him out with the broom but he flew up into the house rafters, too far back to reach with the broom. For all I know he is still there. I assume if we leave him alone he will find his way out eventually. I hope.

I am trying to figure out how some people make their everyday lives sound so much more interesting than mine.
For example: Front Porch Indiana, or Notes from the Trenches, or Confessions of a Pioneer woman

D*** I can't believe it has been a whole month

Geeze, I can't believe it has been a whole month since I posted.
No reason just nothing to blog about. Like I told somebody the other day, doing laundry and grocery shopping don't make for very exciting blogs.

Let's see what's been going on.

Charlie and I took a three of the neighborhood girls to a horse competition a couple of weeks ago. The first one 2 of them had every been to, and the first time for one of the horses.
It was cold- I think the weather kept some people away, there was about 25 competitors in different age levels.
They did well, they all places in at least one event.

Shonda moved into her own apartment about 10 days ago. She went shopping in my house before she left.
" I need a lamp"
"I'm going to take this book case, and this dresser.
"Can I take this display rack?"
"I'm taking these mugs", (as she takes them out of the cupboard- I got her some from the camper)
"Can I take this coffee pot?"
I asked if she needed plates, then decided she could take paper plates and plastic spoons. After all like Charlie said- why do you need real plates for pizza.

She has called several times, usually about putting money in her checking account. Says she has another job lined up to clean someone's house, and maybe another house cleaning.

Shonda and I are going to see Grease at the Wharton Center with some friends on Thursday. Taylor Hicks from American Idol has a part, I think the Frankie Avalon teen angel part. I'll let you know how it is .

Charlie is the new 4H horse leader. We found out the Springport Township was going to be discussing the possibility of a huge horse park in the township, so he went to the meeting. He is now on a committee. I am not sure the purpose of the committee, see what they can do to help, feasiblity ???

Oh, I have signed up for a twitter account. I am not sure about it, but I have been reading a lot of library and trainer blogs writing about it lately. So I thought I would try it see how it works.
so far, I'm getting really exciting comments, almost as exciting as doing laundry and buying groceries. It may take a while to get the right people for networking. find me at http://twitter.com/betzja

Found a really funny e-card maker today. It is called elfyourself http://www.elfyourself.com/. I sent a card to Jenn and Arthur. watch for one in your inbox. The one below (previous post) is one I made of people at work, Shonda and me.

Guess that's all for now- I'll blog ya later, or maybe tweet.