Category: Glimpses of Life

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree,
Why art thou artificial?

Yes, our very first artificial Christmas tree.  When we went to buy a real one they were frozen.

The white you see outside the window is snow that has drifted UP to our window as we experience our very first blizzard.

Last I heard we had received 16 inches of snow but the neighborhood next to ours has 20 inches so … could be more as it’s still falling.

The State Patrol has advised no travel in the metro area.

Delta Airlines canceled all flights.

Plows being pulled off the street as the drivers can’t see what’s in front of them.

This is the 4th largest snowstorm/blizzard in Minnesota’s history.

Optimistically, we are getting all of the bad weather out of the way during the first month that we’ve been here.

Last night, I sent a text to my son who lives in Seattle to check in on him.

He’s doing fine.

He told me that this coming Sunday our temperature high would be 1 degree with a low of -10.

Since we’re looking for a house, he wanted to know why we just didn’t get an igloo. I laughed so hard I had to get up out of bed so as not to wake my husband.

This morning, the radio used the “b” word as they call it here. “B” standing for blizzard. Up to a foot of snow to fall overnight with strong winds could cause it to feel -30.

Fortunately for me I purchased my -25 degree warmth coat.

Not that I’m planning on leaving the house in the wind and cold.

It’s not easy to walk around in this town of Woodbury.

I’ll be glad when we find a new home – but I’m pretty sure it won’t be an igloo.

No, not the age.

Today we will be reaching 30 degrees. It’s a heat wave. Lol

I couldn’t understand seeing Minnesotans walking around with their coats unbuttoned, no scarfs or hats, when the temperature was 20.

Now they, or shall I say we, have gone wild.

The thinner jackets have come back. The Minnesota shuffle has slowed down some.

Expectations. They make our minds act differently.

Even if just for one day.

The meeting today to discuss the new TSA guidelines went rather well with Rachel Horn, aide to Representative Bachmann.

Minnesota is considering going to a private company to do their airport screening. There’s an airport committee that has public meetings.

Ms. Horn has already emailed me the information for the committee so I can contact them and/or attend the meetings.

Perhaps this is the way to go – one airport at a time.

And perhaps a letter to Ms. Napolitano is in order also.

But do I really want to be that known by the government?

Hmmmm … I guess it’s either all the way or no way.

Now I just have to wait to see which state we buy a house in – Minnesota or Wisconsin.

Spent today shopping for Christmas gifts for the “little” ones.  Only thing is, outside of our grandbabies, the “little” ones aren’t so little anymore.

It was a successful day though.

This evening, we test drove the Subaru Outback.  It was an okay drive.  The car is a lot bigger than the Toyota Camry I drive.  Longer and wider.

The strange thing about it — it’s electronic on the driver side and manual on the passenger side.

I think we’ll test drive the Ford Edge again.  It’s the same size as the Camry and had more options.

Well, the office of Ms Bachmann responded quite rapidly regarding the TSA concerns that I have.

I am scheduled for a meeting with her aide next Tuesday.

That should be interesting as I’ve never done this before — met with a Congressperson’s staff.

Maybe I’ll fly to Washington, D.C. and see who else I can meet with.

Hmmmmm … is a political life in my future???

I had no problems at the Minnesota airport as they have two security lines that only have metal detectors.

Coming back from Seattle, I had read that all of their security lines have the scanners so I would have had to have opted out.  But, I went to a line that was really long and when I got to the front, they only had metal detectors.

Thank God for His oversight of this human being.

Today started out slow. Homemade oatmeal pancakes with stripples and fresh mango juice.

Very nice.

I decided to skip the church service and visit my elderly friend. She was very happy to see me and a friend I had taken with me. After the visit I was treated to a spaghetti lunch with pea salad and apple pie.

By the time I got home I was feeling tired. Maybe jet lag.

After sundown I went to the store to pick up more packing supplies. I had tried calling a friend of mine but his cell was disconnected so I headed over to his place – a van parked next to a storage unit. This is where he has lived for the past 3 or so years.

He has not been able to get social security disability so lives out of his van. I think he actually enjoys it now.

We shared a nice conversation and he told me he would come help tomorrow.

Then I started packing. And packing. And packing.

It seems like it never ends.

I finally stopped for the night. I have help tomorrow and I’m sure we’ll get through it all. After all, the moving company comes first thing Monday morning.

Things I had decided to take before have now gone to the Goodwill pile. So much stuff!

I’m sitting with a glass of chocolate milk trying to unwind. It’s 2 am Minnesota time.

Right now the only thing I can think of is a bed at the Hilton with nice soft down covers and a view of a full moon. After the bubble bath, of course.

At least my imagination still works.

Better try unwinding a little better as my 7 am wake up time is fast drawing near.

Back in Seattle now.

The flight was uneventful. No TSA groping me. I found a security area that does not have the new scanners. I hope that that option will always be available.

I’m starting to get paranoid. When people start allowing the government to do things they shouldn’t be doing in the name of security … Feels like the Hitler era starting again. Slowly rights are taken away.

From a religious point of view, the U S will start taking away our rights. Somehow I had imagined it was religious rights first not civil rights.

Back to normalcy, when I entered our “home” it seemed so vacant. We lived in it like this for a few weeks but leaving and then coming back gave it a real sense of vacancy.

The movers arrive Monday morning.

Tomorrow I’ll be visiting my elderly friend with someone who will help her out since I’m living so far away.

I’m trying to squeeze in visits to everyone I told I’d try to see.

Wasn’t too happy when someone canceled for this evening as my time is so short. Not sure I can reschedule that visit. Oh well …

The “light” snow has started.

I think we need to re-define what the word “light” means.

The snow is coming down rather hard.

Not sure we’ll make it to our Thanksgiving gathering 2 hours away tomorrow.  Bummer.

Not sure we’ll make it anywhere tomorrow for Thanksgiving.  Perhaps a walk to Starbucks if it’s not too cold.

I’m homebound today by choice.

Of course, the area where I currently lives does require a car.  It’s not very conducive to walking.

But, I have so much to do that I decided not to worry about driving around today.

Am working on my Christmas cards, all bought at Hallmark, and hope to send a few out before I fly to Seattle on Friday.  I’m definitely not on top of my “game” for the holidays yet but it’s understandable.

Have been invited to Chicago for Christmas.  If we go, we’d have to leave on Christmas Eve and return the day after Christmas.  Fortunately, it’s only 1.5 or less flight.

Yawn.  Feeling tired now.  Maybe I’ll nap before getting back to “work.”

The Night Before Christmas Recordable Story (Hallmark)