snowy monday!

General Thunder wants in!

The backyard looks so desolate with the naked trees....

I had to shovel the driveway this morning, at least a path...the school kids could have done it, but they were getting ready for school, and I really enjoyed it. It was only 20 degrees out there, and of course I brilliantly put on my boots and...sweater. No mittens. My hands really hurt as they thawed out after coming back into the warm house, oops.

So winter is here in central New York state. We live right in the path of the lake effect snow from Lake Ontario. A few winters ago, our little town got over 200 inches of snow. More snow is coming, along with icy weather and wind. So, since Thanksgiving is Thursday and I need to bake pies...I need to go to the store and get butter and flour and milk and a few other things, so today it is. Winter really complicates things. Mirielle works at a hospital really close to the lake, in a small city that gets absolutely hammered with snow, so believe me that I am praying for her as she commutes. She is a really careful driver, although she did put a dent in the car at the gas station the other day, and darn it I wasn't there, she said it was so embarrassing yet funny.

Anyway. Snow on the ground changes the lighting in the house, brightens it up, and makes it look festive in here...makes me want to decorate for Christmas, but I hold out until after Thanksgiving. But I am going to put some lights up:)

We had an excellent church feast yesterday. I helped Emily make the dinner: Turkey and stuffing and gravy and mashed potatoes and green bean casserole with freshly made batter-fried onions, rolls, black olives, cranberry sauce...she had three of the youth boys helping out, and it was so much fun. They made dessert shooters, pumpkin ones with pumpkin pudding and spice cake and whipped cream, then chocolate with chocolate pudding and chocolate graham crackers and whipped cream. Evelyn and I peeled 40 pounds of potatoes:)

I am seeing things in here that need to be done, perhaps I will move the couches and clean under them today, as well as wash the curtains and the couch covers. Dang it I need two of me.

So, having Paul home: can we just say that I am still totally in love? When we hugged at the airport, seriously, I didn't want to let go. Just having him around again, we keep looking at each other, and yeah, there is still that spark. Too bad he's only here until Sunday, then he's off to France for two weeks....