Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Wickedly-cold Wednesday

This is a picture of my mom and dad and my brother, Bob, on Christmas Day. (we were in Sac City with John's family) The only reason I found it is because I asked to use my mom's camera for a week to see if it took better pictures than my camera.

I've been reading Debbie Mumm's blog, and she has a 'knight in shining armor', too. See: http://blog.debbiemumm.com/debbiemumm/2008/01/snow-day.html

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Here it comes!

The new upright freezer (Frigidaire 20.3 cubic ft.) was just delivered. Thank those guys at Lowe's!!!

John thinks the freezer may have died earlier than today, but yesterday was the first day it was above freezing since 11/19/07, so we just didn't notice. He got pork chops out for supper last night out of the interior of the freezer (not the door) and they were still frozen solid, so it couldn't have been dead for too many days. oh well. later now!!!

Terrible Tuesday!!!

We took both cars to Webster City this morning to get new tires on my car, and then took the other vehicle and went to the grocery store. We normally wouldn't have done this, but it's blizzard conditions here!

Yesterday it warmed to around 50 with a steady breeze (even though our neighborhood set a record for last Wednesday night when it went to 21 below zero!!!!) and today it's 4 outside with windchills to 30 below zero already!

When we got home, John discovered the freezer had died! So I tried 3 different places (all that I thought could possibly deliver one today, even in this weather)and was successful at Lowe's in Ames. The three different guys I spoke to were VERY nice and accommodating, and the freezer will be here shortly (if the blowing snow doesn't make them get lost).

I've never bought a major appliance sight-unseen and on the phone, but it was interesting and fairly efficient. I didn't have many to choose from, because if I wanted it today, it had to be in-stock and not involved in their inventory counting-process.

It's HERE!! Oh, man, I hope those guys don't get blown away.... I'm getting the camera. later now...

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Izaac visiting Sac City (Iowa)

This is a picture of Izaac and Kathy (John's sister) at Mary's house in Lake View. John, Samantha, Izaac and I went over yesterday to visit, since Kathy and Ann (John's other sister) came from Minnesota for the weekend.

We went to Grandma Walker's fabric store to start with and had sandwiches for lunch and then went shopping to Details, Giftique and Duckwall's. Everybody travelled to Lake View (10 miles south of Sac City) and John grilled a pork loin roast on the grill.

Except for the blown tire on the Sable, (so we had to drive back the 75 miles on the fake/spare) it was a fun day and Izaac was delightful (as usual). Samantha took Izaac back to Des Moines today, which worked out great so I didn't have to be on the highway with that weird tire again. Tomorrow--to the tire store!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Happy Belated Birthday to Alex!

Apparently, the snow came (again) to remind us that it is STILL January. This is out the kitchen/patio door. At least it's sunny today. We got about 7-8 inches total. The cats REALLY hate the snow, and shake their paws at the patio door PRIOR to going out (which, most of the time, the door opens for them but they DON'T GO!).

I missed the party for Alex's 22nd (my baby boy???) birthday yesterday in Des Moines. I think I could have made the drive down (probably), but the concern for me was coming home, since it just kept snowing!! I hope he had a decent party without us anyway.

Grandma Markey was serving home-made tenderloins, fries and malts! Samantha (his younger sister, by eighteen months) got him a Batman cookie jar with her home-made cookies in it. Samantha says his bedroom is 'decorated' with Batman stuff now. okay.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Frigid Saturday!

Bogie found the warmest spot in the room--against the (closed) heat vent (directs it upstairs to the kids' rooms).Otherwise, he's directly over the furnace on the kitchen floor, or spread out in the sun (when there is sun-thankfully!) in the Prairie Room.

Yes, that's Izaac's 'exer-circle' thing in the same corner (out of the way).

The dog likes to start all her naps in any available sun, but sometimes inside the sunny spots make her too warm, and she ends up going back outside to cool off by laying on the snow. She's still hobbling some, but eating and barking and in and out, so apparently the pills are working and (we hope) she's not too miserable (in pain).

Friday, January 18, 2008

Stanhope's 'Main Drag'

This is pretty much the 'main drag' in Stanhope. I took this on the same dreary Friday (1/11/08) as the Stanhope Parish pictures (1/13/08).

Izaac visited CampStanhope last the weekend and the time flew by. We went back to Des Moines on Sunday morning and had lunch with Great-Grandma and the gang (grandma Shirley, Michelle, Joe and Ben and Uncle Bobby and Samantha).

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Wednesday catch-up?? Monday, Monday cleaning, Tech-day Tuesday...

I took this on New Year's Day. This is a "sun dog". It's just cool.

Monday was cleaning day (again...) and (once in a while) sunny January days motivate me to look for ways to make the rest of the year easier (?!). Cleaning out drawers and cupboards can be cathartic, but it's still not one of my favorite jobs.

Tuesday I spent in Sac City, offering some minor tech-support to Mary and Grandma Walker. Lunch was wonderful, as usual, from the "Hub".

When I got home, my trainman suggested we go to KMart in Webster City because they had some really pretty (fake, I know) Christmas trees left on deep-discount clearance (my favorite way to shop!). So we bought one and stowed it in Samantha's bedroom (she's not using it...). She'll be surprised if/when she sleeps up there again before next Christmas.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Stanhope Parish


This is our cute little church in Stanhope, IA. I took it on a really dreary day (1/11/08) but it's still cute. We are a denomination of two faiths, Disciples of Christ, and United Methodists, from two different churches that originally each had their own buildings in Stanhope, but when we moved here (1997) they were already 'merged'.

It's a great place, where we (Presbyterians by nature in Des Moines) were welcomed heartily, and where my kids were confirmed and were guided by great people and grew to into decent adults (so far, at least, but they're only 20 and 21). Their presence in our lives has been an ongoing blessing and I treasure those people.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

New Yarn/wool store.

There's a (fairly) new hand-dyed yarn and woolen store in Ames and it's really cool. I have no idea what I'd do with those beautiful fibers, but it was fun to 'pet' them. The store is called "Prairie Fibers" and is on Main Street in Ames.

Maybe I'll go shopping again this afternoon!! Anything is better than being in the house with two animals with upset stomachs! The dog, Chia, who is now 13 or 14 years old (and came with the house when we bought it) is having some trouble with her front right leg.

The vet says it's a tumor, and she may not have much time left without being in some major pain. We give her Previcox (1/2 pill) every day, and she's eating and drinking still, but today she's really acting like it hurts to put any weight on it, and upchucking little foam puddles around the house because she can't get outside fast enough. One of the cats has added her two cents' worth by adding a hairball to the hallway. oh well.... life in the fast lane!!!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Must have been a bad day....

This tractor has been sitting in this field this past fall (and now winter) along Highway 17, north of E-18. It looks as if it has caught fire (I have no idea what actually happened) because it is blackened and really sad-looking.

I don't think it was intended as "Public Art", and I have a feeling the person driving it had a really bad day that day. I finally had my camera with me and had time enough to stop on the way home from Ames (shopping) Monday to take this picture as the sun went down.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

The Markey grandkids portrait!


That's Alex Walker, 21; Joe Markey, 18; Brian Zimmerman, 24, and Ben Markey, 15 in the back row. In front are Michelle Zimmerman, 18, and Amanda Zimmerman, 21, and right in the middle of the picture is Samantha Walker, 20.

Samantha thought it would be fun to get a decent picture of all the kids while she was still working for Sears Portrait studio (part-time). I think this is the best picture of all of them I've seen in a BUNCH of years!!

Friday, January 4, 2008

Izaac's part of changing laundry....

I sat Izaac on the counter in the bathroom because he LOVES to look in the mirror. I'm not sure whether he thinks that reflection of himself is another baby looking back at him, or if he just finds himself irresistible (the same way I find him).

He actually slid into the sink (which seemed to be okay, unless he could get the faucet to move--which he didn't) and pulled all the (plastic) soap and lotion bottles into the sink with him. It seemed to be much more interesting than me changing the laundry! I guess I could agree with him on this point.

The cats pretty much boycott/avoid any room Izaac is in, so they are a little rowdy today since they haven't been able to get any exercise outside this week, either, due to the cold and wind.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Happy 2008!

This is the winning picture from yesterday of Izaac in the "Prairie Room" (because the view of the fields and prairies from those windows) with the sun shining brightly. Izaac now has one tooth on the bottom, and the second one appears to be very close to the surface.

REALLY COLD again today. 0 with a wind chill of -15!

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