New Plans, New Year

I am so looking forward to 2009, since 2008 has ended with many trials. I'm still getting stuck in my driveway, every morning and every night, there's still about 2 feet of snow on the ground and 6 feet on the side of the driveway and cul de sac, and my Geology class was cancelled due to a record breaking winter in the Cascades. And so in 2009, I begin my journey into the design portion of my degree.

I've replaced the Geology class with a freshman level Engineering Technology class that meets twice a week, y continuo Espanol tambien. Geology, which is actually the only class I need for my Associates transfer degree, will have to wait until Spring. Instead, I will be playing with CAD and CATIA, and getting a pre-req for my minor at WWU out of the way. It's all good.

My kids are coming home from their dad's tonight, and we plan to bring in the New Year with some Rock Band, Mario Kart and some poker lessons. I remember playing for pennies with my Godparents when I was much younger than my youngest, so we've dug the poker set out of the closet (along with some bottle rockets :) and plan to play some rounds into the New Year.

Remember to put some money in your pocket, and good luck to all in 2009!

Christmas Fun

Did Santa bring everyone what they wanted? I know I got a killer pair of Mossy Oak dual mitten/glove waterproof work gloves with 40 below Thinsulate lining - and yes, they're camouflage, so what? We had a great get-together with my stepfamily last night, since they, too live in Arlington, and we could actually barrell through the frozen, lumpy roads. We freally missed my step-sister and her kids, though. Girl, you need to find a 4WD, just kidding.

Today, aside from presents, we picked up my step-son, played Rock Band, and I rolled my sled 3 times, and caught air once, but not on purpose. The coolest thing happened when we were sledding, though.

You know you and your significant other are soulmates when you find you have the same weird obsessions, you know? Like, I'm obsessed with frogs and birds he's obsessed with eagles and lizards. Anyway, we've watched 4 bald eagles soar really low across our back yard today, and one experience I'll never forget. The hubby went down the sled hill and stoped dead at the bottom of the hill. Right then, a bald eagle went right over my head at the top of the hill and landed in the tree right above him. The eagle proceeded to check him out with both eyes, and sat majestically on top of the fir tree trying to figure out what we were doing. He eventually flew off, but it was soooo cool!

Anyway, here's some more snow pictures, but unfortunately none of the eagle. We ended up with 3&1/2 feet total!

The view from the front walkway of our roof.

The Twinkie is buried!

What once was my orchard - the front twig is actually a pear tree!

The icicles off the back roof!

And what was once a cute, little 3&1/2 foot fence is nothing more than a line of lumpy snow between us and the neighbors!

No Need to Dream of a White Christmas

Another 5 inches and more on the way today and tomorrow. Our Christmas Eve plans got postponed due to the current round of snow, and the fact that we don't want to chain up just to get to dinner. We will have to wait a while for presents from the hubby's family (my family gives love - we know it's all good!), but at least we (and the Escape) will be safe. My mother-in-law was sweet enough to hold another dinner for us next weekend, so hopefully the warming trend that is supposed to start on Friday will hold out all next week.

Right now, we are trying to get the ATV started so we can do donuts and drag the innertube in the snow. The new neighbors have a snowmobile - I will totally have to check that out, too! I LOVE motor toys!! Sledding is also in the plans, since we have SOOOOOOO much snow, nothing but time, and a kick-ass 35 foot drop in our back yard. Half our Christmas might be cancelled, and we might be snowed in, but it's going to be A LOT of fun! Merry Christmas everyone!

Doin' Alright

Jusst want everyone to know we are okay. We lost power around 11pm right when the blizzard hit. There was only about 5 inches in the storm, but there are drifts in our yard that go up to my waist now.

We went into town today, and saw farms on the prarie where the wind swept the field clear of snow - right up to the roofs of some smaller barns. After shoveling daily for the last 4 days, we decided to chance it and start up the Escape to see if we could just drive over the 5 inches and the drifts in the driveway. We didn't get stuck at all! So then, we were testing the limits of the "Smart 4WD" such as taking sharp corners in the parking lots, skid stopping, you know all the things your parents and insurance agents forbid you to do, but in your 30's you can afford to try. I have to give Ford a lot of credit - the 4WD is very smart!

I haven't been in a blizzard since I was a kid, and had forgotten how the wind constantly howled. Needless to say, between the wind, the 2 feet of snow sliding off the roof, and nothing to drown out the little dog's snoring, I didn't get much sleep last night.

Our pipes and the neighbors' pipes have been frozen since yesterday, and we all just got power. I'm going to have to go into town to shower for the next few days because the temp's not supposed to get above freezing until the day after Christmas. We're supposed to get another 4 inches of snow tonight, and another 3 tomorrow. That will make almost 3 feet in 5 days!

Well it's off to boil more snow so we can flush the toilets. Nothing like mountain living!

Am I in Michigan or Washington?

I have to shout out - snow plow drivers absolutely rock!

So we ended up with 26 inches of snow which is now solid ice. We actually got down to 0 last night and right now it is 8 degrees. I have to brag that the Escape Hybrid got me to work in the worst conditions I've ever driven in - I only slid a few times, but I'm sure that's because I had absolutely no weight in the back of the car, and the snow/ice pack on the road is thick. I don't know how my dad lived in Michigan for so long - this weather is sooooo cold!

The hubby dug us out of the driveway, I kept up with snow removal from the cars and walkways, and then we took the time to construct a mini half-pipe down our sledding hill. I got so much snow in my face, boots, and sled the first few times before the snow was packed down, but then it was smooth (and fast) sailing down the drop. I'm sure you could go really fast today with all the ice, but knowing my luck I'd probably impail myself with a branch or something trying to be a daredevil.

Today we are in the Don't Know Zone for the severe winter storm rolling in. We are not included in the high wind foothill zone, or in the massive snow accumulation zone, but are in an area between both, which they will say nothing about. Now, I've finally realized that the "Convergence Zone" in our county is PNW weatherman speak for "the hell if we know," but come on! You can't tell us anything to expect?! I'll tell you what to do with you Doppler computer model. Jerks!

Oh well, the generator is prepared for whichever part of the disaster Mamma Nature wants to throw our way. Although, if it counts for anything, I'd rather not have 90mph winds come from the East. Uh oh - I see the breeze picking up and blowing the trees the wrong way (Easterly winds are very rare here). I have a feeling we're in for a mess.

The Most I've Seen in 20 Years...Literally

When I was ten, we had a HUGE snow storm in Maryland. I think we ended up with almost 3 feet of snow that year, and despite hating the cold, I had A LOT of fun in it. We're now over 2 feet and it just started coming down in buckets again. The only creature that seems to be enjoying it is Bear Bear the husky. The other dogs are no where to be seen since we put them out, and we are hold up inside with the cats and the heat.

I think we have officially given up on the satellite dish, so movie day it is. Now would be a good time to ground some Pete's Coffee Italian Roast and catch up on movies and Christmas cards. We were going to try and make it into work today, but just watched a Suburban slide across the highway. It was going really slow, too. Then I saw the guy turn around and head back into Darrington. Snow Day! I can't wait until it clears up and I can take pictures of the mountains!

Here's some pictures of last night and some from this morning - remember, we shoveled all day yesterday, and I completely cleared both cars of snow last night. Enjoy:

Last night while cleaning off the vehicles and finally warm and exhausted on my sheep wools.

The two feet we woke up to, and my wasted efforts.

And the poor dog who lost his bottom step.

Snow Update

Snow update - we now have eleven inches. We're supposed to get four more tonight and another two inches tomorrow. Then it's supposed to dip back down into the single digits (it was 8 on Monday night) until it snows again Saturday. Here's some more snow pics:

Inner Nerd

So we've got 8 inches of cold, dry, fluffy snow, but it's the kind that puts 2 inches behind where you've already shoveled. In the words of Eeyore, "Oh bother." I know, I know, my dad will think I'm a baby complaining since he lived in Michigan, my BF would laugh after living in Minnesota, and I survived many blizzards in Maryland, but the fact remains that I HATE winter.

My Bear Bear (husky mix) is half white now (picture Balto rolling in snow), and the fir tree branches are now bending down like cedars from the weight of the snow. I will post pictures later, but right now, I'm toasty warm inside.

One thing the Christmas season has done this year is bring my inner geek out, which KT conveniently pointed out last night at work. Dr. Brian and I were talking about Ataris, NES and Star Wars video games, and about another RPh who claimed he had never played Tetris (this after I pointed out how part of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite reminded me of Tetris music). And then on the home front, I convinced the hubby to go to the hobby shop last week for more tracks for my Lionel train. After we got home, we had to rig our own ground after discovering the original one had been lost somewhere between Maryland, Florida and Washington. For the next trip, there are plans in the works for crosstracks, switches to trigger things, buildings and trees. Such a nerd. The important thing is I finally found a really cool hobby shop in the Everett area.

I guess I should go shovel some more snow, since we have to make it to work tomorrow come snow or avalanche. Thinking warm thoughts…

O bladee, O bladah…Life Goes On. Hey!

Oh thank God – dead week is finally over. Unfortunately, my dead week included both of my final exams, but that frees up my time this week to devote to my final project in Spanish and mailing out vast amounts of presents to my dozens of nieces and nephews across the US and to our dads and step-moms. Anyone seen Four Christmases? At least our families don't live that close together.

The great news is I scored an A in ECON201 and I'm thinking an A- in Español, but I'm crossing my fingers for the 4.0. During my break, I'll be working 40 hours a week in the pharmacy and working on tons of essays. I've got a couple of entrance essays for the Huxley College of the Environment at WWU and a few for some scholarships I'm applying for. This year's Possible Woman scholarships are aimed at working moms changing careers into Environmental Science. I am so applying for that $5,000.

Turkey Day went very well and was oh so yummy. We had a giant bird ala my secret ingredients and method once again. I cooked for our moms, too, but my mom-in-law had to get up way too early the next morning and decided to rest at home. Really, I can't blame her, because her house is in remodel chaos, too. No one should have to get up that early for a retail job (hint, hint you Black Friday monsters).

The hubby and I are going out on Wednesday to finish up the Christmas shopping and to get each other's gifts. I need outdoor work clothes like Lady Carharts for field work, and he needs an extension ladder and a new shotgun. We'll be putting bows on them under the tree, but with a limited budget, we're getting exactly what we need. We're so practical and boring sometimes.

Bueno, necesito para mí a estudiar mi Español ahora. Debo a preparar para mi proyecto. ¡Deses a me suerte!