Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone.  May you all have a new year blessed with health, wealth, and happiness.

Shopping trip

On Friday I took vacation and got up early in the morning to go shopping at the mall.  Fox River Mall, to be exact.

Here's me waiting at the light on the exit ramp to turn onto College Avenue in Appleton:

While there were cars, there wasn't as much traffic at 9:45 AM as I expected.

Here it is, the Mall!

I always park near Younkers:

I was there for about 4 hours.  I got most of my shopping done, though.  I have just a few things left, but they are no big deal.  I love the sale racks and tables.

I also stopped at Barnes and Noble for Christmas cards.  On the way out of that parking lot, I saw an unusual vehicle:

How often does one go shopping and encounter the Weinermobile?

Here is "a little something extra" (lagniappe in New Orleans) picture of Churchill under the tree:

He's waiting for Santa Cat.

Snow day!

Yesterday we had a paid snow day.  I don't remember this EVER happening in the 24 years I have worked at the University. 

So, what did I do with my day?  You mean, besides the shoveling of our 105 foot driveway and the front sidewalk?

Well, sit back, get comfy and get some hot chocolate!

View from our living room window

Snow started to cake the windows

The birds found the new cardinal feeder.  Hmm, there are no cardinals in this picture.  I have seen them there.  Oh, and lots of squirrels, too!

I also was on Facebook.  A lot.

I baked these Pillsbury cookies, which almost got too dark because I was paying attention to Facebook and not my cookies.  They are gone now.

Churchill reaping the rewards.  Here he is drinking warm milk leftover from the hot chocolate I made.

The snowman snow measurer is happy.  The snow depth there is actually 1 foot--the stick broke off last year.

The beginnings of the snow luge run to the garage.

When we went out to shovel I made sure I brushed the snow from almost all the decorations outside.

Snow sliding off the siding (yes, it does kind of rhyme)

Our tree, all decorated

A special ornament for Jeffy

I made a special arrangement by the fence where some of Jeffy's ashes are

Churchill was tired from the day--and so are his mommies!

I did manage to fit some knitting in there.  Unfortunately, I seem to be taking things apart more than I am knitting them these days.  My Christmas present will get done, though!

Time to get the tree--and the shovels

Paulette and I went on our annual pilgrimage to Heritage Christmas Tree Farm last week Friday.  It was fun.  Robin, the lady who owns the farm, even had chili for us!

Here are pictures:

Paulette and the tree

Me and the tree

Paulette after cutting the tree down

Here's a picture of it with just the lights on:

Here's what Churchill did a lot of the time while we decorated the tree:

The tree farm is near Nordic Mountain Ski Hill. They were making snow (which they won't have to do soon--see below).

Snow making machines at Nordic Mountain

After three solid days of decorating both the tree and the house, I am tired.  But, it's all up, inside and out.  And not a moment too soon.  Here's what the Green Bay National Weather Service has to say about the upcoming weather:

SNOW WILL BEGIN OVERSPREADING THE REGION BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON...BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING...BEFORE DIMINISHING WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. SNOWFALL TOTALS COULD RANGE FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES OVER NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN...TO 8 TO 12 INCHES OVER EAST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. IN ADDITION TO THE SNOW...STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE STORM FROM TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THESE STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW WHICH COULD LIMIT VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN ONE-HALF MILE AT TIMES.

Get your shovels ready!