I can't beleive it is October already!  What happened to the summer?  Or should I day What Summer?  As it was BELOW normal tempurature wise here this summer.  We may have made 90 degrees three times.   Now I have to get rolling on autumn organization and preperation.

I like to stock up on food and household neccessities in case of ice storms, snow, etc.  I have already purchased tylenol, ibuprofen, rubbing alcohol, bleach, white vinegar, frozen juices, some small books as a surprise for Bun in case we get hit with any of the flues going around.

Bun currently has strep throat.  ALthough she has been schooling right thru it, a regular trooper.  I am ready to spend the day in bed with my respitory infection.  With both of us coughing my dh says it sounds like he lives in a TB ward.  Yes, he has a warped sense of humor.

Max, our border collie is in the house today as it is raining.  Raining and cold.   I am almost tempted to start up the coal stove.  My dh has it all ready with kindling.....

We have to run out this morning to drop off paperwork and then it is home for us.   A good day to spend ion the couch with tea, books, and a cat.

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I just finished burying a 'probably rabid' according to the Game Commision raccoon.  Bun and I were down at the pond in our front yard swimming with friends when a raccoon came out of the woods across the pond and all the way around then was chargeing at us.  My DH came out of the house when he heard us yelling and then shot the raccoon.

I phoned the Game Commission and the officer told me that they would not pick it up to test as it bit or scratched no one.  I was informed to bury it and pour clorox over it. 

My sisterinlaw who lives about 20 miles away is getting a series of rabie shots as they had a rabid skink attack her kittens and they took the kittens inside and the skink was shot and tested and rabid.  If she would have left the bitten kittens outside she would have been ok but she took them in and was feeding them with a bottle and as they were bitten and mauled they had to be put down and hence the shots for her and the kids.

I was surprised that they didn't want to test it as there have been a few cases in our area.

Well the smoke alarm is going off so that means dinner is done.

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Wow!  July already--and the end of July at that!  Bun and I have been running around like crazy since school was out in June.  I parked the bus in June and just jumped in the car and took off.  We have been to Great Wolf Lodge,  Barnaget Light onLong Beach Island, Seven Springs Resort,  Philadelphia,  Point Pleasand Beach, a Wurst Festival at Shawnee Mountain in the Poconos, Horse Camp, 4H Camp, and several fishing trips. 

I have NOT made a dent in the house cleaning/organizing at all.  This week we are going to spend a day at Hershey Park as a treat from Aunt Mary for Bun's birthday.  Then on Saturday we are leaving for Long Beach Island again, only this time we are staying for a week in Harvey Cedars.  We rented  house with my nephew and his family.  It will be quite an experince as we will have a total of 11 people!   Bun won't know how to act!  

My nephew and his wife and I have made up a list of daily menus listing all ingredients and if we have them in our pantries or if we have to buy them and who is bringing what.   Then we have lists for beach stuff,  then lists for clothes, then lists for other essentials such as toilet paper and spray disinfectant and bathtub cleaner.  Cds for the car trip down and books for the beach and rainy days.   I used to like making lists but I think I m now listed out.

I'm trying to get the bathroom, dining room, and kitchen cleaned up and sparkling before we leave on Saturday.   I would like to come home to a clean home because I think this holiday is going to be  working one with the three babies.  Not to mention the three teenagers....have I ever mentioned how I don't  "get"  teenagers?    Especially these three.  I have never met three such selfcentered, manipulative teens.    My friend in Maryland tells me that that is just how most teens are.   The only teens I have dealt with in the past ten years have been my friends who homeschooled them.  Those teens were for the most part respectfull, cooperative, and pleasant to be around.  Jan's son was a bit tricky to deal with for a few months but he even wasn't that bad. 

So, please friends, pray for me and for the teens on this vacation.  That we may grow closer to each other,  but more inportantly closer to God, especially the teens.

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On Sunday afternoon we went to see the arena production of Walking WIth Dinosaurs.  It was fantastic!  The dinosaurs looked so lifelike.  The lighting and sound was terrific also.  Of course we ended up buying a small stuffed dinosaur, I wasn't going to but my dh said "get her what she wants".  So if we end up with a spoiled brat in a few years it is all his fault!! lol!!

Tomorow is the LAST day for driving the bus for this year!!  I can't wait to park it at the garage.  To celebrate we are going to Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos in the beginning of the next week.  And the weather here has been so lousy with rain almost everyday for two weeks, we need a little pick me up.  It doesn't seem like almost summer at all.

My nephew and his wife are adopting my younger brother's three children!!   A Due to the mental health and addiction issues with my younger brother and his grilfreind, this is best for the children.  It is hard for me not to get angry with them but I am feeling so much better now knowing that the children will be adopted and have permanance in thier lives. 

The oldest is "Ed" he is three and a half.  Then comes "Lily" who is 2 and then is "Roseabud" who is a mere 8 months.   Ed loves dinosaurs.  Lily is a little princess--who is extremely smart, she can count up to 30, knows her abc's and sings all the songs from The Sound of Music movie.  Roseabud is the happiest baby I have ever seen.  If she is fussy there is a definate problem somewhere.  I love to cuddle all threee of them.

My nephew and neice who are 39 and 44, have four other children.  They range in age from 15  down to 12.  My nephew's two spend one week with him then one week with thier mother and back and forth.  His wife's two children don't see thier father at all as he is in another state completely and hasn't been in contact with them at all.

This summer we have rented a house all together at the beach.  So I have been making lists of what we need to take along because if I don't write it down I forget it!!  I also have to get a bed made for the tomatoes and green beans this weekend.  I'm a little behind with my garden this year.

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I have been trying to get the school year finished up.   Bun's cyber school had thier Central Discovery Days with Science Fair last weekend in Harrisburg.  She did an experiment on filling bubbles with fog.  She used dry ice and adapted a plastic bucket and filled the soap bubbles with the fog resulting from the dry ice and warm water.  She took third place in her grade group. 

Over the summer we will work on her with the basic math fact memorization.  The plans for the OT fell through due to the end of the school year so she won't get that service until September when school starts again.  The OT will work on improving her short term memory to long term memory in an effort to help with the discalculia. 

We will be attending the SPAC conference in Pittsburg this summer again.  Statewide Parent Advisory Council---it is a three day learning conference for parents giving them ideas for working with thier children.  In the past I have attended classes on math games, study skills, bullying, getting parents invovled in thier children's schools, etc.  I always come away with lots of tips and ideas to do with Bun in her school work.  It is geared towards parents with  students in public schools but works out fine with her cyber homeschooling.

I would also love to get a house on the shore in Long Beach Island for a week with my niece and her family.  Bun wants to go to Williamsburg as she is reading the AMerican Girl stories, specifically Felicity.  But I think we will be visiting Williamsburg in the Fall with a stop at Mount Vernon and Monticello.

We have a two hens that have gone broody on the same nest.  When one hen gets up to eat the other hen jumps on the nest then the first hen comes back and stands there forlornly for a few hours.  It is really rather sad to see her standing there but she won't take to another nest.

Right now two other hens are squawking away as they have laid eggs and like to tell EVERYONE what they have accomplished. 

It's time to get ready for Church so I hope eveyrone has a blessed day!

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We are home from a whirlwind weekend trip!  On Saturday morning we drove to New Jersey and took the train into NYC.  Bun had been saving for Felicity, an American Girl doll for two years.  As she had the amount saved up it was time to go and make her purchase.  Since this was a 'luxury purchase' our deal is she saves up the full amount then she gives half of that amount to her choice:  the Pro Life Center, our Church, or some other organization.  I then make up the difference for her purchase.   She loves Felicity.  She read the book that came with the doll on the train back to New Jersey. 

We had lunch at Mars 2112.  It was neat, it could have been done better, the food coudl have been better or at least a larger portion for the amount we paid, but this is NYC.  However I did feel guilty spending so much.  I felt like God was looking at me shaking his head in disappointment!

We stopped at little souvenir shop where Bun got a magnet with dh's name on it with the Statue of Liberty in the background.   Also two iron on NYC patches for her worn out jean quilt. 

The highlight however was Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral.  When we are in NYC we always stop here.  Absolutely beautiful!  However, Mass could be distracting as people are wandering around taking photos during the Mass.  It is awesome being there thinking of all the people thru the years praying countless prayers right there where I was kneeling and praying myself. 

We arrived back in New Jersey late so we stayed overnight at a Hampton Inn.  Very clean, nice staff, I was impressed.  Then today we went to the beach!  With about half the population in New Jersey!  I was surprised that so many people were there!  We ran along the edge of the waves where our feet were numb from the cold water.  Picked up shells and smooth polished stones, and built sandcastles.  Sat on our blanket and watched the waves and thanked God for creating something so beautiful and making it possible for us to visit there.    We had never been to this beach before and I liked it alot.  It was not horribley long where by the time you get to the water you have hiked across a mile of beach and are ready to drop!  Also the changeing rooms and restrooms were nice and clean.  We will go back there again this summer.

Now I am ready for bed!!!  Good night and God Bless you all!

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We received the report from the psychologist yesterday that Bun has a specific learning disability in mathematics calculation.   In a way it is a relief that we know.  I was getting really frustrated with her looking at me as if I was from outer space when we go back over a concept that I thought she learned a few days ago.  Now we will learn how to deal with it and learn with it as I want her to surmount this and not use it as a crutch.

We hit two great museums lately.  The Academy of Natural Science in Philadelphia.  Buns favorite museum of all time.   The dinosaur fossils are amazing and they have a live butterfly exhibit that you walk into and the butterflies land on you occaisional and no I didn't remember my camera!!!   However we will be going back in a few weeks. 

The other museum was the North Museum in Lansdale.  A small but really great place.  They have a planetarium although we didn't see the show as my sisterinlaw was argueing with her children and ended the trip before the show time. (I learned that Bun and I go to museums alone or take my other nephew with us--we leave this family out).  There is also a huge bird exhibit, a mineral and rock exhibit, and large cases with tons of beetles, bugs, crabs, etc it is great to study these things.

We are planning a trip to the DaVinci Science Center soon.  That is in Allentown, so it is a day trip for us.

I was surprised to learn that most of these museums have summer day camps for the kids.  I would love to enroll her in the Academy of Natural Science daycamp.  If I can find an inexpensive place to stay for a week down near Philadelphia I want to enroll her.  I wish I coudl attend these camps they look fun!!

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Just when you think winter is over it rears it's now ugly head!  We are getting more snow now.  Yuck!   I'm more than ready for 80 degree weather with sunshine and swimming!   Fresh tomatoes from the garden and tall glasses of iced tea with beads of water running down the outside fo the glass.

We had a few lovely days the last week or two with the tempurature hitting 47 degrees and now we are back to the 20's.  Oh well, I keep telling myself it is almost over.

Bronwen is busy working on her dental health month poster and earlier she was working on her story to enter in the Reading Rainbow Young Writers Contest.  She is writing about 'her new horse', that is the title of her story.  She ahd started writing it before Christmas with no intention of entering it in any contest, but we found this one this morning and now she wants finish her story and enter it in the contest.  She also has to illustrate it so she is having alot of fun.

Since I am basically whiney about the weather I should sign off and do something constructive to get my mind off of it.

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I'm not one to make New Year's Resolutions as I never keep them.  They last for about 45 minutes.  The longest was about three days.   And it's not that I don't need improvement----I need LOTS.

However this year in an effort to grow closer to God and try to see and do His Will in everything in my life, I resoved to tithe and  make a concentrated effort to 'pray continually'.    By that I keeping my thoughts pure and 'holy' (how pompous does that sound?!).   WIth my depression, it is easy for me to think 'bad' thoughts about people easily.  Such as if someone cuts me off driving I would think 'drop dead' or  "I hope you get a speeding ticket".  VERY unChirstian.  Very, very unChristian.  

So, when someone 'does' something to me as last week at the laboratory when I was waiting to have a blood test for my cholesterol, when it was my turn a woman pushed her way infront of me and went ahead of me.    I was disgruntled but tried to let go.   I admit I was thinking unkind things about her and then grudgingly asked God to Bless her.   As I was sitting there waiting I thought how familiar she looked.  Then later that afternoon I saw her again.  She is on the custodial staff at the High School and she walks infront of my bus everyday I am there to pick up the students in the afternoon.    So everyday during the week I see this woman for about a minute and a half as she walks from her car to the front door of the school, and everyday the stirring in my chest of resentment is less as I ask God to Bless her.  I hope to get to where I REALLY mean the Blessing I am asking for her with my whole heart.   Satan makes it hard to let go of resentment over the silliest, small things doesn't he?   It didn't change my life having to wait a few extra minutes but I was affronted that soemone would be so rude.   Where is my humility?

Anyway, two years ago I took out a loan for my brother and his wife of $7000.   WIth the understanding that they would pay if off in a few months as he was making $1000 a week at the time.  Needless to say they made only about 8 payments in two years and I ahven't had any money from them since May '08 wehn they gave me $150 which wasn't even a full monthly payment.   Then they would get mad at me if I asked for a monthly payment especially if Bun and I were going on a little trip that we take all the time.   So, alot of resentment has been burnign in my chest over this.  Since January whenever I would think about this I would consciencely let go of the resentment and ask God to Bless them.  Do you have any idea how HARD this was?  But I looked on it as a very valuable lesson that I learned.    A very expensive lesson.   However, a few nights ago my sisterinlaws dad phoned me asking me to stop by his home as he had a check for me for the balance of the loan.  He is in very bad health and is trying to  'tie things up' as he wants my brother and his daughter to be debt free and he is getting them out of debt prior to them getting any inheritance.  He told me he thinks they would just blow them money instead of paying debts off.   He feels at least this way they may have a chance, but he highly doubts it.  I hope that for thier sake they get on thier feet and stay there without running up debts over frivulous stuff.

So my sisterinlaws dad cleared up the loan, I will never lend/borrow money for my brother or sisterinalw again, and it is so easy to ask for Blessings for thier family again.   And actually mean it from my heart.  I also pray for my sil's dad.   He needs heart surgery and his chances of survival aren't good.   He is a very niceman and I think his only fault was spoiling his children to the point of their feeling they deserve everything handed to them.  

Now I just have to work on forgiving and asking for Blessings for my other brother, Jack's widow.   This I need lots of prayers for.

I read a book that the Amish wrote on forgiveness after the Nickels Mines school tragedy.  The last line of the book was  "When you forgive someone you set a sinner free, and that sinner is you".    I wrote that out and it is over my computer and on my bathroom mirror.   So I see it everyday, somedays it is easy to forgive and others pride gets in the way.

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Wednesday night about 10:30 I put Max out once more for the night to 'pee in the yard'.  He came back inside smelling, smelling, smelling.  Of course he had a run through of the house before I got him and his crate and tossed them on the front deck for the night.

This is the night before I am leaving with Bun and her two cousins for Rocking Horse Ranch.  In the morning I moved Max and his crate to the garage.   We got home last night as it was just an overnight trip for us.  This morning I fed Max and he still smells, maybe not as bad or I am getting used to it.  By the way, mny dh was home this trip and when he took Max out and fed him and walked him, he didn't notice any smell.  I wish I had his nose,

I have to babysit my nephew's babies tonight  (Valentine's Day), so poor Max is out in the garage until Sunday when I can deskunk him.  Or I should say attempt to deskunk him.  I have found a recipe for baking soda, peroxide, and dawn dish detergent.    When ever we would go into our hotel room I would ask the girls do you smell smunk?  No one could only me.  Then I found the culprit one of my babthing suits was skunky!!  As were my snow boots!   When Max ran through the house eh must have brushed up against these as they were on the kitchen floor waiting to be tossed into the suitcase!  I plastic bagged them both and now they are outside our house waiting for  their turn at deskunking.  If it is possible.

Living in the woods for 44 years I never ran acrosss a skunking problem.   We would see skunks in the distance and sometimes smell them going thru in the summer months but never were sprayed at all.  Max took care  of that record.  And knowing Max this won't be the only time, he doesn't learn well from his mistakes...

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I have Bun enrolled in a charter cyber school.  She has always struggled with math and reading since we started school.   She is in grade 3 but doing math and reading on a grade 2 level.  Actually reading is about grade 2.75.  She has really bounded ahead the last six months or so.  However math is terrible.  I would say she is barlely grade 2 in math.

The cyber school wants to have her tested for dyscalculia.  Which in as least words as possible is a learning disability that affects the way you understand, remember, or manipulate numbers or number facts.    Ususally this is a result from a damage of a specific area of the brain but not all the time.

Then there are different forms of dyscaluculia.   My dh and I signed for the testing.  And now are waiting to see what the results will be and what the reccomendations are for teaching her coping skills to learn math.

OK, we got thru the intiial guilt part of   "What did I do to her to bring this on?"   and feeling terrible that she may have a learning disability.  All irrational thoughts but thoughts a parent has. 

The schools social worker phoned yesterday and said "I just wanted to let you know the recommendation may be medication".     !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!     I went pretty balistic.  Why an eight year old would need medication to learn math is beyond me.   I am praying that this won't be the recommendation after the testing because I think America is over medicated as it is.  

I didn't even mention that to my dh because he will go thru the roof.  

I am hoping that the form of dyscalculia if she has it is  pseudo-dyscalculia.  This type results from poor systematic math instruction--(Yes I will take the blame then it can be fixed!!)  , or it can develop from inattention when math lessons are presented, fear, anxiety, illness, which can cause a child to miss out on important processes taught.   Between my cancer and my brother's cancer and death I am really hoping this is the case.  So we can surmount it with no meds and labeling of Bun.

The fear I have is if they reccomend medication and we refuse it is that considered medical neglect?

So until we find out what is happening, we will do brain yoga everyday before math and I will also pray over her for God to help her and heal her and help me because when she wells up with tears when it is math time it breaks my heart.

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Growing up my dad always did our snow removal.  We lived in the middle of the woods off of the main road and he had a truck not only for his carpentry work but also to survive in the winter.   Now, being blessed to have inherited our homestead I have come to the conclusion that we need to buy a plough!

When I moved home to take care of my dad when he became terminally ill, I hired a great guy who would clear our driveway for a reasonable fee of $25.  Then he moved and I have had several different plough guys who charged up to $75 each time they came.  Now I have another bus driver who comes and charges me $50 each time, but he will wait to the end of the storm so he only charges me once.

But still this winter I am going broke as we keep getting snow.  And more snow.  It is falling out there now and we are expected to get ice too.  How I am longing for spring!

And to hear the twitter of the birds and not the rumble of the plough truck!

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It is 3 degrees outside tonight with a wind chill factor of -12.  It's cold.  Mind numbing cold.  Even our brainless, chaotic border collie doesn't want to go out.  And when Max doesn't take the opportunity to go outside without being on a leash you know something is wrong!

The bright side is that January is half way over!!!   And I have been positive and bright so far this winter.  I usually get very depressed by this time of the winter, but this year I am working at being 'up'.   I keep busy with homeschooling Bun, planning little trips: Chinatown in two weeks, Rocking Horse Ranch in February, AwesomePaws in March or April (I forget which month--I will have to check the social calendar!).  I also joined Curves and go to work out as much as I can each week.  I ahve gardening books out and daydream about a lush, bright flower garden this year.  I am also getting information on cold hardy bamboo.  Although, it seems really pricey, I really would like some.    Bun is also going to work on valentines this week to send to American soldiers in Iraq.  Thankfully all of my nephews are currently home from Iraq although one has to return in a few weeks. 

I checked the chickens two hours ago and they seem fine although I am getting absolutely no eggs right now.  When I had the rhode island reds I would get an egg or two a few times a week,   Noah the toy poodle is whining to go out so I had better get shoes on and take him before he wakes dh up. 

Stay warm everyone!

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Bun wants to go to a Dude Ranch so she can ride a horse in the snow.  So I have been researching dude/guest ranches in New York state.  I think we are going to go to Rocking Horse Ranch.  It has the most consistent good reviews.  We will go in February as we have Chinese New Year to go to in Philadelphia at the end of January.  She is very excited and can't wait to go.   Sho loves horses.  We ahd gone to volunteer at a horse rescue ranch last Sunday afternoon and she has fallen in love with Popy.

He is a rescued horse and she has started a savings account at the bank to adopt him.  As the adoption fee is only $400 as compared to $1500plus for a 'regular' horse I had better get in gear and do something about the barn.  ALthough I kep telling her we are not buying/adopting until she is at least 13 years old.  AND she has to consider that if we actually get a horse it will end our traveling around whenever we feel like going somewhere.

We have snow and cold weather.  The forcast is for another 2 to 4 inches Tuesday and then a 'substantial" amount from a storm coming Thrusday with extreme cold.  It's 14F now I don't like it when it gets down in the single digits.    Where is that island in the tropics? 

Bun loves to play outside in the snow.   As soon as she woke up this weekend it was outside before anything else.   She takes Max her border collie out with her on his leather leash and she flops in the snow and he pulls her along across the yard.  I'm so glad I bought those snow pants on sale last year she is getting alot of use out of them.   I need to pick up more gloves for her as she goes thru them faster than they can dry.    We went for  awalk to get the mail last night in the storm.  At first Bun was incredulous that we would go out in the storm in the dark.   We took a flashlight and went out to the mailbox at the main road.  It was magical with the snow falling and the way the light was shining thru the dark illuminating the falling snow.   Magical but cold.  But it was a great experinece for Bun, she has talked about it all day.

One last time to put the dogs out and in then we all are going to curl up in various beds.  Morning comes quick and the bus is going to be cold!

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We are having a Canadian air blast.  Our tempurature was 5 degrees with a wind chill of minus 25.  A very cold morning to fire up the school bus!  Our school were on a two hour delay so I got absolutely nothing done in my house today as when I got home at 10:50am I had to drop Bun off at my nieces and run to the doctor for my annual physical for the school bus company.  Then when I got home I had half an hour before I had to run to the high school and start all over again.

These are the days that I dream of sandy beaches and 85 degrees! 

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Yesterday we had a snow storm that dropped 8 inches and then sleet which packed down the snow and then some freezin rain.  Today we have had a fine light snow falling.  The flakes are very tiny it seems more like a frozen mist than snow.  It's beautiful but I think I would really rather white sand and a blue ocean outside me window.  I ahve been longing, longing, longing for the sea.

The kitten that my dh brought home has developed a 'habit' of sucking on the tip ofhis tail.  Purring ecstatically while he does this.  I think he misses him mom!!   It must be a way to self comfort himself, although why I don;t know as he is a thoughouly spoiled feline.  His milk is even warmed up for him.  He is very loving and always looking for a lap or chest to curl up on.  Anyway,I feel sorry for him when he sucks his tail, I tried giving him food and milk when he does this but most of the time he doesn't eat anything, just goes back to sucking his tail and purring.  My dh says he will grow out of it.  He just looks so pathetic when he does this!!

Bun named him Rascal because he is into EVERYTHING.   His favorite pastime is swatting marbles on the hardwood floor and chasing them.   That and leaping from Bun's desk to my back when I am typing on the computer.  OUCH!   I think I ahve permanent claw marks down the left side of my shoulder.  We put up an artificial Christmas tree (yuck!) and no breakable ornaments on it this year as I am unsure how Rascal would react to it and if he was going to climb it or not.   So far all he has done is swat at a few low ornaments underneath.

We must look into the refrigerator, dryer, and dishwasher before closing the doors as he has climbed into everyone of these. 

Anyway, back to the snow.  Another storm is forcasted for tomorow (Sunday) with four to eight inches coming.   The long range forcast for Christmas Eve is 40 degrees and rain.   So everything can get a nice wet smoothslippery glaze when the tempurature goes back down to freezing.  

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I need to get a subscription for a Christian magazine for my 14 year old neice, does anyone have any suggestions?  She is going thru some really rough times and I thought that would be a great Christmas gift.  Her mom agrees with me so I am searching for one.

A few months ago she went to her mom and said she didn't believe in Jesus anymore.  This was a direct result from prolonged contact with other distant famiymembers who do not believe.   Her mom now sees what a mistake it was to allow this contact.  My neice is now returning to church but she still has some friends who are bisexual and gay (at 14 years old!).  And she has been suspended from school for disrespect to the principle and teachers and for skipping class.   I can't beleive this is happening with her as she was never a rebellious child.

Her mom is trying to enroll her in one of the online cyber schools to spend more time with her and get her away from the friends' influences.  They have also changed churches to one that is larger and has a dynamic youth group.  The youth group is involved in lots of stuff, weekly they have a Wednesday evening meeting, Sunday meeting, and on Friday evening or Saturday there is always something happening with the  group.  Hopefully htis will help.  If you would add her to your prayers I would greatly appreciate it.  Her first name is Farrell.

Our coal furnace in the basement is still going--Thank You God!  I'm praying tht it continues so I don't need to buy oil or use the small coal stove upstairs.  With the coal furnace, the tile floor in my bathroom is actually warm!!!  It hasn't been warm after August  since my dad had to switch over to oil due to his Black Lung/Emphysema condition about 20 years ago.  When I moved back home the oil furnace was going but we can't afford the oil.  Two years ago we bought the little cast iron stove upstairs and did the majority of heating the house with that after my dad passed away.  However thebathroom and bedroom never really warmed up, so with the coal furnace going it is nice to crack the windows for fresh cold air whileI sleep.

We have a lovely light snow falling outside.  It is very beautiful, the pond is covered with ice and now the snow the slnow is laying on the tree brances and is falling so softly that my dh has gone out for a walk.  She has been waiting for snow and as soon as a flurry starts she has her plasticl sled out trying to go down the hill.  Last week she came in with mud all over and I asked what had happened she said she tried to sledride and hit the puddle and went thru the ice on top of it.

I wish I could be as excited about the wint as she is.  I think I have to employ a positive thinking mode about it to get thru the next few months.  I'm already dreaming on a sandy beach and sunshine!

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Winter has definately arrived in the northeast part of PA.    I know I had grown up when I realized you wouldn't die if you didn;'t sled and iceskate everyday in the winter gettting frozen and then thaw out infront of the kitchen coal stove while your flesh tingled and burned.

I love my little coal stove but I really coudl live without winter tempuratures and weather in general.  Snow is beautiful but I don't like to drive in it mainily because of the other drivers. 

And yet I think Alaska would be great to live in for a year or two.  I would really like to live in the tropics or the mountains of Tennessee, they are so mystical.

Wht I really need todo is win the multi milion dollar lottery and buy several homes around the world so I could move throughout the year!!

I have my fingers crossed as I turned off the oil furnace and hopefully started a good fire in the coal furnace in the basement.  It burns rice coal and hasn't been used for about 14 years.  I had it cleaned and serviced and we tried it out in September.  It worked great until you turned the thermostat down below 72 degrees, then the fire would go out, no hot water etc.   I phoned for the service man actually 4 times but he hasn't arrived or even called to make an appointment.  I beleive this is becuase he is with the oil company and when I phone I tell them what the problem is and I really think they are putting me off as they will loose money if I go to coal. So as it is now below 30 degrees for a week, I am trying to see if I keep the thermostat at 74 degrees  if I can keep the frunace goinguntil I can find a new serviceman who is knowledgable about coaal furnaces.  I'm sure there is just a tiny adjustment that needs to be made with the thermostat and then all will work perfectly.

My dh is going hunting after Thanksgiving out to his cabin about 6 hours way.  He will be gone for a few days so I am determined to get the house in orderfor Christmas while he is gone.  This is thefirst year that I hope he actually bringshome some venison.  I didn't order a quarter of grassfed beefthis fall so the freezer is empty.

I'll post my dd's Christmsas list later as it is very cute and very diverse.

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I've several emails asking where I've been as I haven't posted in quite awhile.  In a nutshell here is what's been going on...

I had a heart catherization in early September.  Right before my birthday.  It was nerve racking, however evrything was ok and I didn't have to have the stents put in after all.  My cholesterol is elevated so I am on a diet that is heart healthy.  OK I'm SUPPOSED to be on the diet, I am trying...

I am also going thru the house again and really tosing stuff out.  I have made so many trips to the Salvation Army with dh's truck filled with perfectly good stuff from clothes to a lovely kitchen table, an artificialChristmas tree, and the list goes on.   I ahve another pile of the front veranda to get put in the truck too.  And I am no where near done.   However it is comeing along.  My nephew helps me with lifting the heavy stuff and he has been really great about it.  However, he is usually only available for one day out of the week.  If I am realy lucky I get him two days/evenings.

I have a lovely little stool that my sister gave me YEARS ago..about 34 years.  I had it on the truck and then couldn't give it up so I brought it home.  Then I told myself how silly I was and put it back on the porch to go next trip.  Now I am back to keeping it and recovering it for Bun.  After all this we will see how I feel when we load the truck up again.  I thought about embroidering a nice cover for the seat.

Then my dh brought home a lovely mischevious kitten for Bun.   Who already has a cat.  And a dog and a tank full of tropical fish.  The lizard is dead and we are NOT buying a horse.  She has been askingf or a horse since horse camp this summer but no horse util she is 16 and responsible tot ake care of it. 

I didn't even mention the chickens.  We have lost only one of the 12 chicks that hatched several weeks ago.  Winter is coming and thier coop and run is taken up by Francis and his two girls Lucky and Candy Corn.  My friend has these three chickens and couldn't keep them so they came to live here.  Only Francis and Methusala the two roosters don't get along so all of our chickens are free rangeing it around.  They are sleeping in the oak and cherry tree in the back yard.  My next project is a coop for the winter for them.  We are actually going to use the playhouse from the wooden swing set that we took apart I just have to wire it up and get straw for them.

Then there is Bun's school work which we area little behindschedule but nothing to panic over.  And me driving the big orange school bus.  I was supposed to have another woman to job share with me but she is never available in the afternoons as was our agreement.  So I have been driving morning and afternoon.

Last week dh and I took Bun and one of her cousins to Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos.  We all had a great time.  It was nice to see dh just relaxing instead of going from one job and then to the part time job with no time for himself.   This lodge is an indoor waterpark that we love.  It is clean, clean, clean!!   And I felt safe letting them go on thier own to the different pools and activities without beening right on top of them.  We checked in on a Monday for one night.  We were upgraded to a Kid Camp suite.  Which was great as the kids then had bunkbeds in their own section with thier own tv.  They were in the waterpark from 1:00pm to 4"30 pm.  Then after a pizzathey were back in the water until 9:00pm on Monday. They slept the sleep of the dead.  Tuesday they were in the water until we left at 2"00pm.   This trip was a surprise for them as we told them we were going to a doily convention where I ahd signed them up for crocheting classes.   They were REALLY happy when it was the waterpark. 

Now I am making plans for a dude ranch with Bun problaby in February.  I was thinking before Christmas but February would break up the winter better.  I have almost decided on Rocking Horse Ranch in New York--I think it is in the Catskill mountains.  I looked at so many the last two days I really have no idea where it is exactly.  That will be fun.

That is what we have been doing lately.  Now it is timeto get cracking on schoolwork.

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