The glistening beautiful layer of ice coating all the branches was finally rained away this afternoon. The thick fog has lifted and the wind is picking up. We're above 32 degrees for the first time in a couple of icy cabin-bound days! In fact it's jumped from 31F at noon to 44F at 4 PM so I guess the warm front arrived. The next weather change of the day is supposed to be an evening cold front moving into the area and refreezing whatever moisture remains. We still haven't had a real snow but I'm hoping for that Monday night.
The Financial Peace University class is going well and our refinance on the house looks like it will close on Friday after three postponements due to the rust spots on the roof (where the cats POOP) and the appraiser's difficulty in deciding a value on the little cabin in the woods. The last appraiser just listed it as an additional outbuilding like a barn or shed. This appraiser felt it should be listed as a guest house and was determined to find something comparable in the area so he could price it. The new mortgage payment should be quite a bit lower and allow us to pay it off early.
We missed our Web 2.0 Class at Liberty High School again this week because of a problem with the school system's Internet filter and new password restrictions. I hope it gets straightened out because I'm really ready to get back on track and learn new tricks!
I finally gave in last week and called the doctor for antibiotics to wipe out my sinus/ear infection. I feel lots better now and even showed up at Tai Chi ready to rumble on Thursday afternoon. Due to final exam schedules no teachers showed up again (2nd week in a row). The two of us that did come agreed to postpone class so the others wouldn't miss the last class in our session. Ergo, tomorrow will be the end of my first Tai Chi course. But never fear, I will sign up for the next round because I think I'm really getting a lot out of Tai Chi.
I leave for Harrisburg, PA on Friday after our mortgage closing to attend a seminar with Shiner, his brother, and my friend Kathy (their breeder). We hope to learn the finer points of showing dogs so we can earn some titles with these boys and put 'em to work as stud dogs!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
January 2009
I missed Web class at LHS on Monday and Tai Chi at SRHS last Thursday because I've been sick as a dog (seems like a fitting description for anyone in our furry household.) I feel less doggie today so I'm catching up on my assignments for both of those classes AND the new Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class that Wayne and I attended Sunday afternoon at our church, Trinity Ecumenical Parish. We have to create a quickie starter budget together before Sunday's class. That should be interesting.
Wayne, Shiner, and I had a great holiday at Massanutten, taking the new Wii along so we could play with friends and family. We celebrated New Year's Eve with a Swiss Raclette dinner shared with Kristina and Brian Taylor, Maggie Hagood, Collin, and Brian Marquis. We also spent time with Wes and Saidee. Watch out for us next year as Wii Sports Champs! I don't know about the rest, but I came home with sore muscles from bowling...or maybe that was flu?
The big chill is hitting our area now with temperatures colder than we've seen in a couple of winters. Single digits are expected on Friday night. We'll check on the cabin, plug in the heat tape, and bring the pussies indoors.
Just think, last year at this time Saidee hadn't even been rammed on the slopes at Massanutten and we were deep into wedding planning. Jeremy wasn't even house-hunting yet and now he's a home-owner in Ohio! Time flies.
Wayne, Shiner, and I had a great holiday at Massanutten, taking the new Wii along so we could play with friends and family. We celebrated New Year's Eve with a Swiss Raclette dinner shared with Kristina and Brian Taylor, Maggie Hagood, Collin, and Brian Marquis. We also spent time with Wes and Saidee. Watch out for us next year as Wii Sports Champs! I don't know about the rest, but I came home with sore muscles from bowling...or maybe that was flu?
The big chill is hitting our area now with temperatures colder than we've seen in a couple of winters. Single digits are expected on Friday night. We'll check on the cabin, plug in the heat tape, and bring the pussies indoors.
Just think, last year at this time Saidee hadn't even been rammed on the slopes at Massanutten and we were deep into wedding planning. Jeremy wasn't even house-hunting yet and now he's a home-owner in Ohio! Time flies.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
A Wii Little Christmas!
Holy, Moley! I won a Wii Sport with 2 controllers, 2 nunchucks, and 2 extra games in the Bedford Centertown Christmas Drawing on Friday night!!! I am a REALLY LUCKY GIRL! I set it up at 5:30 Monday morning and played baseball, tennis, bowling and performed on stage with Hannah Montana! What a glorious surprise. Wayne tried golf today and I think he could become addicted. My good friend Kathy lofted a bunch of bowling balls and actually made all the Wii Spectators jump up to avoid getting hit by a wild throw. Then she got a strike and a few spares -- she could become stiff competition soon. I created some Miis and signed up for high speed Internet service yesterday. Can't wait to find a deal on Wii Fit.
Thanks Bedford Centertown! Thanks, Santa!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Frankie and Nancy Sumatra
We'd observed strange behavior in our 2 free range Sumatra chickens for a couple of days. Frankie didn't seem to be getting around well -- he and Nancy were camped out on the ground under the rampant bridal wreath bush. Nancy came out more than Frankie which is definitely not usual. She foraged in the cat-safety-zone on the front porch stealing cat food and water frequently. He was walking with difficulty because something was tangled around his legs. Roosting on the ground isn't conducive to long life in chickens due to the murderous racoons in the woods! Time for human(e) intervention.
On Monday morning while son Jeremy loaded his pickup for the move to his new house in Ohio, Frankie and Nancy decided to ask for help. They parked themselves right inside the porch door, safe from the dogs and unafraid of the pesky cats, but impeding truck loading. I trapped Frankie in a big dog food box and left him with a handful of cat food. Nancy spent the day hanging out in the garage with the studly young rooster in self-imposed exile from our other three young meat roosters.
Roosters, especially mature fellows with big spurs, aren't a lot of fun to handle when they're awake, so I left Frankie in his box with a bag of cat food on top to keep him secure. Jeremy left for Ohio with Welsh Corgi Ralphie, Wayne departed for the afternoon school bus run, 3 labs napped on our bed, and I went off to my final Reference & Bibliography class in Roanoke.
When I got home around 10pm, Frankie was sound asleep in his dark box. The other hens, roosters, and guineas were tucked in for the night so I removed the box. Brave Husband Wayne (in heavy work gloves) grabbed the stuporous bird and held him still for the delicate surgery. I cut and unwrapped the string from spurs, legs and feet. My beautiful iridescent black/green rooster, Frankie Sumatra, has been safely freed of the string that he was tangled in! He spent the night recovering in the hen house since he was too groggy to roost safely. I'm on my way to release him now to rejoin his true love and constant companion Nancy Sumatra.
On Monday morning while son Jeremy loaded his pickup for the move to his new house in Ohio, Frankie and Nancy decided to ask for help. They parked themselves right inside the porch door, safe from the dogs and unafraid of the pesky cats, but impeding truck loading. I trapped Frankie in a big dog food box and left him with a handful of cat food. Nancy spent the day hanging out in the garage with the studly young rooster in self-imposed exile from our other three young meat roosters.
Roosters, especially mature fellows with big spurs, aren't a lot of fun to handle when they're awake, so I left Frankie in his box with a bag of cat food on top to keep him secure. Jeremy left for Ohio with Welsh Corgi Ralphie, Wayne departed for the afternoon school bus run, 3 labs napped on our bed, and I went off to my final Reference & Bibliography class in Roanoke.
When I got home around 10pm, Frankie was sound asleep in his dark box. The other hens, roosters, and guineas were tucked in for the night so I removed the box. Brave Husband Wayne (in heavy work gloves) grabbed the stuporous bird and held him still for the delicate surgery. I cut and unwrapped the string from spurs, legs and feet. My beautiful iridescent black/green rooster, Frankie Sumatra, has been safely freed of the string that he was tangled in! He spent the night recovering in the hen house since he was too groggy to roost safely. I'm on my way to release him now to rejoin his true love and constant companion Nancy Sumatra.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Missed Class
Well, I missed the third class at LHS due to the course I teach in Roanoke, but I'm still determined to get a handle on blogging. I will finish up my UVA Wise course on Reference and Bibliography next Monday so I'll be able to get to future classes and learn more.
I've also been taking tai chi on Thursday afternoons at Staunton River High School and really enjoying it. I think it's helping me improve my balance. It is SO hard to remember the moves to practice at home. I'll have to start working with the dvd so I don't forget it all over the Winter Break. There's one more class next week but I may have to miss that for a dental appointment. It was supposed to be a routine cleaning but it's in Roanoke and I've broken a crown so that may take longer.
I added a photo of Shiner to his blog today and also a new post. I really want to take a picture of him with all the ribbons he won at the UKC Conformation Show in Wakefield, VA last weekend. Oh, that reminds me! Kathy and I shared a room with our two dogs. Our TV spontaneously caught fire the first morning and filled the room with acrid smoke. We stood around FREEZING outside of our room in jammies for more than an hour. Not an auspicious beginning for a show, but both dogs did well, winning 75 points EACH toward a title (100 points).
I've also been taking tai chi on Thursday afternoons at Staunton River High School and really enjoying it. I think it's helping me improve my balance. It is SO hard to remember the moves to practice at home. I'll have to start working with the dvd so I don't forget it all over the Winter Break. There's one more class next week but I may have to miss that for a dental appointment. It was supposed to be a routine cleaning but it's in Roanoke and I've broken a crown so that may take longer.
I added a photo of Shiner to his blog today and also a new post. I really want to take a picture of him with all the ribbons he won at the UKC Conformation Show in Wakefield, VA last weekend. Oh, that reminds me! Kathy and I shared a room with our two dogs. Our TV spontaneously caught fire the first morning and filled the room with acrid smoke. We stood around FREEZING outside of our room in jammies for more than an hour. Not an auspicious beginning for a show, but both dogs did well, winning 75 points EACH toward a title (100 points).
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
So now I'm a blogger...
I've been thinking about this blogging thing for a while and when my friend Sydney invited me to join her after school class at Liberty High School, I went along just to see what it was all about. I'm not sure I really get it since I already "do" Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, Snapfish, and some other things along those lines. I guess this will give me a place to put my thoughts that are longer than the one-liner "what are you doing right now" stuff in Facebook.
So, here I am writing my entry and I think it would be good to consider how well I'm doing on the Seven and a Half Habits of Lifelong Learners that we looked at yesterday in the first class. I consider myself a successful lifelong learner and actively cultivate most of the habits but the two I seem to have the most trouble with are the first and last. I do have an issue with envisioning the end result that I want. I tend to just float along dealing with whatever comes up. I've been working on setting my intentions in other areas of my life this year and I am getting better at it.
My other challenge is PLAY! It seems like that would be so easy but I get hung up being too serious and not letting myself have fun. I'm having more fun since I retired but still find the scolding old bat surfacing too often. I'm going to teach her to PLAY!
7 ½ Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners
Habit 1: Begin with the end in mind
Habit 2: Accept responsibility for your own learning
Habit 3: View problems as challenges
Habit 4: Have confidence in yourself as a competent, effective learner
Habit 5: Create your own learning toolbox
Habit 6: Use technology to your advantage
Habit 7: Teach/mentor others
Habit 7 ½: Play
So, here I am writing my entry and I think it would be good to consider how well I'm doing on the Seven and a Half Habits of Lifelong Learners that we looked at yesterday in the first class. I consider myself a successful lifelong learner and actively cultivate most of the habits but the two I seem to have the most trouble with are the first and last. I do have an issue with envisioning the end result that I want. I tend to just float along dealing with whatever comes up. I've been working on setting my intentions in other areas of my life this year and I am getting better at it.
My other challenge is PLAY! It seems like that would be so easy but I get hung up being too serious and not letting myself have fun. I'm having more fun since I retired but still find the scolding old bat surfacing too often. I'm going to teach her to PLAY!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)