Snow...

The last day of a very dry year, we got a small amount of moisture in the form of snow.

The weather forecasters had been saying we had a 30 percent chance of snow.  I went to bed and there was no snow.  This morning I got up and voila!

It must have started shortly before 5 AM because the newspaper gets delivered around then and there was snow under the paper.

We have a fairly active rabbit population in my neighborhood and they are obviously more active than I'd originally suspected.

You can't see it in this shot, but I did spot one line of tracks that I think belongs to one of the neighborhood cats.  It must have strolled through either pre or post bunnies because I don't see any evidence that bunnies were chased (or caught).

Have a great 2013!
Papillon

Xmas in Colonial Williamsburg

At first I was worried I wouldn't be able to make it to Christmas this year.  For whatever reason, my sinuses went into overdrive late last week.  I felt fine through Wednesday and then felt progressively miserable on Thursday and Friday.  Lots of pressure and tightness.  I started taking OTC sinus medication and eventually started to feel better.  Not great but better.

I felt well enough to fly out on the 24th to Norfolk, VA.  I woke up to a shock on the 25th.  I had pink blotches all over my body.  I hadn't felt anything overnight, so I didn't REALLY think it was bedbugs, but I didn't know for sure.  Perhaps it was a reaction to the detergent the hotel used to wash their sheets and towels??  In any case, I looked like a Dalmation - just with pink spots instead of black.  I was only slightly itching so things weren't TOO bad.  I did notify the hotel and they said they would check things out.  (Note:  they did get a professional in who did confirm that there were NO bugs in my room.)

I went ahead and drove to Williamsburg.  It was a lovely drive with lots of scenery to be seen - including a stretch of first bridge and then tunnel, over and under the Chesapeake Bay.  I haven't seen that much water in one place in quite some time.

After getting to Williamsburg, my younger sister and I went to the local emergency room.  (Oddly, all the urgent care places were closed.)  Fortunately there were only a few people there.  None were hacking up lungs and nobody had any unfortunate gaping holes and oozing body fluids.  In slightly over an hour, I had been checked out and told I had a case of hives (and therefore NOT contagious, which the hotel wanted to make sure of).  The culprit was decided to be an OTC herbal supplement that was supposed to help ease my sinus pressure.  It did that, but one or more of the ingredients also cause the hives reaction.  On the plus side, I didn't have bedbugs!!!!

It was good getting together with my sisters and BIL.  Thanks to Pace for taking this photo!

Xmas day we had chilly but sunny weather.  The 26th it rained for most of the day.  Sure made it tough to hold the umbrella against the wind and take photos at the same time.  I changed clothes halfway through the day after the first set got wet.  The 27th was chilly but at least partly sunny.  Much easier to take photos!

I love these three little side-by-side houses.  They're so cute!

Here's a colonial reenactor.  He really seemed to get into his role.  It was a hoot watching him in action.  Here he was in the process of teaching some young men how to bow to the ladies and the ladies how to curtsy in response. 

Here are some decorations.  (In colonial times, they decorated inside the houses but not outside.  These are technically not historically accuate.)  Because we now like to see outside decorations, they do this to make the tourists happy.  All materials are 100% natural materials.  (The guide said the squirrels love this 'buffet' of food.)

These are a couple more reenactors.  You can tell it's a chilly day.

I don't remember which, but this reenactor told one of my sisters that he's worked at Colonial Williamsburg for something like 30+ years.  He was working on a rabbit stew - in an open pot over an open fire.  Later he was going to make cabbage cakes.  (He said these are sort of like potato cakes except using cabbage.)  His wife works down the street at the apothecary's office.  (I asked if she had anything for my hives.  She recommended calamine lotion.)

I am glad we decided to do this.  We had a yummy dinner on Xmas night at the hotel.  On the 26th we went to the Trellis restaurant.  I had the pork loin.  OMG - that was some yummy meat!   It makes my taste buds smile just thinking about it!

There were a few hiccups along the way.  Hives, followed by being out and about on a rainy day that would have had New Mexicans building arks.  But - according to G.K. Chesterton, an inconvenience rightly considered is an adventure.  We definitely had an adventure.  (And the hotel staff at the Williamsburg Lodge felt so sorry for my Dalmation-spotted self, they upgraded my room.  It was lovely!)  When the sun finally came out late in the afternoon on the 26th, there was a gorgeous rainbow to be seen from my window.

I hope all of you had a great Xmas as well.
Papillon

A Weird and Annoying Week

The week started to get weird and annoying on Tuesday morning.  It was a cold morning, around 17 degrees. So when the low tire pressure indicator came on, I figured things would be OK once the tires got warmed up.

Things weren't OK.  The indicator stayed on.  I stopped at a gas station on the way to work and pumped some air into all the tires.  That helped and the indicator went off.  On the way home, I stopped at another gas station and made sure all the tires were up to the correct pressure.

On Wednesday the weather went to hell in a hand basket.  A nasty cold front blew through, literally.  All day it was cold and VERY windy.  Normally I would stay inside as much as possible, but work required me to be out and about.

Then, on Thursday, I noticed my sinuses were acting up.  Tight and some drainage (TMI?) causing some sporadic coughing.  I took some OTC sinus medication and things seemed to get better.

That is until Friday rolled around.  My sinuses were really tight and lots more coughing.  The OTC medication helped a little.  I was worried that I might be too sick to take part in Xmas activities.

Saturday morning I woke up to a headache and a whole lot of coughing.  However, after a while, things calmed down and the OTC medicine was helping.  At that point I thought I'd head to Target, get some additional OTC stuff and head home.

Imagine my annoyance when the low tire pressure indicator popped up.  WTH?  I drove to Target, but when I got out of the car, I noticed the left front tire was not flat, but it was rather low.  I got back in the car and drove to Firestone.  I've had the car for 4 years and the tires are originals, so I just went ahead and bought a new set.

They initially told me it'd be about an hour and a half or two hours before they could get me in and get things done.  I strolled over to a nearby Dollar Tree and got a bag of nuts.  Then on to the Goodwill next door.  There I found an Agatha Christie I hadn't read in a while.  I headed back to Firestone to wait things out.  Surprisingly, I was feeling better than I had in about 48 hours.  Not 100%, but at least around 75%.

The Firestone folks got me out in about an hour and I headed on home where I spent most of the rest of the day on the couch.  This helped and I did feel better - at about 80-85%.  It's been kinda up and down today, but the coughing has subsided a bit.  That's always good.

I'm hoping things continue to get better, but I'm going to continue to keep the OTC medication and Kleenex handy for the foreseeable future.

Joyeux Noel.
Papillon

Tiny Snowfall

We did get a tiny bit of snow last night.

The sun came out shortly after this photo was taken and most of the snow is now history.  For a while it looked like it was going to be a pretty nice day.

However, some clouds blew through around noon.  It's now sunny, windy and cold.

Papillon

Snow!

OK, I was a bit precipitate (pun intended).

I looked out the window and there is snow!

I'm glad it's the weekend.  There's no need to deal with both snow and commuting.

To change the subject, I watched the Glenn Close move, Albert Nobb.
It's a fascinating movie.  It's also rather depressing.  Just letting you know.

Papillon

Rain and snow...maybe

Today was cloudy and chilly.  A very definite change from normal New Mexico weather.  I was rather hoping for some sort of precipitation, but no luck here in the Albuquerque area.

Fortunately, other parts of the state have gotten snow.  This is a definite plus during a drought.  All the skiers are very happy since a lot of the ski areas have gotten numerous inches of snow. 

This is good, not only for the skiers, but also for the agricultural folks.  They have a rough several years.

I'm trying to get everyone to do the Law of Attraction.  Thoughts become things.  If all anyone thinks about is drought, that is what they will attract.  I'm trying to get everyone to switch their thoughts around.  Instead of concentrating on drought, they should think thoughts of precipitation.

They should also emulate Goldilocks.  She was a smart cookie who knew exactly what she wanted.  We should attract not too much rain or too little rain, but we should attract the amount that is 'just right'.

Papillon

What a day!

Today I've been through the oft-mentioned roller coaster of emotions.

The day started out well.  When I got up, it had been raining and continued to do so for most of the morning.  Nothing very much, but all of it was welcome.

I went out in the rain to do battle with Bank of America.  They are the holders of the mortgage on my house.  Over the years, I've been paying extra on my monthly payments.  Some months got more, others got less depending upon my financial circumstances.  In November I noticed that the balance was low enough for me to contemplate paying it off.

I called the 800 hundred number and spoke with a young man named Michael.  I told him what I wanted to do and he gave me a total that he said would pay off the mortgage.  Per his instructions, I got a certified check and mailed it off.  I've been watching the mail for paperwork showing that the mortgage was history.

Yesterday I got some paperwork for BofA.  Guess what, Michael's total hadn't paid off the mortgage.  So I called again and got a young woman named Ciji (pronounced SEE-gee).  She pooh-poohed most of what Michael had told me.  She gave me another balance.  All I had to do was get a certified check to one of the local BofA branches by 12/17.  I pointed out that wasn't a whole lot of time.  After all, Michael had given me 30 days.  She 'graciously' allowed me another couple of days by extending her deadline until 12/20.  Gee, thanks!

I also pointed out that Michael had said his balance would pay things off and it hadn't.  So what faith should I have in her balance?  (Note:  I was polite throughout this phone call.)  She said she would send me some paperwork that I could take into the bank branch.  I pointed out her extended deadline was only 5 business days away and that I doubted that the mail service would get it to me by then.  She pooh-poohed that saying it would not be a problem since all they had to do is read her notes.  (Ummm, if that's true, why did I need her paperwork.)  She's talking as she's typing away and finally says the paperwork should arrive in 7 to 10 business days.  Say what?!

Needless to say, I had VERY LITTLE faith in what she had to say, especially in light of the fact that she kept having to put me on hold to go ask questions. 

I decided to take the bull by the horns.  I went to the nearest branch and met with a woman named Rosa.  I told her my tale of woe and asked for her help.  She got to experience some of my frustration when she called the Mortgage Payoff Hotline and got a run-around similar to mine.  At one point the woman at the other end of the line said I could pay with cash if I wanted to and then seconds later said no, I couldn't pay with cash.

Rosa was finally able to get a final total.  I went to my credit union and got the payment in hand.  I trotted back and was able to give it to Rosa.  Now I just have to wait to see if this brings the process to an end.  If it doesn't, the gloves come off.

I did have to laugh to myself.  At the end of the process, Rosa asked if I wanted her to tell her all about the products available at BofA.  I just smiled and said I was happy with my credit union.

I went home and turned on the TV.  That was when I found out about the horrible shooting at the elementary school in Connecticut.  Oh, how very sad!  It's a small enough town that you know this affects everyone.  My heart goes out to everyone there.

Papillon

Thinking of Mom

In New Mexico, auto license plates usually have 3 letters/3 numbers or 3 numbers/3 letters.  I've occasionally seen license plates with letter combinations of my sisters' initials and more occasionally those of my dad.  I'd not seen any with my mom's initials.

Last weekend, I was running some errands and something happened that, if Mom were still alive, I would have included in my weekly letter to her.  As I was sitting in traffic and thinking of this, I looked over and there was a license plate with Mom's initials on it.  I was amused - it seemed like Mom was letting me know she was thinking of me.

In the intervening week, I've seen several more license plates with Mom's initials.  I'd like to think she's letting me know she's OK.

Papillon