Last Things

I've been spending lots of time at my computer lately. Ostensibly to read two of the kids' papers I'd put off, browse news sites, and write harassing emails to my kin.

In reality, I'm here primarily to listen to my Andrea Bocelli CD. The other activities are subordinate.

*happy sigh*

The world would probably be a better place if more people listened to opera.

Not whole operas, mind you...just selected arias :-)

Of course, if one wishes to listen to an entire opera, Ma will certainly not object. That would definitely allow less time for fighting, killing, defrauding and pursuing conspiracy theories.

(at this point I had launched into a nice treatise on mass distribution of dark chocolate and the potential for world peace if women were put in charge...but I know which side my bread is buttered on)

So, along with listening to operatic tenors, I'll soon start a Ma Improvement program which will involve more exercise, less junk food and cleaning off my desk (again).

A few simple things need to take place before the new regimen can commence: 1)kids return to college, 2)the last Christmas goodies are cleared away and quite possibly, 3)a comet coming to hit the earth.

I'm optimistic that at least two of the above can be accomplished.

Until then, it's me and my CD player.
 

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Purses and Plants: the buying and killing continues

The Master Gardener (Intern)....strikes again.
You'll just have to trust me that it looked great up until two days ago. Then I glanced at it yesterday and....*WHAM*....another dark blot on an already sketchy houseplant record.

To be perfectly fair though, it was quite attractive for 4 weeks. And it is a tropical plant.

Personally, I think it came from inferior stock.

Let's move on to more exciting things, shall we?

Today I walked into Goodwill and saw the purse of my dreams...
...dreams pretty much involving anything bigger than what I am now using, which is on the right.

You can see that it (in crocheted beige) is hardly workable, with critical items veritably bulging out the top. I have lived through the harrowing experience of upsetting the dark chocolate more than once, I can tell you!

In addition, my new bag--besides having the distinction of the "Kathie Lee" logo emblazoned in real, fake gold--is not only larger but has helpful dividers inside.

This is vital, since my keys kept falling to the bottom, necessitating my taking half of the contents out to look for them, or more importantly, my small bottle of sanitizer lotion.

Derek's comment when he saw it: "Is that a purse or a briefcase?"

PAH! What do men know? All they have to carry around is a dinky billfold, which they purposely keep short on money so it isn't too thick and then....THEN, they don't have to take you out to eat.

The real hidden secret of this world is that when men DO acquire more stuff to carry with them, they finally break down and get married, so the wife can put the extras in her purse.

ANYWAY, with this new model, I'm pretty sure I can safely put in my wallet, my sanitizer lotion, a small container of hand lotion (it's winter and very drying), my notebook with all my important lists, a bag of chocolates, my camera, keys, Kleenex and whatever else I might need.

I could even throw in a roll of duct tape, just in case I have to repair the car or somethin'.

Merry Christmas to me :-)
 

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Church Doin's

At the risk of Picasa exuberance, Ma has another album (40 pictures). This, of Violet Laudner's 90th birthday open house at church, today.

Probably most interesting to my kids who aren't at home, and people who've previously attended our church. Course, you could be missing something really funny if you don't look...

Violet's 90th Birthday Open House

 

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Christmas Album and News

First the news....everyone who was traveling has arrived safely, so Ma gives a hearty, "YAY!"

Ardith is back in Cedar Rapids, and it sounds as though the roads really deteriorated after she arrived home.

Also, we got a call from Carolyn :-) that they were at the relatives in Tyler, so that is another answer to prayer.
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As for Christmas morning, it was very nice, though tiring. However, I now have a new CD to soothe my troubled soul...
IT-----IS-----MARVELOUS :-D

Somebody is certainly in the goodbooks with Ma.

Following is a 38 picture album of our Christmas, which involves several days, a few repeated pictures and many first timers. You may even see photos of people who don't appear very often on the blog.

Christmas 08 at the Hoytstead

 

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Post Christmas, part 2

We heard from the girls, last night. They had made it safely to Aunt Elizabeth's in Tulsa.

Today they continue on toward Texas, through tornado watch boxes.

Ardith left after lunch, and due to snow banks and ice, it took several tries to get out of the driveway. Really this weather has been something!

The boys are noticing an absence of atmosphere without their female siblings. Melinda is here, but she's pretty quiet and hasn't developed any of those endearing traits of the others'...sarcastic remarks and caustic criticism.

I try to pick up the slack, but a Ma can only do so much.

In other news, I've only received one returned Christmas card this year, from my nephew, Chris Hoyt. So yeah, you are outta the will, fellah!

Assemblage of a Christmas-time picasa album is in the works, but must wait for the completion of church cleaning and/or the eating of dark chocolate fudge.

There's definitely gonna be a diet in the future.
 

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Post Christmas

Ma is pretty stinkin' tired. I finally took an iron pill at lunch so I expect to be able to lift small buildings quite soon.

Even so, I was able to clean up a bit in ye olde bedroome. It started out as a hunt to find the source of a dead mouse smell, but all I ended up doing was sorting through some clothes, dumping two trash bags of stuff now designated as trash, and sweeping up some dust.

Oh...and I found two power-cord-type thingies that Loren apparently recognized, so I'm sure he doesn't think it's a total loss. Especially as we now have more walking room.

The dead mouse smell, however, continues to waft from the area near the door, so I'm thinkin' something may have expired inside the wall.

I don't know why those ornery critters can't die in plain sight, like good little vermin.

In other news, Sharon is off on a little post Christmas trip to Texas, by way of Tulsa. She couldn't reach Aunt Elizabeth to confirm staying overnight, but if anyone down thataway is reading this blog, Sharon AND Kendra AND Carolyn are driving at this moment, so three people could end up on the porch, ringin' the doorbell...

Here they are, packing up the White Honda Civic Cat.

We had to shovel out that stupid driveway, a-gain, after which they got stuck trying to drive away and we shoveled and pushed some more, and they finally got off.

You might pray for their safety, as it is VERY foggy right now...
A warm spell is melting things like crazy, hence the fog. You can't even see the church from our house, which reminds me...must go and clean. After this weekend, only five more weeks left!

Unfortunately, my helper Carolyn is GONE, and my helper's assistant is slightly incapacitated, due to the premature release of two mouse traps he was setting. Yea, Ethan tells me he be scarred.

I figured he could have a little post-Christmas present.
 

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Odd Christmas Eve

Maybe we should get the paper. Then I would have known that one of our neighbors passed away. He'd had Alzheimer's and been in a care center. But when I looked down the road and saw the cars at the church and then the hearse, I had a sinking feeling....and then I discovered who it was.

Ma is feeling mixed sad and glad for his release from the body's prison. We should have gone to the funeral. I definitely would have gone had I known.
_________________

Had to shovel three or four different times just to keep the drive clear. But now everyone's arrived and Ma takes comfort in having the chilin's all 'round :-)

PROOF that Ardith has made it safely to the Hoytstead
Sorry for the blurry pic. She's just as glad that it was almost black against the window, but I added fill light so you could see her purdy smile.

One nice thing about having Kendra home from college is her initiative to head up the Christmas cookie project. Baked last night, these were frosted this morning.


Then Kendra got extra creative and used the leftover red frosting to attempted "bloodied" footprints and marks upon the snow, in an attempt to shock Ardith.
Alas, Ardith realized that blood was not the color of dark pink frosting.

Or, it might have been Sharon's fancy script with the other colors that clued Ardith in.


In ice news:

Who needs storm windows when you get such great results without them?


Continuing with our Christmas Eve potpourri, have you ever wondered what the inside of those Hershey's Cordial Kisses looked like?
There it is...another in the vast array of temptations Ma has to face.

Enough whining :-)

Back to the family, home and hearth.
 

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Oh! [updated]

So, I'm getting ready to go out and clear out some snow that had blown back in the drive, so that the girls could safely get off the road when they come up later today.

Then Trevor comes into the room and says,

"Mommy...didn't you know that Ardith and Sharon are sleeping on the couch?"

?????

Those little stinkers!

I do believe that is Sharon's car I see out by the garage...

{Correction: one little stinker. Apparently Trevor cannot count, which indeed, makes HIM a little stinker, making two stinkers, again. Sharon is here and Ardith will make her way up sometime today}
 

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Official Announcement

All the Christmas presents are wrapped. Including Jason's birthday presents for December 30th. Only took about 40 minutes.

It's a whole lot easier when you limit things to one present per kid, with a few simple (as in, bought at Goodwill) family gifts thrown in.

It won't be quite as memorable as The Sock Christmas, but it could run a close second, heh, heh.

In other news, I took Derek over for his monthly pro-time, and the plows were scraping away at the sides, to prevent further drifting.


This probably isn't the best picture, but on our gravel road there were places that were starting to drift over again, or hadn't been cleared all the way the first time.
I would hasten to add that I did stop and put the car in park to take the above photo. Hey...I may be good, but I'm not foolish enough to keep driving and roll down the window and take a picture out the back a the same time...

Thankfully, we didn't get much snow with the last system. Another one is scheduled to hit this evening, but mostly for the eastern part of Iowa. It won't directly affect us, but Sharon may have to drive through a bit on her way out here...she was leaving Indiana after work, today.

I'd appreciate prayers for her safe arrival at Ardith's, later tonight.

Then, tomorrow...the whole gang will be here!

Ah, good times :-)
 

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Ethan Turns the Big 1-2

Ma's a little late getting up this birthday post. Ethan really turned twelve last Wednesday, the 17th, but he wanted to wait to celebrate until Kendra was home. This particular night of festivity took place on Saturday, mere hours after blizzard winds had commenced. Click on pictures to enlarge.

Ethan, trying to blow out the candles.


C'mon Ethan...what' the matter? It's not like they're trick candles, is it?
Actually, they were. Ethan wanted them. I ended up dunking most of the candles in a glass of water.

Ethan finds...a watch! It displays in both digital and analog. Ma never tires of trying to bring all the right influences into her children's lives, ha, ha.


The Mouse and the Motorcycle.
Ethan started it that night and proclaimed after finishing it the next day that I should read this to all the kids.

Twelve years is a special birthday in our family, with each child receiving a nice Bible with REAL LEATHERFLEX cover!
The older kids noticed right away that Ethan got a "study Bible" whereas they only got regular NASB standard versions.

"I can't help it if that was on a special sale and actually cheaper than your versions. Clearly you guys should have been born at different times..."

The other traditional 12th year present, a Bible cover.
Oooo, Narnia :-)

Again, more fake complaining from the older kids about not getting a fancy cover, themselves. ("Look...older kids always get gyped, so...get over it !)
The brown cover doesn't exactly match the black Bible, but hey, they were both on sale, and as we all know, Ma is very cheap.

I learned that from my Dad.

*waves toward heaven*
 

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Got 'Er Done !

It took three hours.

It took four people, working in groups of 1-3.

But hey, there is nothing like the satisfaction of a job that is done! Not to mention a hot bath and dry clothes.
Here are Kendra and Ethan. Jason did a lot of work too, but is somewhat camera-shy :-D

I went out while it was still 17 below, and it wasn't too bad, except my fingers began to hurt right quick. But after Loren offered his old gloves I was able to stay out longer.

Ethan...doing your typical boyish-death-defying-leap.


Okay then...time to get groceries. Two to six inches of snow is expected overnight, but what is that to us?

We LAUGH in the face of more shoveling...heh, heh...

...heh......*sniff*...
 

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Hope Springs Eternal

What's that white cloud moving down the road?


It's the snowplow! With the drift-buster blade.

We're free....we're FREE....WE'RE FREE!!!

Well, as soon as we shovel out the driveway, again.

The real temperature upon awakening was -17, with windchill of -30. I'm trying to work up the nerve to go out and start digging.

In the meantime....

Snow Plow Sonnet

O Snowplow, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
Your blade can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Snow and ideal Ice.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need: chocolate, so dearly bought.
I love thee freely, as Ma strives for serotonin.
I love thee purely, as the snow thou shovest awayest.
I love thee with a passion only slightly less
Than that, of the rich brown cacao bean.
I love thee with the frosty breath that exits
From my coldish nose; a breath consumed
With smiles, tears, the very life
Of which I'd give but for one glimpse of Thee...
(though if it came right down to it, given the choice between a snowplow or chocolate, I'd definitely go with the latter)

 

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More Blizzardlyness

Boy oh boy...did I need this day to rest and catch up on things.

Slept in until 8 o'clock! When does a mother ever get to do THAT on a Sunday?

Cut or trimmed 5 boys' hair...no easy task with an anemic clippers, but everyone of the guys looks quite spiff.

Made bread! We'll have some tonight with the homemade apple butter.

We also watched Ethan's birthday movie, Night in the Museum, graciously supplied by Jason. Somehow.

Ma ventured outside again, just at dusk. I left my lens cap off this time, which helped the ol' fingers considerably. The winds have died down to 23 (they were up to 29 earlier today) and the barometer has risen to almost 29.9! Whooee...can spring be far off?

You'll pardon the tinting applied to this picture. I felt it helped define the lines of the drift.


Looking down the road towards the north.
Every gravel road in northern Iowa--and there are "several"--probably has 3 or 4 of these places, per mile.

Looking south.
There's plenty of snow on the west side, to drift over with every passing wind.

Hafta admire the extraordinary sculpting ability God has given the wind.
Many drifts were so tightly packed that Ma could even walk on top, without crunching through. Hardly.

Talk about your industrial strength snow!

I sure am glad I ran to town and got extra milk on Saturday. No telling when these roads can be plowed.
 

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Blizzard Sunday

I've put the current pictures in a folder I've optimistically entitled, "First Blizzard." Oh hey...winter starts today! ha ha.

After donning two pairs of sweat pants, a turtleneck and sweatshirt, thick socks and two pairs of slippers (and that's just to be comfortable by my computer) I also attired myself in Loren's large orange jumpsuit, his boots, a scarf and two pairs of gloves.

Then I went outside. The Ackley site says the temperature has now risen to -7, with a windchill of -34. The winds blow steadily at 25 mph.

The place in front of the garage is still quite passable, but the curve of the driveway has a significant drift.


I went 'round back of the garage to see the largest drift on our property...the one the kids were tunneling into yesterday. Didn't realize I'd taken a blurry picture...
...my glasses kept fogging over, but I think you get the idea. It's level with my head here, though I'm on a downward slope. Real height is probably over 4 feet.

Back in the front/side yard. No more nice smooth drifts. Fierce winds did some carving of this 2.5 footer, leaving the ground beside it bare.


Hard to believe I was mowing here just over 4 weeks ago.


Fumbling with the lens cap necessitated taking off the outer glove. I would have stayed out longer, but my fingers were beginning to seriously hurt. Certain joints are starting to bother me, so I'm not going to push the limits for a couple of pictures.

All routes in the northeast quadrant of Iowa are not advised for travel.
The roads have had worse drifting, but remember, it's only December.


I'm thinkin' it's gonna be a loooonnnnnggg winter.
 

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Blizzardly Day

First off, a little unfinished business...Yes, Kendra DID get home safely. I didn't realize until reading Sharon's comment that I'd neglected to report on the official safe arrival. Very sorry. We went right to eating and yakking and Ma forgot.

Secondly, I did get back safely from cleaning the church this afternoon, though I had a few anxious moments as I looked out glass doors and tried to gauge whether this poor Ma would have to spend a night or two in the janitor's closet.

I figured I could always walk the 1/4 mile home, even if things were too drifted to drive.

Speaking of which, I took the red mini van down to do the cleaning, since it was parked on the driveway, closer to the road. Plus, it has front-wheel drive.
I was just barely able to back in to the same spot. The drive is drifted shut behind the van.

There's no going outta there, baby. And since the blizzard warning has been set to run until 6pm tomorrow, our church has been canceled.

I figured that would happen at the church where I clean, but you just KNOW, that if I hadn't cleaned, it wouldn't have been. It's the same principle that governs window washing...you wash them, and it will rain. You don't wash them and it WON'T rain, leading people to wonder why the glass doors didn't get washed that week.

(fortunately for me, winter pretty much guarantees a break from washing windows :-)

When I got home, the kids wanted to go out-SIDE.

"ARE YOU GUYS NUTS ?"

"Fine. You'll be back inside of five minutes."
Ethan and Carolyn immediately went to the windy north side of the house and commenced on survival caves.

I told Trevor he couldn't go outside, a HUGE disappointment that was mostly mollified with hot chocolate. It also helped that Jason and Kendra were around and repeated the sensible maxim, "Only crazy people go outside in a blizzard, Trevor."

Derek joined them, but as you can see, conditions were not that far from white-out.


I doubt they were outside more than 30 minutes.

Towards evening, the clouds were gone, as evidenced by the setting sun...
...setting into a ground blizzard, that is.

We'll see what the landscape looks like, tomorrow.

Stay warm, everyone.
 

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If it's Saturday...

...it's time for a blizzard.

Well, blizzard watch/blizzard warning...depending on which media source you listen to.

We've finished shoveling snow up to the garage now...
...just in time to have 'er filled in again, no doubt!

(excuse the lame pictures. I bypassed Picasa and went straight to FxFoto, where I don't have the ability to align the horizon and other editing fixes)

Ma went on a milk run to Ackley, where the parking lot was full of cars and a humongous snow pile.

The snow was coming down and looking pretty...


...and oh, so benign.


The barometer currently stands at 29.55, but seems to be creeping downward.

And now Ma has to go finish up work at the church, as the wind is starting to pick up, noticeably.

If you don't hear from me by dark, call someone...
 

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Roadish Update

Well, Kendra being on her way home, Jason, Ethan, Carolyn and I worked like dogs to get enough of the driveway cleared for the Green Dragon Lady Lincoln to exit the garage.

Loren did the honors of driving to Muscatine to pick up Kendra, though it took three tries down three different gravel roads before he found one that had any continuing tire tracks.

Those of us who'd shoveled spent part of the afternoon collapsed on bed or couch.

At approximately 3:10, a large dump truck with a blade attached traversed our road, so now it is clear for el returno!

And I've just had a call that they are passing Waterloo and will be home around 7:30-7:45ish.

I was glad to get that call, since I really had no idea that Loren had arrived safely in Muscatine, or that Kendra had, or what was actually going on...

But a late call is better than no call, I always say. Particularly if I can get in a good-natured swipe or two at being neglected.
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We finished the formal school ante-Christmas, so the next coupla weeks should be fun with college crew and visits from my grown-up girls on December 25th.

More storminess to come on Saturday night. They tell me winter officially starts in two days.
 

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El Biggo Stormo Report...Oh!

Since Hampton got 7.5 inches, and Aplington received 6 (just the initial morning reports), after complicated triangulations of precise numbers, Ma has come up with the best guess that we have 6.3 new inches of snow on the ground.

We did not experience any of the possible "thunder snow" overnight, but I'm told it was heard in Cedar Rapids. Perhaps certain peoples who live in that fair city could provide confirmation on that point?

As of this morning, towing had been prohibited in southeast Iowa. We're a little concerned as to when Kendra will be able to get back. They did get started this morning, after a delay from ice covered car doors. Right now, the roads are mostly wet where they are driving (Valpo, IN).

It wasn't the best light for taking pictures, but beggar Ma's can't always be choosy.

Things looked PRET-ty snowy when I opened the door, this morning.


Now it is passable...
..looks like a nice two-foot drift settled in by the steps.

Carolyn, Ethan and I went out before breakfast and got the drive done from the road, back to the red mini-van.
Jason has been conscripted. He and Ethan are workin' their way back through the drive.

But if the road grader doesn't come through soon, ain't noboday goin' nowhere.

A tractor has been through...
...and while taking this picture, I heard a road grader working up the next mile, so we have hopes that within an hour or so...

In the country, a storm often brings the sight of high drifts as well as bare ground.


Snow waves anxiously lapping at the grass


Hmmm...this car is gonna hafta be shoveled out.
(I accessed the trunk to get out the good snow shovel)

Jason and Ethan are hard at it.
My goal is to have our driveway done so that the nice farmers don't feel they have to help us :-)
 

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