Taking Pictures Thursday and Friday

These are some additional pictures from Wednesdays snowfall. My John Deere has been a back saver this year but we are running out of space to put the snow. The last picture shows how the big township plow pushed the snow up onto the cul-de-sac. That pile is about 8 feet tall.


Friday evening Steve and I played with AJ while Jesi went out with Amanda and Beth. We had dinner together and played Brio trains and read books. We also had fun playing hide and seek with the flashlight and AJ remembered our big tub when he found grandpa hiding in the bathroom. Of course that meant more playtime. Then jammies and a drink before mom came back. We all had fun.

Meet Rufus

Meet Rufus. He is a Cockapoo that belongs to friends of ours and he is a great dog. Cockapoos are a combination of cocker spaniels and poodles. Rufus is almost 2 years old and he loves to be around people. The snow today pushed us to 2nd place on the list of snowiest Januaries.

More Weather

As I take daily pictures memories of January 2009 have to include the weather shots. We are moving into the top 5 snowiest Januarys on record with todays additional snowfall. We are expecting 4-6 more inches. It really is beautiful.

More window work

My painter husband is at work now. The new windows look great but the inside will need the trim painted and there is a little touch up on the walls. Of course the weather may make it difficult to leave the windows open to dry the paint so we may be waiting for a warm weekend. But the hard part is often the prep work anyway. Steve started taping off the glass and trim tonight.

A dose of AJ

AJ and Jesi stopped by for a short visit on Saturday. We played with some of the toys and set up another play date for Friday. Both AJ and Jesi are doing OK. AJ passed his regular 3 month check with the endocrinologist and his diabetes is in good control. Jesi is amazing on how well she handles everything. She has been house hunting with Amanda and is anxious to get out of the apartment.




Sunday's picture is just a nice photo of the house with all of the snow. It was a pretty day although cold again. Steve returned from his ski weekend without any injuries. For that I am thankful. I must admit I was a bit worried that a bad fall would ruin our upcoming vacation. More on that later.

Melting

Today was the first day this year I think that the temperature climbed above freezing. As the picture shows my car temp showed 38. Yeah! But alas it is not to last. Saturday the high is expected to be 18. The days are getting longer though and with more sunshine spring can not be far behind. The new windows are finished and I am in the process of putting the sun room back together. It is nice to have a clear view outside, no more foggy windows. The low temperature tonight will be a good indicator of how much more efficient the windows are. Hopefully there will be no frost on the inside.

Report on Slumdog.

Jane and I had a delightful time last night watching Slumdog and having dinner together.I really enjoyed the movie although parts of it were hard to watch. I do like happy endings and I can see the reason for the Oscar nominations. I guess my next movie should be Curious Case of Benjamin Button, because of the Oscar nominations it recieved. I am just having a hard time understanding the premise of what I see on the trailers for it. Maybe the weather will break and we won't have time for movies.

Enjoying the weekend.

TGIF

It has been a busy week and I am always happy to see Friday. Yesterday my Christmas present new windows were installed in the sun room. The interior seals had broken and the exterior wood had rotted so it was not a quick fix and new windows seemed the way to go. Of course I started working on their replacement in July and it is now the second coldest week of the year for installation. Fortunately I am able to close off the sunroom and the temperature in the house really wasn't too bad. We should realize some cost saving on both heating and cooling with these windows.

Steve is off with the firm for a retreat weekend in Northern Michigan today so it is movie night with the girls for me. I think we are going to see "Slumdog" and have dinner. Movies have been a great passtime this winter. We have seen "Gran Torino", "Doubt" , and now "Slumdog Millionaire". Looking at the Oscar nominees I might actually know something about some of the winners for a change. Last year I hadn't seen any of the movies nominated for best picture. Made watching the Oscars less important.

Enjoy Friday!

I Don't think so...

I haven't seen too many golfers crossing and especially not at 35 miles per hour. At the rate we have gotten snow this year there may not be any golfers here until May. Our golf clubs haven't been touched for over 2 months but we continue to look longingly over the snow covered course in hopes of a warm spring and early season golf. The weekends definitely seem longer without a round or two of golf. Unfortunately the extra time has usually been spent sitting in front of the TV watching football.

This has to make you laugh

This is a picture of the latest sculpture added along the river in Perrysburg. I think in the summer time you can imagine the the whale is diving into the river. Now the whale is definitely frozen into the snow. I follow this with a you tube link showing an ice skater in a similar pose. Just click on the link and it should take you to the video.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=45454373

Presbyterian Church

The Presbyterian Church in Perrysburg looked so quaint yesterday with the Christmas wreaths still hanging and all of the snow I couldn't resist taking the picture. There are many old churches in this little town we call home and over the course of the next year I may try to get a picture of all of them. For starters though this one is perfectly charming.

Enjoying the snow

The best way to enjoy the snow is to find something to do in it. Finally the temperature was not so frigid that we could get out and enjoy cross country skiing. Steve especially likes to go out on the lake to take in a perspective not usually available. I thought the sign of skating at your own risk looked odd as you gaze out over what appears to just be a snowy field.

Combination of shots

Steve saw this picture while we were eating breakfast yesterday morning. It is taken from our kitchen table where my orchid sits looking out at the icicles and snow. It is the combination of three of the pictures this week. Today the sun is shining and the temperatures are just January cold ,not frigid. We were cross country skiing this morning so I am going to get those pictures ready now.

Wine Club

We joined a wine club when we visited Napa Valley several years ago. At the time Ohio had loosened the regulations on sending wine into the state. Last year the laws changed and we were not able to receive shipments. The politicos must have reversed their position again though because we have just received our wine club shipment. Only problem now is that we are on the post holiday season cutback on alcohol....and calories so we will have to be content reading about these new wines and knowing they are in the wine rack awaiting consumption with a great meal sometime in the future.

Sunshine and Icicles

The sun came out today but the temperature high was 7 degrees. I drove Mike to work this morning because the roads are still snow covered and icy in spots. The temperature on the car thermometer registered -12. Of course I didn't have my camera to record it but if I had it would have been the picture of the day. So instead I have this lovely picture of Mike holding an icicle that is nearly as long as he is tall.

Time

" Time has been transformed, and we have changed; it has advanced and set us in motion; it has unveiled its face, inspiring us with bewilderment and exhilaration. "
Kahlil Gibran

Something white that isn't snow

My orchid plant in bloom. This was a planter that was sent to the funeral home for John. I have kept it alive and this is the second time it has bloomed since last March. While I would not call myself an avid gardener I like growing plants, although most of my houseplants are artificial. The fact that this orchid has thrived has me believing that perhaps I need to read up on orchids and at least give it a little fertilizer. My intial impression of growing orchids is that it would be difficult but this planter certainly has proved that wrong.

OK It is the weather blog

I looked out the window yesterday and saw my flower pots that didn't get put away for the winter and the little flag showing the Northeast winds. It is quite a January we are having. More snow is on the way and the forecast for sub zero temperatures has me scurrying to the grocery store today. I have many indoor activites so cabin fever has not been an issue yet. I do have the movie "The Shining" on DVR though and come the end of the week I may have to remind myself of what can happen to the snowbound. Hope everyone else is enjoying whatever weather patterns you are living in. Thanks for complaining about the 90 degree Sunday in LA Jessica!

Old Technology

Last winter I started transferring our slides to digital pictures. We took slides for about 6 years starting in 1981. I got about half of them done before John died in March. The prospect of looking at family slides became too painful and the project was shelved at least for a time. But this summer my parents were cleaning house and decided it as time to rid themselves of their years of family slides. They had culled through many of them but I took the remaining slide magazines and have been making the transfer to digital for them. It has made for a great winter project as there is nothing better than laughing at yourself. Were we ever really that young? See for yourself.


Not sure of the date but probably I was about 5




This was taken in 1957 so it is over 50 years old and qualifies as an antique




1964 Check out the original flip flops, I think they cost $0.29

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

The Saturday snow event was near blizzard proportions. It was snowing faster than the plows or shovels could remove it. We drove Mike to work in the Jeep and although I am sure there weren't too many shoppers he remained there all day. The wind picked up later in the day and the drifting began. Today it has stopped snowing but with the temperatures expected to drop into the single digits later this week we need to attack the driveway before it turns to pure ice. There is plenty of snow for skiing and sledding but Mike reminded me we don't even have any sleds anymore. Oh well time to settle in with some of that good reading from earlier this week. Oh and maybe a little NFL. We have also been watching the golf in Kapalua, Hawaii. I am not sure if it is just the weather here but Maui sure looks inviting.

Winter Wonderland

Winter wouldn't be so bad if we had this kind of snow all of the time. We are anxious to get the skis out and cross country around the golf course. Shovelling comes first, but this is the best part of winter. I am sure there will be more snow pictures this weekend as the forecast has it snowing through the day Saturday. We are expecting 6- 8 inches of new snow. It is beautiful.

Dear friend

I've learned that calling someone an old friend isn't politically correct now that we are not exactly young, so I will call Jane my dear friend. We have been best of friends dating back to the mid 1970's when she began dating her husband Tom and I was dating Steve. Our daughters were born weeks apart and have maintained their friendship as Sally says, since before you were born Jessica. We spent the afternoon together touching many topics one of which was the changing of the kitchen island. Jane has been through a kitchen remodel so she had some great insights.

And as I record the picture of the day it wouldn't be right not to elaborate on the long time friendship that Jane (and Tom) have provided. Our families have celebrated and mourned together. Over the years they have become much more like family than friends. Always there when you need them. Sometimes that means sharing the best of times and other times sharing the burdens. Thanks guys, we love you.

Too many friends for one picture

Wednesday I served up a pot of homemade turkey noodle soup from the Christmas turkey to my friends and neighbors (and yes that is Mike, it was his day off). It was a morning of knitting, crocheting, needlepointing, beading, and talking followed by a book exchange. Everyone was anxious to hear about each others holidays and plans for the rest of the winter. Being surrounded by such wonderful women is truely good for the soul. I know I have forwarded this you tube on transcending women to several of you, but if you haven't watched it, it is worth the time. I am currently reading Kelly's book.(one that didn't go into the exchange)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_4qwVLqt9Q

Picture of the day theme this year has already become a good focus away from my travels through grief of last year. It seems I have moved from getting through the current day to at least enjoying the present day. Eventually I am sure I will move onto the future. I was reminded yesterday that reading this blog has been helpful to others. Last friday my tennis buddy Michelle's Dad died. Her mom Kay, has been a reader this past year. I hope some of the quotes from last year are helpful to her now. There is no easy path through grief and it is truely a personal experience. The support of friends and family is invaluable. It is for them that we put one foot in front of the other, put a smile on our face and get out there and continue. Life goes on and that is good. Thinking of you Kay, it will get better, even though the hole in your heart never goes away.

A Gray Day in Perrysburg

Monday was a beautiful day with lots of sunshine and temps in the low 30's. We are all thankful for days like that in January but it wasn't the picture of the day because of the Fiesta Bowl. Yesterday Tuesday, I had my camera with me all day looking for that moment to record. It was a gray day, the temperature was dropping and it started snowing. While I do not want the weather to be a frequent thread in my year of pictures, I wasn't able to see anything else but the gray weather. Now as I write about the picture I realize part of the exercise of taking a picture a day for a year is to recognize events throughout the "average" day. Try to find something interesting in the interaction with the lady behind the dry cleaner counter. Be thankful watching Mike safely drive up the driveway after coming home from work on slippery roads. There were other pictures that could have been taken yesterday but this a learning experience and it is only the sixth day of pictures. I hope to get better on these average days.

Fiesta Bowl 2009

I started the day with a scenic picture from outside. It was great to just enjoy the sun in Perrysburg on a January day. But as the day wound down and I started watching The Ohio State Buckeyes at the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, I knew the picture of the day had to be something Buckeye. Watching the game was hard. We had recorded the first quarter on the DVR so it went quickly. The third quarter was a little slow and with Texas ahead Steve went to bed, leaving me to watch the fourth quarter alone. So sad to see the Buckeyes get so close and then lose. I really thought they were going to win.

Indian Food Feast

The first few days of 2009 included some partying so the inevitable new years diet starts today. The final blow out meal had to be something we would miss having. We called our friends Sarge (Sukhjit) and Sue and headed off to the Tandoor of India Restaurant in Toledo. Sarge, who was born in India and has eaten Indian foods all over the world says Tandoor has some of the best authentic foods. We just love it. While we have ventured there by ourselves it is always more fun to go with Sarge and Sue. We never get menus and I had to look at Indian restaurant menu to come up with the correct names of what we had last night. Sue and Steve like it a lot more spicy than either Sarge or I can handle so they always order the Baingan Bharta HOT! It seems to hold the heat better than some of the meat dishes. Baingan Bharta is an eggplant dish that is easy to remember. It phonetically sounds like banging bertha. See easy to remember. My favorite is Saag Paneer or spinach and cheese. Obviously this is the dish in the lower right hand corner. Lamb Roganjosh is in the upper left and a chicken dish is the lower left but I am not sure which one we had last night. It was good so who cares what it is called. All of the dishes are served over rice and of course there was Garlic Naan, which is sort of like a flour tortilla with an indian flair. It was a wonderful meal and we look forward to getting back to the Tandoor 15 pounds from now.

I took a picture of Sarge and Sue last night but I promise not to post pictures of people not looking their best and Sarge had his eyes closed. I pulled this one from the archive when we were at the wedding of Sarge's son. It is not picture of the day but "meet Sarge and Sue".

Meet Melissa and Gary

We were guests yesterday, for a party to celebrate the New Year and send Major Gary off to the Land of the Sand. Yes it seems that Uncle Sam has a long arm these days and even reservists that never thought they would see active duty again are getting the call. Melissa and Gary found out in December that Gary was being called to active duty for a 400 day deployment. The first reaction of being in an education unit that can't be deployed was quickly changed when he was told he was being pulled from his regular unit and being added to a special deployable unit. A real honor this has been called to have a talent that the government needs. Gary says he could have passed on this recognition. So the wheels of government roll on and Gary is off to somewhere probably in the Middle East, with a unit he knows nothing about, performing an assignment he knows nothing about at this time. Melissa is boning up on Middle East geography and Gary's two young daughters are hoping he will have access to email.

I see two things to be thankful for from this picture. One is that my husband is 30 plus years out of the reserves and it is really really doubtful he could ever be called up again and two is that there are people like Gary that sacrifice for our freedoms. I suggested to Melissa she should start a blog and let their many friends and family follow Gary's deployment or at least the parts that aren't classified.
Good luck Gary and Melissa.

Picture of the Day

I have figured out that to post a picture a day it may not appear in the blog on the day it was taken. In this case we went to the UT basketball game last night. I guess realistically I may even be posting several pictures together if I am away for a time period. But I am going to have my camera and cell phone camera with me everyplace I go this year and I do intend to at least try to see something worth recording everyday.

Today you are seeing the new Savage Hall Arena at the University of Toledo. Toledo played Dayton last night and we were guests in one of the new suites. Call me old but this is the way to watch sports. Of course with food and beverage available the socializing becomes much more a part of the game. But even if watching the game were a priority these suites are great because they have very comfortable theater style seats. It was a good game but as the million dollar scoreboard shows Dayton won. Sorry Rocket fans!

January 1, 2009

Inspiration. Today was a slow day in the Stanford household but I am thankful that it is the begining of a new year. I am really having difficulty finding words to describe last year. I am glad it is over and today does start anew. So back to the quotes.

"Today is the first day of the rest of your life."