A Christmas Miracle

We found a new home for our dog.  When we downsized and moved, we didn't really know how the tiny yard would affect him.  Not only that, but we have been busier than ever and hardly home.  Poor guy was so lonely and sad all the time.  Seriously, all he ever wanted to do was sit on one of our laps and snuggle and stare at us as if staring would keep us from going to work or school or theater rehearsal or church or grocery shopping...  During the day, he would pace up and down the hall and in and out of the doggy door.  At our old house, he stayed outside all day- patrolling the yard, chasing the squirrels, monitoring the comings and goings of the neighbor's cat.  He was fulfilled because he had a job to do and he did it well.  Here, he couldn't even bark without someone calling the HOA and complaining.
We listed him with a local organization that helps place pets with people and although it took awhile, he finally caught the attention of a nice family that has been wanting a small-ish dog.  That's the miracle, that someone would want such a sad, lonely, needy 8 year old dog.  They took him for a few days just to see if it would work and when they texted me and said he was a keeper, I was very relieved and sort of sad.  Even though I did not get to spend much time with him the last few years, he was still such an integral part of our lives.  He slept on Ab's bed and kept her warm.  He barked when the doorbell rang.  He played with his food and was very cute.  Sigh.
I know they love him, and I know he is better off. Still...

Baby, it's COLD outside!

It was 24 degrees F this morning when I woke up.  That doesn't seem so cold when you live in places that are regularly this temp, like Winnipeg, but to us it's cold.

To start with, we had snow.   This is the second week that we have had snow, and the second time we missed school for two days in a row.  That's four days to make up in June.  FOUR.  And it is only December.  There's more snow predicted for next week. If we keep on this trajectory, we could be in school up to July 4th...

What does a schoolteacher do on a snow day?  Well, thankfully we still had power so I watched a little TV, shopped online, vacuumed the car, put in the new floor mats for the front seats, ran the dishwasher, did some laundry, decorated the house for the season, made Chex mix, and sent a couple of cards out. The second day was more focused on getting the next units ready for my geometry and algebra classes.

Oh, and I also take pictures...

Gunther our Gnome

Beginning of the thaw

Less than an inch, but it creates so many problems for drivers.

The first snowfall was accompanied by lots of wind, so there wasn't much accumulation in spots.  Then it was followed by freezing rain, so it really was hazardous to venture out.  The next snowfall was not as windy and we got more white stuff, but today the sun dared to show its face and started the melt...

I love this stuff.
I'm so glad I downsized to a smaller house that is easier to heat!

A rare sighting

It's been pouring out- pouring.  Just wetter than wet, which is saying something for our part of the world.

So why was I riding my bike in the rain this week?  The check engine light kept coming on in the car.  I had to take the car to the shop for them to keep for an indeterminate amount of time in order to diagnose the problem and the easiest (coldest, wettest...) way back was to just ride my bike.  It's under two miles, but in that short span I saw a rare sight.  I had to stop, park, grab my phone, and start taking pictures.

The thing that gave me pause?

look in the tree

deep into the tree

it moved deeper

it's making a break for it

it's going under the cars

and back out again

It's a bird, it's a plane... No.  It's the White Squirrel of Southwest Washington.

Results

Well, the election is over and my guy, Tom Selleck, didn't win. 

I'm bummed, but I'm not going to go protest, riot, or impede the flow of traffic and commerce. 
There are a couple of reasons for this:

1) I'm too busy working- people on the dole are counting on my tax dollars.
2) I'm not 2 years old.


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The best way to celebrate this Veterans Day, America?  Thank a veteran.  Be grateful for their warrior's heart that caused them to take action against the enemies of freedom.  Be thankful that they wanted to protect you and the liberties this country has given you. It doesn't matter if they were in battle, or behind a computer screen or stationed in a place that is currently experiencing peace- they put themselves out there to serve this nation and to serve you.  Acknowledge it. 

7.5 down...

And 42.5 more to go. 

Hours that is.  Hours of driving with a teen.  She did great on the Driver's Ed written and driving tests, but in order to get her license, she has to do 50 hours of driving with an adult.  Hours.  Not miles, not sessions...  HOURS.  50 of them. 

When you consider that we can manage to do about 20 minutes at a time, that means we have 150 sessions of driving before she can get her license. 

Some of those hours have to be in the dark. 

I guess that means I am REALLY looking forward to the switch to standard time this fall!

Buckle up!

Tom Selleck for President

I am not even kidding about this.  Write him in. 

Our only other options are the bombastic billionaire businessman who wants the attention, but not the job, or the shrill shrieking shrew who wants the job so desperately that she is willing to mow down everything (and everyone) in her path to get there.  (Funny thing is, she already served two terms so legally, she really can't be Prez again.  Legal, shmegal, who cares?  Not her.)

Tom Selleck.  He has what the others don't - maturity, wisdom, courage.

Fast and Furious... NOT

It's time. 

She has her permit. 

She is practicing with me in parking lots. 

She is signed up for ...
(cue the dramatic music) 
DRIVER'S ED!!!

(I'll keep you posted, but so far she has only run up on one curb and thankfully managed to miss hitting a light post.  So, that's something.)

Buckle up.

Clevelandish- Cedar Point Coaster Park

After the wedding, we decided that our weekend would be best concluded with some rip-roaring roller coaster action...

Cedar Point is about an hour from Cleveland and it bills itself as the "Roller Coaster Capital of the World."  Too bad I can't show you actual pictures of us riding because we had to put away all phones and cameras before each ride.  But I'm here to tell you- It. Was. Awesomesauce.

In line for their newest ride- Valravn.  It was a 2 hour wait, but so worth it.

My kiddo with her uncle- so cute.

This is the ride where they strongly advised you take off all your jewelry.

This is the one that made me queasy.  I had to close my eyes for most of it.

I'm on the left in the top picture- closing my eyes...

Wooden roller coasters are amazing.

Double coaster.

Lake Erie

The heavy rain ended our time there a little earlier than we had planned.

Click on the video for the official Point of View ride on Valravn. (But make sure you buckle in first- it's a crazy ride!)

If you go- plan to spend more than one day.  There is also a water park just outside the Coaster Park.  It would be perfect on a hot day like the one we spent at Cedar Point.  There are cabins and rental houses along the beach- next time I'm staying for a week!

Cleveland- inside the Botanical Gardens

The greenhouse has two sections- the desert and the rainforest.  We started with the desert.

There's a small hedgehog-like critter in there.

 

 The rainforest section had tons of butterflies and birds.

Those are leaf-cutter ants working hard to carry leaves to...  somewhere...

Tomorrow- our trip to Cedar Point Amusement Park, the Roller Coaster Capital of the World!