Lake Effect

December 28, 2009, 3:23 p.m.
Elmwood Avenue
Lovely day for a drive.

Beef on Weck and Potato Candy

Every Christmas Eve for the past 25 years or so, health and weather permitting, I make the trek to the Malcombs in Gasport for Beef on Weck and Potato Candy. I look forward to it every year.

Usually I sit in the living room and socialize with those sitting in there. It occurred to me this year that I was missing a whole bunch of stuff going on in the kitchen - constant laughter, and no matter how much we ate, the pot of beef on the stove stays full.

I laugh so much here. They have adopted me as their own, and they have no idea how much that means to me. I hope someday my brother can meet them. They'll adopt him, too.

'Uncle' Wayne and his daughter, Ashley

Getting teased by Uncle Wayne

Winter Concert

Today is Ian's Winter Concert at school, and he has a speaking part!


P.S. He spoke like a natural. He did very well. I am a proud Mom!

Health Update.

Sinus infection and bronchitis. Again.

I need a week off to just be wrapped in an afghan with a good book (that's not a text book).

Yeah. As Ian would say, "Good luck with that."

Sick again.

It has been a rough fall season for me. I am sick again, and sick and tired of being sick and tired! I am just feeling yucky again...stuffy nose, cough that rattles my bones, being too warm and then shivering with cold... Time for another visit to the doctor.

Sprung a Leak

We sprung a leak at the firm and the front yard had to be rearranged. Poor Dennis.

He does it again.

Ian, it's time to wake up!

Mommy, does the brain work faster than the speed of light?

Well, it depends on the person, honey.

Where does he get this stuff? And why is it in his head at 6:15 in the morning?

Oh, Christmas Tree, Oh, Christmas Tree...

...wish I'd have remembered to take a picture AFTER the lights were on it! :D Check out the stand!

Reading...

Saturday morning, breakfast at the Olympic. He's reading the Wall Street Journal with me.


Bravo!

A Weekend Off

Ian has a sleepover tonight at the daycare center with his school buddies, and another sleepover tomorrow night with his cousin, Lucas.

I think I'll get some quality work done on my paper.

It's always so weird when he isn't around, though. I mean, it's so.... quiet...

Winter Has Arrived

From www.weather.com, the latest:

... LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING...

...A BAND OF HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL CONTINUE FROM THE BUFFALO SOUTHTOWNS EAST ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN GENESEE COUNTY. EXPECT THIS BAND TO REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY THROUGH EARLY EVENING BEFORE SETTLING FARTHER SOUTH INTO THE MORE DISTANT SOUTHTOWNS LATER THIS EVENING... FINALLY MOVING OUT OF THE AREA BY LATE EVENING.

EXPECT SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR IN THE MOST INTENSE PORTION OF THIS BAND. IN ADDITION TO HEAVY SNOWFALL... STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AT TIMES WITH SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. THE WORST CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE ACROSS THE BUFFALO SOUTHTOWNS EAST TO THE SOUTHERN HALF OF GENESEE COUNTY... WITH MUCH BETTER DRIVING CONDITIONS ACROSS THE NORTHTOWNS.

STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 12 TO 16 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE BUFFALO SOUTHTOWNS AND ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF GENESEE COUNTY... WITH 4 TO 8 INCHES ACROSS THE HEART OF THE METRO AREA.

I'm so cold!

Jeff said...

No snow here...... :)

Serena said...

Yet. :D

An Old Favorite

Lucky me.

My nephew, Eric, has Alport Syndrome. In 1999, he had a kidney transplant, and has been doing well until recently. He spent the weekend in the hospital and discovered his body is rejecting the new kidney. This week he finds out if the damage to his new kidney can be repaired, or if he will need to be placed back on the transplant list and go back on dialysis.

He seems to be in pretty good spirits, all things considered. I guess it's because he knew this day would come. Alport Syndrome just doesn't go away or quit, so Eric will need a new kidney every ten to fifteen years.

It's things like this that remind me how lucky I am. Never take good health for granted.

My Indoor Garden

My blooming Christmas Cactus (which is a beautiful shade of pink, and I don't know how to make it happen in the photo...Obiwan?)A couple Christmas cacti, a jade, some miscellaneous stuff in a pot, and a tree:

Does anyone know what kind of tree/plant this is?

Artiste

Modeling my new hat. Kid has a great imagination...took him about two seconds to put it on when I walked in with it.


Looks better on him than it does on me. :D

Shoveling

Yes, Folks, here he is...shoveling...
THE YARD.

I don't understand boys.

The bad and the good...

So the bad news is I'm all stuffy again and sneezing and feeling run down. I don't know why I'm so run down, but there you have it. Tim (the boss) told me under no circumstances am I to get sick again. My sinuses have decided not to listen to him.

But on a good note, I'm sitting wrapped up in an afghan listening to tunes on my laptop. I so enjoy listening to Beethoven. His music is timeless. I can just close my eyes and imagine it is summer, the sun warm on my face, wind in my hair... It is so relaxing, and sometimes just what I need after a long day at the office during the full moon.

6:15 a.m.

He wakes up talking. I mean, LITERALLY. He opens his eyes at 6:15 a.m. and starts talking. I don't know how he does it. I have to get coffee in me before I wake him up. Why isn't here a parent manual that warns you about this stuff? I can't think like this so early!

Ian! It's time to get up!

Mommy, if we lived in Russia, would we be able to buy a house there?

Huh?

Can we buy a house in Russia?

Now?

No. I just wanna know.

Um, I don't know. I think it works different in Russia. Why?

I want to go to England. Where do you want to go?

Paris. What does that have to do with Russia?

It doesn't. Can we go to London?

Not today. Did you brush your teeth?

Nope. I can't find my toothbrush. I mean on vacation. Is Paris in England too?

No, it's in France. And why is your toothbrush on vacation?

No, not my toothbrush. We could go on vacation. We could go to France and London and Paris. How old would I have to be?

I'm not sure. You're not going to get any older if you don't brush your teeth.

Okaaaay. I'm just sayin', though. I really really want to go to England. Can I have a new toothbrush?

I'll keep it in mind, and yes. And then get dressed.

Maybe we could go to England next year. And then Russia next year. Do I have to wear sleeves?

To Russia?

No! To school!

Yes!

6:30 a.m. I need a nap.