What We Did This Weekend:
Better Late Than Never or Winter's Final Stand
Looking back, I think this was the mildest winter we've had since moving to Kansas City. Brookie wishes that she could have had just one snow day, but now that this storm has come and gone, the chances of that are not so great. Last week the weather was terrific. Highs in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Then came the cold front and an arctic wind straight from Canada. Thursday night it got cold in a hurry. By Friday there was talk of 3-4 inches of snow on the ground by Saturday morning. I was skeptical. But it happened.
The day before the snow we noticed that the tulips and daffodils we planted were starting to shoot up from the ground. Now we'd need to dig through a few inches of frozen snow to see them. Or, I guess we could just wait until it all thaws as early as today. Why did the biggest winter storm of the season have to be the last one?
Friday night we had the best Ward activity of all time. It was a belated adults-only Valentine's Day celebration. The gym was decorated to resemble a fancy restaurant. As people arrived, the host and hostess seated them at their assigned table, where there was a main course, salad, rolls, and dessert, each provided by one of the couples at the table. We sat at a great table. Fun people, and very good food. We contributed the manicotti (a pan of spinach and a pan of portabella mushroom variety), and some "bum" rolls. After dinner there was a spectacular slide show put together by yours truly. But I must admit that it wasn't anything I did that made it spectacular, it was seeing pictures of everyone in the ward when they were young and poofy-shouldered dresses and equally poofy hair was en vogue. After the slide show we all played Bunco. Brookie and I won the booby prizes for fewest games won.
Luckily the storm held off until we were safely home and in bed that night. But when it left, there were 4-5 inches on the ground.
But, the storm did give me a chance to run some errands while Brookie was at a baby shower Saturday morning. Normally I would have stayed home, but since she hates driving in the snow and I am the (self-proclaimed) World's Second Best Snow Driver (my dad is number one; taught me everything he knows), I took her to her party. With a few hours to kill I went to the local shopping center and to a few stores to pick up some stuff I'd been thinking about for a while.
I bought and then later installed a dimmer switch in our bathroom. Brookie really doesn't like to wake up any earlier than she must. So to fake sleep a little longer, she likes to shower in total darkness. I, on the other hand, prefer to get it over with and would rather have the lights on. It's not so bad in the spring and fall because there is usually enough light coming in from outside that I can see what I'm doing in the shower. In the summer it is so light outside that it's brighter than having the bathroom light on. But our winter mornings begin in complete darkness. But, now that we have a working dimmer in our bathroom, we can compromise with a little light. It's just too bad that we won't really be able to use it until next winter because by now the sun is finally starting to get up before we do.
Another purchase I made was a pair of hot water bottles. While on my mission in Portugal, I was treated to the unbelievable hospitality of Adelaide Pires. We called her Irmã Adelaide. She housed a pair of missionaries in her home and treated them all like kings. One of the incredible things she did for us was to place a hot water bottle under the sheets at the foot of our beds on exceptionally cold nights. I've never had warmer feet while sleeping in the dead of winter than when I had a nice, warm, hot water bottle to rely on. Now Brookie and I can enjoy the same comfort. It's just too bad that I didn't think to make this purchase in November instead of winter's final stand in March.
The day before the snow we noticed that the tulips and daffodils we planted were starting to shoot up from the ground. Now we'd need to dig through a few inches of frozen snow to see them. Or, I guess we could just wait until it all thaws as early as today. Why did the biggest winter storm of the season have to be the last one?
Friday night we had the best Ward activity of all time. It was a belated adults-only Valentine's Day celebration. The gym was decorated to resemble a fancy restaurant. As people arrived, the host and hostess seated them at their assigned table, where there was a main course, salad, rolls, and dessert, each provided by one of the couples at the table. We sat at a great table. Fun people, and very good food. We contributed the manicotti (a pan of spinach and a pan of portabella mushroom variety), and some "bum" rolls. After dinner there was a spectacular slide show put together by yours truly. But I must admit that it wasn't anything I did that made it spectacular, it was seeing pictures of everyone in the ward when they were young and poofy-shouldered dresses and equally poofy hair was en vogue. After the slide show we all played Bunco. Brookie and I won the booby prizes for fewest games won.
Luckily the storm held off until we were safely home and in bed that night. But when it left, there were 4-5 inches on the ground.
But, the storm did give me a chance to run some errands while Brookie was at a baby shower Saturday morning. Normally I would have stayed home, but since she hates driving in the snow and I am the (self-proclaimed) World's Second Best Snow Driver (my dad is number one; taught me everything he knows), I took her to her party. With a few hours to kill I went to the local shopping center and to a few stores to pick up some stuff I'd been thinking about for a while.
I bought and then later installed a dimmer switch in our bathroom. Brookie really doesn't like to wake up any earlier than she must. So to fake sleep a little longer, she likes to shower in total darkness. I, on the other hand, prefer to get it over with and would rather have the lights on. It's not so bad in the spring and fall because there is usually enough light coming in from outside that I can see what I'm doing in the shower. In the summer it is so light outside that it's brighter than having the bathroom light on. But our winter mornings begin in complete darkness. But, now that we have a working dimmer in our bathroom, we can compromise with a little light. It's just too bad that we won't really be able to use it until next winter because by now the sun is finally starting to get up before we do.
Another purchase I made was a pair of hot water bottles. While on my mission in Portugal, I was treated to the unbelievable hospitality of Adelaide Pires. We called her Irmã Adelaide. She housed a pair of missionaries in her home and treated them all like kings. One of the incredible things she did for us was to place a hot water bottle under the sheets at the foot of our beds on exceptionally cold nights. I've never had warmer feet while sleeping in the dead of winter than when I had a nice, warm, hot water bottle to rely on. Now Brookie and I can enjoy the same comfort. It's just too bad that I didn't think to make this purchase in November instead of winter's final stand in March.
that really was the best activity ever. and the slide show had me laughing until i was crying.
ReplyDeleteand i really need both of those recipes. my tastebuds were dancing!
Ok, I want to know who's puffy sleeves you are talking about!! Come on, they weren't that bad. Just a little bigger than my head is all.... Really fun activity! Your slide shows always top it off perfectly.
ReplyDeleteLove your blog. You and Brooke are awesome!
(I tried to make sure I only used one space after my sentences.)