We are enjoying boring Saturday TV in front of a roaring fire.  No matter what door in the house is opened, a chill runs throughout the floors in the entire house.  Brrrrr!  Thus, the reason for us huddled around the TV - where the fireplace sits!

I went out to the garage freezer in search of hamburger buns for tonight's dinner and didn't "function" quickly enough.  It took me 15 minutes to warm up after returning from my bread hunting expedition!

Oklahoma City continues to have electrical crews working to restore power.  I can't imagine still being without heat, warm water, or the ability to cook a warm meal.  When we bought this house (we renovated for one month before moving in), one of the first tasks I had done was the electric cooktop and oven removed and a gas line run, so we'd have a way to cook and a fireplace (with a gas starter) to keep us warm, JUST IN CASE a major power outage should ever happen.  I'm SO GLAD I had the forethought to plan for our family's protection - in some matter, anyway.

I got lots of shopping done on Thursday and yesterday picked up Luci early from daycare to shop and then go to her standing Friday appointment.  When we got home, Rissy and Annamarie came out and told me that Luci had just told them what she had bought them.  All of the children have always been so good about keeping birthday secrets, etc. and I wasn't pleased with Luci's enthusiastic "spilling of the beans."  I told her, this morning, she wouldn't be giving those gifts to the girls since she had ruined their surprise and I would buy something else and would NOT be telling her what she would be giving them.  She wasn't upset and seemed rather okay with the whole thing.  I'll give the gifts to Annamarie and Rissy anyway, from Dad & me, and probably get some candy for Luci to give them.  That will mean Luci will get less gifts (we're very conscious of keeping things equal), but it should be a good lesson for her.  Our Christmas gift exchange is meager this year and there won't be many toys (we're putting money in their savings accounts instead).  Luci's gifts (to her sisters) WERE toys and it bothered me that there would be no element of surprise.  Call me a brutal parent!

So little to write about!

Stephanie is still here.  The restaurant where she works just reopened yesterday, but they forgot to call her in!  She's worried about money, but I'll help her if necessary this week.  It's probably best that she DIDN'T work with an excused absence because of her tendon needing to heal up.  She is supposed to wear a walking cast for three months, I think.  This week (off of her foot) has probably promoted her healing quicker.

It's leftovers for lunch, today.  I'm trying to clean out the refrigerator!  I'm going to get off of here and start dragging out the buffet line of food!

When I take Annamarie to her 3pm appointment, I will make a mad dash in a circle and try to accomplish lots of things.  This is the best day we'll have (weather-wise) out of the next 4 days.

I want to buy a gift for the little girl who fell from a tree (see my post a few days ago), drop Annamarie off at her appointment, take Rissy to Target to pick out a gift for Annamarie, pick UP Annamarie, then go to Wal-Mart to let Rissy and Annamarie pick out gifts for Luci.  Sometime, hopefully before all of that, I need to go to the bank and make a business deposit and withdraw some cash for myself, since I've depleted my cash reserve this past week and a half!

If I can wrap things up for mailing, I can pick Luci up early tomorrow from daycare for HER appointment, Jesse can watch the other 2 girls, and Luci and I can mail things at the post office and, before her appointment, she can pick out gifts for her 2 sisters.  Other than a few small gifts and gift cards, I'll be finished.  AND, very glad I'm finished!

I know it sounds like I have things under control, but that doesn't necessarily mean things will go as planned;  especially with the threat of a heavy snow starting sometime tomorrow.  "They" thought it would be rainy and change to snow around early afternoon, then last night it became "snow" in the late afternoon or early evening, and today (I've decided) they really don't know WHEN or HOW MUCH snow!

I'm thinking of picking up a couple of rotisserie chickens on my way out of Wal-Mart and adding vegetables, instant potatoes, and salad.  That's IF there are chickens to be had.  People are still without power and Wal-Mart doing the cooking might be the preferred choice!

No matter what, it will be simple because it's a day I'll be getting home too late to plan much of anything great.

Those are the plans I have for today and tomorrow . . . We'll see how it all plays out.

No time, today, for Thursday Thirteen.  After sitting in front of the fire for days, my brain is toast!

I'm not sure if many schools will be open tomorrow.  Friday they are expecting some heavy snow to move into the city, which usually closes schools around here.  Tangi said she wished they would just call the week "off" and be done with it.  You don't know until the night before or early morning hours if they will hold school from one day to the next.  None of that affects us, since the girls are home schooled.

Jesse, who was worried about income this winter, was busy yesterday and today with tree limb removal.  He's reminded people he's a "lawn" person and doesn't "climb," but they've begged him to remove limbs so they are away from their rooftops.  His old partner in the lawn business isn't working right now, due to the weather, and I think one other guy has asked to help.  They don't mind climbing as much as Jesse minds.  Hard to believe he was in the roofing business when I met him!  He gave bids, he didn't install new roofs.  He's grateful for the work because he goes stir crazy if he isn't active

Jesse took some food to his mother today, who had electricity but hadn't gone to the store to stock up before the storm hit us.  She will be fine for at least a week (food-wise) and this next snow won't cause power outages.

It's almost time for me to pick up Luci.  I've started our chicken dinner for tonight and have kept the fire going all day.  Visited with Stephanie in front of the fire for a while today.  And, we locked the cats up in the bedroom and took Tango out of her cage and played with her a bit.  She was thrilled to be able to fly around!  It's been too cold to take her in the bathroom when I take a shower.  She would chill if she was damp when I put her back in her cage.  Tomorrow, will be the day for the girls and I to get out for a bit.  Annamarie has a 3pm appointment.  We ALL have cabin fever, including the bird!

Jesse bought more "get-by" food yesterday just in case we end up with a houseful of people.  The rain is falling in buckets today and will refreeze tonight.  Should be clear tomorrow, Wednesday.  Thursday & Friday have possibilities of more freezing rain or even snow.  Snow would be welcome, at this point!

Luci's daycare closed early yesterday and was back open today.  JanaLyn is staying here.  Stephanie hurt herself yesterday, slipped on the ice, and strained a tendon that runs through the arch of her foot.  She just returned from the doctor and he said "time" would cure it, and loaded her with prescriptions.

Nothing much to write about.  It's wet and cold and the local channels are interrupting regular programming for weather updates.  The girl's have the cable tv turned to a Christmas music station and are all dancing and being silly in front of the fire in the den.  That's the most excitement around here!

BUT . . . they are predicting another "glazing" of the frosty ice in a few hours and throughout the day.  I think 146,000 customers in the metro area are currently without electricity.  We are prepared with a fireplace and lots of wood, a gas stove in the kitchen that doesn't require electricity for the burners, plenty of gallons of water, and a generator that will keep ONE furnace running. 

I woke up the dog at 8am and, despite his protest by nuzzling further down into his blankets, he got up and went outside to "do his business," because I know he won't want to go out when freezing rain is falling from the sky.

In the middle of the night I heard a sliding sound, a crash, and then a dull thud.  I remembering it being deafening and surmised, in my groggy state, that it was a sheet of ice on the neighbors roof falling.  This morning I remembered the sound and looked out of the guest bedroom window to see our neighbor lost a beautiful Bradford pear tree.  At least it fell forward, away from his house and into the street.

The prediction by weathermen ("they") is that more customers will lose power today and many lines and trees will fall.  Tuesday the wind shifts and comes from the north bringing thunderstorms (we've had thunder ice storms! weird!) with 50mph winds.  That definitely means more power outages since the electrical lines are covered in up to an inch of ice.

We have no where to go for the next few days and nothing we need: we are prepared.  We pray our power stays on or is restored quickly if it is lost.  When storms like this happen, even hotels are without power.  Leaving home for a "better" place isn't going to be an option.  No motels/hotels and no restaurants will be available to keep us warm or feed us. 

The Lord will provide.

2. Post these rules on your blog.

3. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself

4. Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.

What was I thinking?

I, the same person who was tired after getting dressed and, then again, weak after walking through the Wal-Mart parking lot on Jesse's birthday, thought hauling wood off of a trailer and carrying it to the backyard in the fresh air would be good for me . . . What WAS I thinking?  LOL

After half of the trailer (a 16 foot long one) was unloaded I began to breathe heavily and Jesse took note and promptly sent me inside.  Besides the fact the wind was blowing furiously, and driving cold air down into my lungs, I never thought hauling wood in the cold and wind would be anything but invigorating! 

I came in, hacking like a heavy smoker, and began to realize my body had turned to wobbly Jell-o!  I made soup and sandwiches for lunch and, after sitting at the table to eat,  also realized I might have overdone things!  My lower back and hips and my upper legs in the sockets felt like I was about to become unhinged!  I laid down on a heating pad for the rest of the afternoon, was able to fix dinner, and stayed down the rest of the evening.  I never felt sore, but very shaky throughout my body.  I feel fine today except a little dumb for not having given my burst of enthusiasm a bit more logical attention BEFORE the fact.

My big job for the day is to take all of the summer/spring clothes piled in the garage and distribute them into boxes.  By boxes I mean, boxes for next year, JanaLyn, and charity.  If I do that and go through my final junk boxes, Jesse should be able to pull his pick up truck into the garage.  We are almost clean enough for the garage to hold a vehicle.  Imagine that!

Yesterday, a shelf in the utility room (one side of the laundry room is all storage shelves) broke from the wall.  Fortunately, I had just slipped a tall stack of paper plates in the shelf below and that's what kept the shelf above from plummeting (with its contents) to the ground.   I unloaded everything from the broken shelf to the top of the washing machine and Jesse put a longer screw into the wall.  That's the shelf that holds tools, all the different size trash can liners, my recipe boxes (probably heavier than all the tools combined!), and various "junk drawer" items.  I'd like to buy some more plastic bins and divide the stuff into boxes, making it easier in the future, to actually find things!  Until then, I have to either NOT do laundry or find another surface to clutter with the things that used to be on the broken shelf. 

Not do laundry????  NOW, what am I thinking?!!!

We have a nice fire going in the fireplace with our new wood.  We had enough to give to Tangi and her family.  Too much wood for the winter usually doesn't happen to us.  But, we're "filled up" and had wood to spare this year.  All for $25.00!!!

Jesse called to tell me to get my grocery list ready.  He wants to shop for me today, plus it will give him and the girls something to do.  That means . . . ALONE TIME for me!!!!!!!!!!!!  Maybe I'll finish hanging those garlands!

Tomorrow I have an appointment with the girls' therapist (Jesse will stay home with the girls) and then we are meeting his brother and wife for her and Jesse's birthday dinner.  Yes, a birthday dinner - AGAIN!!!!!  They called and wanted to meet us in a city between their house and ours.  They will have the longer drive. We decided to meet at five (to miss the traffic in our city) and have an early dinner.  We can pick up Luci at 4pm and should be at the restaurant an hour later.  That way, Luci won't be eating too late or be too tired and, we're hoping, it should be another enjoyable evening for us.

Jesse is at the community center working out again.  He said he had to go to loosen up his sore muscles from hauling all of that wood yesterday.  I'm a baby, I guess.  If I was that sore, I'd stay home on a heating pad and nurse my aching body!

I'm gonna hop in the shower and get myself together before noon!  Only 20 minutes away!

Since Emily didn't stay to clean, we were able to take Jesse in for a noon massage appointment and the girls and I went to Wal-Mart to kill time for an hour.  I did a bit of shopping for gifts and snacks etc. (things that wouldn't perish in the car, since we didn't plan to go home until the end of the day).  We picked him up a little after 1pm and went to a buffet for lunch.   Nikki and Jaiden called while we were there and little Jaiden "sang" the Happy Birthday song to him.  He was pleased.  He said she sang "Happ Birday to du; Happ Birday to du; da la da la da la, PoPo; Happ Birday to duuuuuuu!"  Pretty cute!

From there, we drove downtown to pick up his requested cake from "Leo's Barbecue."  They called me that morning because they said they forgot to ask me if I knew they had moved.  I DIDN'T know and was grateful for the call, with their less-than-explicit directions to the new location!!  Somehow, we found the restaurant and walked in at 2 minutes before 3pm.  She was glad to see us because they close at 3pm!  Another piece of information she had neglected to tell me!  As I was getting into the car, two guys in a van stopped me (gulp!) and said to give them the cake because she had given me the wrong one.  Mind you, these are basic two layer, round shaped cakes and all look the same.  YOU dress them with fresh bananas and strawberries right before you serve them.  I clutched my cake and asked, "Whaaat?!"  He repeated that my cake was a day-old cake, the gal was new, and she didn't know what she was doing.  I figured it was just a cake and not worth getting into a street brawl over, so I reluctantly handed over my cake and he said, "Come back in and I'll get a fresh one for you."  This is NOT the best side of town and despite my caution, I followed him inside.   Jesse was right there in the Suburban with the girls AND a cell phone, so I figured I was safer than if I had been there alone.  Sure enough, my cake had been taken from a 2-day-old shelf.  I was glad he had noticed and was kind enough to stop me.  I reprimanded myself for being suspicious just because of the side of town I was in - literally "the other side of the tracks" - which was under the railroad track bridge and in a sleazy, undeveloped area.

We left with the cake and drove back to our house to take a breather - me, more than anyone else.  The Wal-Mart hour long walk (truthfully, just plain getting dressed  with hair and all) had made me shaky.  I've been no where in weeks except my doctor's appointment last week.  We unloaded the groceries onto the kitchen bar and just hung out until Jesse got a call from the mechanic friend who's been trying to get Stephanie's car going.  He had a window of time to work and was in the driveway.  Jesse changed into some work clothes and gave me instructions to come get him at 5:20p, and he told the friend it was his birthday and he had to leave at 5:45p.  They still haven't figured out the problem with the car.  I think it's become a "guy-thing" with the mechanic because he can fix ANYTHING and this has him really stumped!

I picked up Luci, had her sign Jesse's birthday card at the daycare, came back to the house, and Jesse was dressed and ready to go to dinner.  We had delicious steaks and great service and the girls' (including Luci) used their best manners.  A VERY enjoyable evening.

When we came home, the girls got ready for bed and then Jesse opened his one gift from the girls and all of his cards.  He got money from everyone because no one knows what to buy for him.  He's been looking at some expensive boots and a Wii game system, but he has also looked at a new GPS for the cars.  No way was I going to make that call!  I'll leave the selection up to him.  We put part of the fruit on part of the cake and each of us had a slice.  He said Emily's cake tasted better than the restaurant's cake (which ended up being a yellow cake and NOT lemon).  We sang the family birthday song to him (not the usually "Happy Birthday to You" song) and Luci went to bed.  I followed Luci, and then the girls followed me.  Jesse said he came to bed around 11p but had a hard time getting to sleep.

I think he had a nice birthday.

Along with all of the birthday things going on yesterday, I got some disturbing test results in the mail from last week's lab work.  One of our stops on the way home from dinner was to pick up a prescription of steroids.  I have to return December 26th and talk with the doctor AND redo some lab work.  Worst case scenario is my arteries in my head (including carotid arteries in my neck) may be inflamed.  Of course, I did some research yesterday afternoon online and didn't read anything I wanted to hear.  He said a biopsy of my temporal artery (at least a one inch incision over my ear) might be necessary.  I'm hoping the steroids reduce the inflammation and the headaches were a one time deal or just a reaction to a virus and not "temporal arteritis," which could leave me permanently blind or give me a heart attack.  The listed symptoms are an eerily close match to my own symptoms.  I'll try not to think about it until I see the doctor again at the end of this month and will believe (with high hopes) that I had a virus or rebound headaches.  At this point, rebound headaches sound more appealing than my vascular system being inflamed in my brain.

Weathermen are saying we may have an ice storm this coming week end.  Some snow, but most likely sleet and freezing rain.  There isn't anything I can think of that we need besides some more milk.  You never know whether things will blow past Oklahoma or come in stronger than anyone anticipates.   It could be a 50 degree weekend and overcast, or it could dump 6" of snow.  Oklahoma weather is just too unpredictable.

We have been blessed by receiving more free firewood and the exact kind/size we need.  Jesse collected larger logs from his brother's property last month (for free), but we had no smaller branches, or "stick size" logs, to help the fire get started.  That's exactly what he is collecting today - for free.  He just called and said he gave the guy $25 for his trouble when he collected all of the wood for himself.  It was more than the guy needed, and he was happy to unload some of it.  Jesse insisted on giving him the money.

I need to get around here so I can help unload the trailer when Jesse gets home.  The fresh air will do me a lot of good, I'm sure!

One day was very warm and brought a cold front later that same day.  Bitterly cold.  Yesterday and this morning, I've enjoyed sitting in front of the fireplace!  I think we're supposed to reach the mid-50's today and 70 degrees tomorrow.

Tomorrow is Jesse's birthday.  He wants a special cake (which I just finished ordering) that I think is a lemon flavored cake dressed with fresh banana slices and strawberries and then glazed with a simple frosting that is drizzled down the top & sides and served while the cake is slightly warm.  A place I used to work bought them for people's birthdays and I remember them being heavenly delicious!  I haven't had one since at least 1992!  He wants Steak and Ale's Kensington Club steak for dinner.  I was going to try to reproduce their marinade (I think mainly pineapple juice), but he suggested our household (no friends or added relatives) go out to dinner, tomorrow night.  It will be early enough that Luci is home before she gets cranky and before they have a ton of other customers, plus, the salad bar should be very fresh.

Emily comes in the morning to clean; so, Tuesday will be a busy day.  Cleaning, cake pick up, dinner, then cards and gifts.

Still don't have the garlands over the doorways.  I mounted one on Saturday and one whole strand of lights proceeded to go out.  I unraveled all of the lights (a double strand) and will wrap the garland with my new lights.  So, hopefully, this won't be a problem for another couple of years.  Another pre-wrapped garland had a set of lights out, so it will also be rewrapped with new lights.  At least I plugged that one in before trying to mount it! LOL  All of this will get done . . . whenever!  I'm not thrilled at the prospect of wrapping strands of lights that refuse to mold to the garland because they've just come out of their box!  Did that once - last week!

We had a meatloaf for dinner last night.  I've ALWAYS made mine with ketchup or a small can of tomato sauce poured over the top and then served it with ketchup.  This time, Rissy and I tried brown gravy instead of tomatoes.  Rissy has been taught to make my regular meatloaf recipe, but without the tomato or ketchup flavor, it was a bit bland.  We decided the next time we would sneak in some onion powder (3 out of 5 of us don't eat cooked onions) and add extra spices.

Jesse just got home from working out at the community center.  The city right next to us (Mustang) is close to our house and has a very nice center.  They've spent some big bucks on building it.  It's $15/month for membership and the membership is month to month - no contracts.  Since the rest of the family isn't inclined toward using it this winter - it's a perfect set up.  I guess December 1st brought new goals to ONE of us!  This week end, Rissy told him he needed to lose weight (yes, outta the mouth of babes!!!) and when he came in just now she asked where he had been.  He told her he want to work out and she said, "Well it doesn't look like you lost much weight.  Are you SURE you really went?"  Fortunately he adores her and she can say NOTHING wrong!  So, he had to tell me how funny she was!

I have a load of laundry going (and what else is new??!!!) - the whites.  I hate to do this, but I put all of the girls' white socks and underwear in at the same time.  Underwear isn't the issue but separating all of those socks IS an issue!  What a pain!  My work will be cut out for me as I sit on the sofa and check and re-check who gets what.  I used to write their initial on the bottom of the toe, but now Luci (the youngest) is wearing Annamarie's (the oldest) "A" socks!  Which, I guess, works out because Luci has been wanting us to call her Adrienne, her first name, instead of Luci (Lucia is her middle name).

Gotta get moving!