bear with me

Today was the day that we had to return to the dentist.  The day that we decided to try nitrous to relax this child so she could get a filling.  She did good.  The gas relaxed her, she got the filling, she loves the dentist again.  I guess.  It was sort of hard to tell, she was still just a little bit loopy on our way back to the school.  She was animatedly chatting, singing, and then burst into tears telling me "I wish the Bills had not lost out of the playoffs!"  It was a wild roller coaster of a trip back to the school.  Normally, I might have kept her out of school for a bit longer, however, she missed the day yesterday, and this is a 3 day week due to conferences, so I got her back as quickly as I could.  She was doing fine when I dropped her off, but she was still feeling some of the effects, and the secretary at the school noticed....saying she had never really talked to Saige before!  I am happy that we got it taken care of.  These photos were all her doing.....part of the insanity I endured in the car!  Today, I am thankful for a patient dentist, and for nitrous.  Whew!  Glad to have that little episode behind us!

Since I didn't know how the day would go, I didn't have Evie today.  I missed the little turkey.

And one more thing.  This blog.  Apparently, I was using a blog app on my phone for, say the last 4ish years.  It worked well, and things were good.  Easy to use, easy to access the photos I constantly take on my phone.  I was happy.  And then some transfer happened.  They did not notify me, or at least I don't recall being notified.  Anyway, the platform that the app used to store the photos is not compatible with google, who now owns the blog platform.  Or something.  I in no way claim to understand what has happened.  What I know is that for a few years worth of posts, the photos do not show up, but they have been stored in date order in google photos, where I did not put them, and where they, thankfully are not lost (for the most part).  The unfortunate part is that after hours of reading, and research, and Jim also doing hours of reading, the only thing I seem to be able to do is re-build those pages that the photos don't show up on.  I am happy that the content was not lost, and the photos are mostly not lost, but they have to be put back together manually.  I worked on it today for several hours, and was able to figure out how to dump the photos back onto the pages they belonged on, but they are not on the page exactly how they were before...rather they are stacked at the top of the page, with the post text below.  I decided that it will just have to be good enough.  Could I fix it?  Yes.  Am I going to? Probably not.  I am going to try to restore the photos to their pages, and then let it go.  One thing I noticed, is that there were a lot of spelling errors on the pages.  I am sure these are not words that I would normally misspell, such as "and" and "definitely" and I think the app did not have spell check, and I am incredibly bad at typing on my phone!  I am taking a small amount of time to correct the spelling, but not spending a lot of time on each page to put it back like it was.  I am disappointed that they didn't give me some sort of warning, and although I have back-ups of the blog pages, I couldn't figure out how to restore if from there.  If you are still with me, just know that I am working on it.  I know my own kids tend to go hunting for old photos on here, and this is literally the youngest 4 kid's only childhood scrapbook.  Jim and I will be discussing how to back things up a little better after I get everything put back together. 

 

Kansas Day

 We kicked the weekend out (sadly) and started a new week.  I sure wasn't ready, or happy about it, but it is what it is.  Madison and Mallory were at the house most of the day yesterday.  Mallory was making pies, Madison helped her make fancy cupcakes for Kansas Day at school.  It amuses me that when you work at a school, literally everything become a holiday.  A reason for eating cupcakes.  I remember Kansas Day as a kid...it meant more work.  We had to create books with entries about all the Kansas state things.  Coloring pages of buffalo, ornate box turtles, meadowlarks, sunflowers and cottonwood trees.  I remember in the 6th grade, getting in trouble because I left the Jayhawk out of the little book, saying I was not a Jayhawk, nor would I ever be.  :)  Jim would have been so proud if he had known me back then.  Today, Mallory's class is making butter, having Kansas cupcakes, and reading some stuff.  I don't know what else she has up her sleeve, but I am sure whatever it is, they will love it.  She is a good teacher.  I am so proud of her.  

I heard a little from Cameron and Lauren, who were at a concert with their Norwegian friend.  Lauren said Cameron was exhibiting outlandish behavior.  Lauren, honey, you've been dating my son for quite a few years now, you should know by now that in public, you pretend you do not know him!  This time last year, I was planning a trip to visit them, wish I could say I was heading out in a couple weeks - I miss them, plus vacation is always good - particularly in the winter time!  

I am thankful that Preston was home for a little while this weekend.  He helped Bill Clawson and Quincy finish getting the new transmission in her old Subaru.  She was even able to drive it home.  I am not sure how many hours they put in, but I am proud of them for getting it running again!  Thankful for Bill Clawson teaching them auto mechanic skills, and so many other valuable things.  Preston also helped me get the turtle tank cleaned out.  I made a couple of mistakes with their water in the past couple of weeks, and when I say the tank was disgusting, I don't even think I can do justice to how gross it was.  I am happy to have them back to not stinking up the house!  And being able to see them when they are swimming!  Note to self, biological cleaner does not work...do not purchase that ever, ever again!  

There was a large wreck on the interstate this morning, so Madison got stuck in traffic.  She ended up bringing Evie to my office, rather than me meeting her as usual.  That meant I got a little time to see Wrenley.  These girls are so cute.  Wrenley loves her big sissy!  Such sweet girls!  

We are getting some unseasonably warm days this week.  We took Carlos' little sweater off of him, and for the first time in a couple of weeks he is not wearing any clothes.  He looks so naked!  No complaints about the warmer days, but I did hear plenty about the roads being muddy!  

This week is a week of appointments for us for some reason.  Sometimes when I schedule things, I look at the calendar later and wonder what the heck I was thinking.  Maybe I need a better secretary?  I guess I am just pleased that when we have to do all this running, the weather is a bit nicer than it has been.  I am thankful for that! 

January 93rd

 

It is no secret that I hate winter.  I have hated winter since I was a little kid.  I hate being cold, I hate snow, I hate the north wind that sucks the breath from my lungs when I go outside, and I hate the aftermath of mud, muck, disgusting piles of wet drippy brown crusted snow and wetness everywhere that goes with it when it finally does warm up.  Yesterday, I took Harper to the orthodontist.  Of course I did, because we have had a thousand days off school, finally go back, and of course I have to pull her for an appointment.  Because that is how my life goes.  We got to the appointment, and started walking in.  I told her gee it is really warm today....

An hour later, we were driving by the bank and saw that the temperature was 36.  That tells me how cold it has been, 36 is feeling like a tropical paradise.  Insanity.  Anyway, I am glad it is warmer, and that the snow is melting, but the back roads that were so bad last week packed with snow and ice, and drifting, are now mud.  Deep, awful, mud.  Driving on them is like skating in soup.  I know this because I drive around in the country for hours a day on a bus.  If I didn't already know it, the people who call to complain about the township roads would surely let me know.  As if there is a thing that can be done about the mud?  My boys are running themselves ragged.  They have worked an insane amount of hours in the last 3 weeks.  They are not young.  One stopped in my office this morning and I swear to you he has aged 10 years since I saw him last week.  He takes the job seriously and personally, and although he has no more control over the weather than I do, he is doing his best to keep the roads open and keep people happy.  It is just rough. 

I saw a video this morning where the lady said "the first six months of this year have been so hard....and someone yells out 'it's still January'"  I felt that in my soul.  I swear this month has been 93 days long!  Thankfully, I have granddaughters who brighten my days!  Wrenley is a happy kid, and doesn't seem the least bit bothered by the weather!  I love how she always has a smile!  

We did get to have lunch with Colin yesterday.  He was in town to help a friend, and stopped for just a little while.  It was good to see him!  He always has crazy stories and odd stuff that has happened to fill us full of.

I haven't seen much of Evie lately.  Between snow days, and appointments, she hasn't been hanging with me.  I bought her some Valentines Day decorations to put up in the office, you know, to maybe brighten the mood.  She was more than excited about it.  She has it looking so much happier in here!  She is at that age where everything is a big deal.  Valentine's Day is her new favorite thing in the world.  She is excited about her upcoming Valentine's Day party, can't wait to make her cards, wants me to buy her some Valentine Crafts, and talked my ears right off my head.  Her enthusiasm is contagious, as I spent time looking for some crafts we can do this weekend.  Anything to take my mind off the fact that it is still January!  

We had good news on Harper's teeth, with them saying that by summer, we should be done with her braces.  She was happy.  I am happy about reclaiming the braces payment for other things....like chlorine for the pool!  :)  

I am still trying to figure out the photos on this blog.  I have been working on some back up stuff, and trying to follow several different pieces of advice I found online.  Jim has been helping me, so I am sure if it is possible to fix, he will figure it out.  He is much better at this sort of thing than I am.  I am relieved that the photos are not lost, but I cannot seem to get them to load like they should.  To be honest, it has been frustrating and a little bit terrifying, as this is my only family scrapbook.  I didn't lose the pictures, but the thought of not having them saved in order makes me cringe a little bit.  Sometimes I really hate technology!  

Andrew’s birthday and some randomness

 

Today is Andrew's birthday.  We celebrated last night with a ham dinner and the best apple dump cake!  He was not into singing or candles.....and so we let that slide.  I told him I would call him today to sing to him!  He will be appreciative when he hears my amazing singing voice!  Andrew is a great addition to our family.  He is helpful, funny, and kind.  He and Jim might be the same person, we aren't really sure sometimes!  He laughs at Jim's jokes, takes him fishing and helps him with random things we seem to be continually breaking around here.  Today, he is in the semi driving loads to Hope and Clay Center.  The roads are bad again, and I pray his birthday isn't too stressful or dangerous.  Happy Birthday Andrew - we love you!
 

The weekend passed us by in a flash....as is the usual.  It was nice and low key.  The kids were here for Sunday dinner, and we got a kick out of Evelyn.  She was coloring with the girls.  They were all drawing stuff and she was getting very upset because she is not as good at drawing as they are.  She then burst into tears exclaiming "I can never make a perfect heart!"  So much drama, so little time.  I feel bad for laughing, but it reminded me so much of little Madison.  I was flashing back to once when Madison and Mallory were small.  I told them we had to go run errands.  We went through a list of places we had to stop, and I told them if they were good we would get lunch in town.   As we are stopping, Madison was counting.  We have 5 stops to make, we have 4 more stops to make, etc.  They were good, and we went to McDonalds.  As they were eating, I decided to make one more stop at the bread store.  She thought we were going home.  When I pulled into the bread store, she went into a complete melt down.....you did not say we were going to the bread store.  Daddy won't know where we are at!  We cannot possibly go to the bread store!   Geez kid I guarantee your dad doesn't care if I buy some bread!  As a matter of fact, he would appreciate having bread - calm down!  I had to talk her off the roof multiple times when she was small!  Evie might have come by this naturally!  When they left, Quincy was showing me the amazing drawing she did that made Evie feel inferior in her art skills!  I laughed, because Jim said "look....she does draw horses without adding genitals!"  Reminding me of the phone call I got once from her 3rd grade teacher.  These kids are all crazy!

The reward for raising children is having grandchildren.  I love my kids, but these 2 little girls make our world go round.  I hope we can add a few more soon!  Get on that kids - except for you 3 youngest girls - do not get on that! 

On to new random topics.  Lauren sent me this photo of Bella.  I know I was supposed to be looking at the dog, but all I can see is the green grass.  Oh!  I miss you green grass!

So far, this new year has been one big old bucket of suck.  The kids are out of school again today.  Since school started back up from the holiday break, the kids have only gone to school 5.5 days.  I am fine with them being out of school if the weather or the roads are questionable, but I hate the "wait for a decision part" of the day.  This morning, I got out of bed, noticing that there was a layer of ice covering all the vehicles when I let the dogs out.  I looked at the news and saw a few of the schools around us were out.  I did my inside chores, The bus boss called to say we were having school...that he had been out driving and the roads were 'not bad.'  He said go slow there are a few slick spots, but overall it is fine.  I took a shower.  I woke up the girls and started the bus, noticing that I could barely stand up to walk to the bus and thinking that he had clearly lost his mind.  I came inside to finish getting ready, while I was getting texts from a variety people saying how slick it was outside, and to be careful.  I told Jim and the girls I was going to drive over to my first stop, which is about 15 minutes away, and if I thought the roads were too bad, I was going to text to tell them all to stay home.  I managed to get back to the bus without falling down, got my seatbelt buckled up and was cussing under my breath when I got a text from the bus boss saying 'never mind school is out today."  I didn't waste any time shutting the bus off, and climbing my happy buns back inside!  And then recalling the last time I was sliding on ice, and how I am only just now able to walk without pain, I decided to stay home from my other job as well.  I have a few things I can handle from home, and I can't think of anything that is worth going in for.  Jim did go to work, and said he had no trouble.  It is supposed to be above freezing today, so maybe some of it will melt off, but there is another round coming tonight, so I think we will be back in this same situation tomorrow.  Maybe they should just say we will try again in February? 

Added to the weather, we are in a pattern of things breaking.  Saturday, was Jim's city Christmas party.  I had accidentally left the key fob in the Nissan overnight.  As a result, the fob froze and it died.  We figured out we could use the chip to start the car, after new batteries failed to revive it.  When we got to town, Jim locked the car.  When we came out of the party, we could not get into the car.  The little hidden key would do nothing.  We ended up buying more new batteries, but that did nothing.  Quincy came to our rescue.  Andrew bought a slim jim and tried to help us yesterday, but couldn't get it unlocked.  Today, after I made a couple of phone calls, we are told that the Nissan has a lock-out feature and in order for it to work, we will have to get a lock smith to reprogram the system.  I am so annoyed by that!  These "smart" programs can be a real pain sometimes.  Added to the truck's water pump going out and we are now relying on Quincy's car.  Luckily, since she was out of school, and doesn't' have to work, she let Jim borrow it to get to work today.  We will have to figure out a few things today.  Since I stayed home, I was the lucky one to notice our ceiling is wet in the living room.  It is not dripping like the roof is leaking, more like condensation has caused the sheetrock to be damp in spots.  I have no idea what is going on with that.  Not a text I wanted to send to Jim considering everything that is broken right now.  When it rains it pours they say.....I don't know who "they" is, but I'm going to need them to shut up!  

Day 400098

 

The highlight to this week is that I got to see my sweet granddaughters.   The rest of it- has been for the birds. Or of the devil.  Or just flat stupid.   We had Monday off for the holiday.  We had Tuesday off school for bad road conditions.   Wednesday we went back to school, but the only thing that changed was the highway conditions.  The back roads are not good.  It isn’t for lack of trying on the township, or by the county people.   The problem is that the summer and fall were so dry that they couldn’t blade the roads.  Then they tried just adding gravel but the roads were so dry and dusty that the gravel just sort of sunk in dust.  Then it got wet and became this sort of muddy muck.  Then it snowed and packed into the mess.  Then it rained.  Then it changed to snow.  So they have a layer of mud then a layer of ice, then about 8-9 inches of snow.  My grader guy said this is the absolute worst junk he has ever bladed.  Then it became frigid and the snow started blowing around. The drifts out in some of the country roads are seriously 3-4 feet deep.  They keep plowing but it keeps blowing.  Then the wind switched to the south so it blew the piles back across the road the other direction.  Then it thawed just enough to make a nice layer of water over the existing ice and snow mix.   Now it’s freezing again, snowing again. Jim ran to get Quincy from work and said the roads are bad again.  It’s a never ending storm of awfulness.  And I know it is not just my normal winter sucks attitude.  If my husband says the roads are bad, then you should listen, because he is one who usually says "its not that bad if you just go slow."  This has gone on now for 15 days, not that I am counting, but it seems like a lot, lot longer.  We are all tired.  The township people I work with and have a deep respect for, have been working 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  They feel defeated because they can't keep ahead of it.  The county people that I have contact with are just flat grouchy (made worse by the fact that Osage county went from a workforce of 20 to a meager 9 people).  Douglas County - don't even get me started.  When people complain about them calling off school, it makes me mad.  They say things like "I made it just fine....the roads aren't even that bad!!"  Ok, but you drove your little 5 mile trip.  We have (I believe) 11 bus routes in this district.  I drive between 95-110 miles a day depending on who rides.  My mom drives more than that.  Every other driver in the district drives a similar amount.  We cannot risk   the lives of children because you drove 5 miles and said it is fine.  And I have not been afraid to tell people exactly that.  Usually it shuts them up, but not always.  Lucky for me, I have always enjoyed a good argument.  (Except with you, Jim....I don't want to argue with you, I just want to be right-- haha!).    

  

On Wednesday, the temperature climbed to a balmy 34 degrees.  As a winter hater, one would think I would be happy to see the snow melting.  I was not happy about it.  We got just enough warmth to make the roads worse, and the drifting that was there got slushy.  We have "new" buses.  They are flat terrible in the snow.  Traction control limits how much spin you can have on your tires.  Anyone who has driven in the snow knows sometimes you need to spin a little bit.  Added to the problem is that these buses don't turn as sharply as others I have driven, which means turns have to be wide or you won't make it.  When they plowed the roads, they left about a big pile on the north side of the road.  I cannot turn wide with that pile there.  I have been driving around the mile to come in only from the Stanley road side of our property, because there is a larger margin of error with the culverts.  The district asked for parents to pick up their children this week if possible.  I literally only had a handful of kids, and was done with my route reasonably early, and had no issues.  And then I turned into our driveway.  There was a small drift at the end of it, and as I turned, I started to slide.  Now I know if I hit the brakes I am done in this bus....because you cannot spin and the tires are not good for where we are driving.  However, instinct took over and as I was sliding toward the gate I panicked and hit the brakes.  I was done.  Could not go forward, could not go backward.  Could not move.  Quincy brought me some cat litter.  That did not work.  The neighbor brought me some sort of tread things that you put under the tires and drive on out.  Nope.  I called my boss, he told me to call Jagger.  Now I love Jagger, he is an old school friend of mine, we grew up together and I think the world of him.  But we call him ALL the time, and frankly, not because I just want to catch up on his life.  Jagger's business is successful and his grandchildren had wonderful Christmas gifts because of my family keeping him in business.  And yes, the district was paying for this time, but geezzzzz I hate calling him!  He told me he would be right out.  He knows the way to our house just fine...no address giving needed.  He pulled me out, but because he couldn't get around me, he had to pull me out backwards, which meant I had to come in from the side I didn't want to come in from.  He said "oh Hope, you can make it, just hit the gas and don't let up! - and I will wait until you're in before I leave!"  Thank God he waited, because I turned too short (thank you pile of snow) and ended up with my back tire in ditch.  He once again pulled me out, but he told me pop it in neutral, and whatever you do, don't hit the brakes.  OK!  So he is behind the bus, between it and his tow truck.  I feel the bus start sliding sideways and all I can see is him standing back there in my mirrors.  I panicked and hit the brakes, and then slid sideways in the ditch behind the giant pile of snow on the north side.  He scratched his head.. Why did you hit the brakes?  Oh gee, I don't know, maybe because hitting you with a bus seemed like a bad idea?  He said "I would have moved!"  Jagger, is my age, we don't move like we used to!  He towed me out for the 3rd time, just as Jim came home for the evening.  I flagged him down and said I am sorry you are home already, but I am going to need you to follow me to town, because I am NOT even attempting the driveway again.  I drove to town and parked at the school!  Sometimes you gotta know your limitations and considering it took 2 hours and 3 times of being pulled out, I was at my limit!  

Added to the problems Jim's truck blew the water pump, which means we have 2 cars running.  Quincy's and the Nissan.  This would usually be no problem but because I left the bus in town, I needed a ride to work whereas I would normally just leave on the bus.  Since we are down a vehicle, Jim had to get up early and drive me to town.  That left Quincy and the girls home to do chores, and Quincy was going to drive the girls down to catch the bus when I go back by an hour later.  They got chores done, and were on time for the bus.  I drove off with Harper and Saige, and Quincy started back to the house to get ready for her day, since she can leave even later if she drives to the high school.  She had been a witness to the bus fiasco of the night before, so she decided she would not risk the end of the driveway, and decided to back up.  As in drive up our driveway backwards.  Let's just say that was not the best plan.  Everyone else was gone for the day.  Jim had gone on to work early since he drove me to town, I had picked up the girls and was driving the bus.  Enter my neighbor, Katie.  She had tried to help me the night before with the bus fiasco.  She leaves her house to take her child to daycare and sees Quincy, in the driveway digging her car out of a snow bank.  I thank God for giving us good neighbors.  Katie stopped to help her.  They tried digging the car out, they tried pushing the car out.  Nothing worked.  Katie suggested calling Jim, to which Quincy said no, he was already at work and she needed to figure it out herself.  I think a few tears were shed.  Katie then drove Quincy to the house, waited for her to get ready, and drove her to school.  Katie told me she actually enjoyed it, having a 5 year old doesn't make for as enjoyable of a conversation on the way to school!  :)  When Quincy got out of school at 1, I picked her up, and had her take the Nissan home, so she could come back for work.  When she got home, Katie came over.  She had decided to "borrow" her husband's tractor and wanted to practice her farming skills.  She bladed out their driveway, and she bladed the rest of ours, then got Quincy and they attempted to pull the car out of the snow.  Katie sent me this picture.  I think she was having way, way too much fun.  I suggested that when she drive by our house, she start looking off toward the north, maybe not look at what craziness is happening at our place!  

If you are still with me. I have to add in that I feel so blessed to live where we do.  Yes, all of this is sucky and inconvenient.  But, who lives in a place where you are friends with a tow truck driver?  One who hangs around to make sure you are ok after they towed you out, and then ended up not being completely mad that they had to tow you out 2 more times?    That tow truck driver, seeing the crap at the end of our driveway, made a phone call and had another guy we know come by with his skid steer and clear the end of the driveway.  Who has a neighbor who sees you are having trouble and stops to help not once, but twice in 2 days?  And then seeing, that only half of your driveway is clear, goes ahead and cleans the rest of it for you?  Who takes time out of their day to drive your kid 10 miles to school?  Who does that?  The people in this community!  I love it here, and am so blessed to be raising our kids here!

We are once again out of school.  The temperature is awful (the bank says -0....not sure what the is, but trust me, it is cold!)  The wind is howling and blowing drifts again.  Jim and I did make it to work, but I think that is because the grader had gone down the road as we were getting ready.  I am over it!  Thankfully, we have a nothing much to do sort of weekend.  Next week, they are saying 40's and rain.  It will be another kind of mess, but maybe we can call Jagger to get us out of the mud rather than the snow.  To me that is preferable!

One other side note, while I am being filled with tales of thankfulness.  I think I mentioned that I pulled a hammy.  I have been getting around somewhat ok, but have been pretty miserable.  I am so thankful for Jim and the girls.  Jim has walked Evelyn to her bus, helped me by driving me places and making sure I am dropped off close to the door so that I don't have to risk walking on snow and ice, and helped me with a ton of other stuff this week.  The girls have done all of the outside chores so that I don't have to risk slipping and sliding around in the frozen mess outside.  It takes time to change out every water dish, make sure things have bedding, run heat lamps, and whatever else has to be done.  It is miserable out, but they have handled all of it.  Jim also came home last night, took a shovel, and manually dug Quincy's car out of the snow.  (I don't think he wanted to call Jagger any more than I did!)  I appreciate it so much.  

So I am running this post as a sort of test.  I have been having a lot of trouble with my blog posts not showing the photos I downloaded.  I am working on it, and honestly have no idea what went wrong.  I am a little bit frustrated, a little bit miffed, and a little confused.  Something that worked well for 15 years, then just one day stops working?  Of course, I know enough about technology to be just a tiny bit unhinged and dangerous.  :)  

This week has been sort of a 2.0 of last week.  Kids out of school Monday for the holiday, yesterday for weather and poor road conditions.  Today they went back, but it is now melting, which I know will just add a layer of water/ice on top of the already slick back roads.  I am dreading the bus route home.  I am sort of feeling like maybe we should just close school for the rest of the month and try again next month!  Except I know what February can be like, and I doubt it is going to be better.  I think I mentioned I pulled my hamstring.  I am so thankful to the girls, who have taken care of the animals outside in this horrible weather we have been having.  It is too cold for anything to be comfortable, but they have tried really hard.  I am proud of them for their work ethic.  I thought I was doing better, but in the night, I tripped on the dog (totally not Ollie's fault) and had a minor setback.  Poor Jim - sleep just didn't happen for either of us last night.  What I am learning is that I am getting old, and just can't fall or slip like I once did.  Heck, I remember sliding around in my socks when I was a kid, for fun, and playing human bowling in the hallway at Clovia....both of those things now would put me in a coma apparently.  

Prayers for peace and good weather appreciated here.  I am officially done with winter.  I hate it.  I hate the snow.  I hate the cold.  I hate the extra time it takes to do absolutely everything.  I need warm weather, sunshine, sandals, and swimming.  Or at least above freezing, no snow, and no insane wrenches thrown into my to do list.  
 

Sad sack

This weekend (including Friday) was sort of a mess.  The weather was a mess.  The roads were a mess. The school was a mess.  Messes everywhere.  Starting on Friday.  Despite having the rest of the week off due to weather, our district made a decision to have classes on Friday.  The wind shifted out of the north and we were under wind chill advisories for extreme cold.  I think the high Friday might have been 10 degrees.   It was a mistake to have school.  There were 5 buses in ditches.  There were buses late.  There were roads drifting shut. There was almost a panic among the people I came in contact with.  How would we get the kids home?   Well I wasn’t sure, but again, I wasn’t really given a choice in the matter.  It was made worse when I took Evie to catch her bus, and then slid on the ice and pulled my hamstring.  I told Jim I was walking down the alley. I would take 2 steps and then almost cry because it hurt so bad. But it was too cold to stop for long and I didn’t feel it was an actual emergency, so I wasn’t about to call for help.  

Saturday I had signed up for a long shift at the liquor store. I obviously wasn’t hurt when I put myself on the schedule.   I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but luckily I don’t have to be fast to work there!   I managed to get through the shift. I am thankful to Jim who drove me and dropped me off and picked me up 2 steps from the front door. I was more than a little worried about making it across any icy surfaces.  We picked up Mallory on our way by, as she is still waiting for her car to be done.  We had Saturday night dinner   rather than Sunday so that we could have a little goodbye for Preston who was heading back to school today.  Lucky for me, one of Preston’s favorite foods is pulled pork which I can do in the crockpot, and is not labor intensive.  We like simple things when I am not moving well.  I worried a little about madison and Andrew making it over, as the wind blew all day amd I kept getting reports from the township people about deteriorating road conditions, icy roadways, stuck road graders, and people sliding into ditches.  I called to warn them, but they were already halfway here.  

I loved having the kids here through the holidays and I really enjoyed having Preston here for the last month.  He helped Jim put new lighting in our basement, he built me bedroom shelves, helped with a few projects I had in the works, helped Jim with several things, worked for me at my office, and helped Quincy rebuild her transmission in her old car.  And those are just the big ones. He is great with projects.  I hope he enjoys the spring semester!   

Today, church was cancelled due to extreme cold.  I worried about Preston driving back to Manhattan.  He made it fine. Then I worried about Quincy and Jo driving into the TJ’s holiday party.  They didn’t make it, but not due to problems, just because they decided at the last minute to buy some snacks and come back here to watch movies.  Mostly because I told them going into Topeka,  in this weather, when you know roads are drifting is irresponsible.  They seem like they are having fun anyway, playing games, watching movies and playing cards.  I think it was a good decision.  

Tonight, my leg is much better, although not great.  I am sure I’ll survive,  it it slowed my projects down for the weekend. 

Tomorrow the kids and Jim have the day off.  I don’t, but I am happy they will have one more day to get the roads scooped out.  I am definitly ready for spring!   

What day is this?

What day is this?  Where am I supposed to be?  Who even am I?  This week has been weird.  As in, days and days off school, snow days I really was mad about them not calling, and days I have been shocked they called.  Calls from the transportation supervisor wanting my opinion?  What the heck is even going on?  You recall, Monday I was very aggravated that they had not called off school, and then did early dismissal, making me even more aggravated?  Then they called off school Tuesday, which was completely warranted because we were in a blizzard and ended up with 8ish inches of snow.  Wednesday, they called it because of road conditions....again completely warranted, as the back roads were junk.  Saige had an appointment at the ENT, and as I was leaving there, I had a call from my boss.  He asked if I had left my house.  Well, yes, I went to my day job and am now in Topeka.  He was wanting my opinion on the road conditions.  I told him honesty, I don't think they are good, but I had no trouble, because I am driving around in a 4-wheel drive vehicle that handles the snow fairly well, but in the bus, I think it would be pretty bad.  For one thing, the gravel roads are one lane, and are still fairly snow packed.  Saige and I then ran all of the errands, did grocery shopping and got home around 5 pm.  When I got home, I had a call from someone in the township saying our grader never cleared their road at all.  When I called my guys, they said that yes, they were still working to get several of the roads open, and that the snow removal was the worst ever, due to it being extremely wet, icy, and muddy underneath the snow.  They were moving at a snail's pace.  Around 8, my bus boss again called me.  He asked if I had any trouble getting home from Topeka, and if I had driven my route roads.  I told him again, I am driving a vehicle that does well in the snow, and that absolutely not, I had no desire to go driving around in places I didn't have to!  He told me he was negotiating things, but he wasn't sure how it would turn out.  An hour later, he texted to say they were calling off school again today since the gravel roads were not all clear, some were one lane wide, and he was worried about black ice overnight.  I was shocked.  Never in a million years did I think we would be out again today.  I am glad, although I know there will be people who are mad about it.  Those people who are mad, should have to fill in as bus drivers for those of us who know the dangers. My mom always says she would rather go a day in May than to chance hurting a bunch of kids in a bus accident.  I agree 100%.  The girls were thrilled, as was I!  I might have been happy not to drive, but I am more excited that the dryer parts are in, and I was trying to figure out how to be home or have someone at home when Pete shows up to fix the dryer.  I am tired of having clothes hanging all over the house!  Tonight, we are once again in a winter storm advisory, with more snow expected.  I wonder if we should just try again next week?  They are already out on Monday for the Martin Luther King holiday, why not just say see ya all on Tuesday?   

I am happy that we got Saige's ear stuff resolved.  She had a bunch of wax, and possibly something more lodged in her ear.  She ended up with an ear canal infection.  We got her on antibiotic ear drops and it cleared the infection, but there was still some stuff lodged in her ear.  The ENT was able to get it all cleared out yesterday.  She said it was weird to be able to hear clearly out of that side of her head again.  After the dentist fiasco, I was worried about how this would go, but she laid there and let them do whatever they did just fine.  When looking at the forecast, and knowing I have to work at the liquor store this weekend, plus Preston is supposed to be moving back to Manhattan, and I wanted to get some stuff for his dorm room, I forced Saige to run about 300 errands and help me get groceries.  She was less than enthusiastic about it.  We ran a lot of errands - when you live far from town, you tend to let the errands stack up until you are in town anyway, and then it becomes a miserably long trip.  She was good while I ran a bunch of places, and then we went to Sam's.  Everyone hates Sam's.  Myself included.  When you have a big family, I just don't see a better way to buy things though.  Laundry soap in a box that does 180 loads when you do at least 2 loads a day is an absolute necessity!  Not to mention if you live in a house with 4 women, and 2 more that frequently visit, you use a lot of toilet paper!  Our household is getting smaller, but it hasn't shrunk enough to give up my Sam's card just yet!  We managed to get my list knocked off there, and then I stopped at Dillon's for groceries.  When Saige saw where we were she literally shrieked "OH GAWD NOT GROCERY SHOPPING TOO???"  Uh child, do you like eating?  Unfortunately, it is a necessity.  She then proclaimed she would sit in the car.  Girl!  You cannot sit in the car in Topeka.  Sorry!  She then stomped into the store with me but proclaimed "Fine but I am getting yogurt!"  Like that wouldn't be on the list anyway!  :)  Kids!  Now I remember why Jim and I usually use grocery shopping as "date night" and forgo taking the children to the store!  I prefer Jim as my shopping partner.  He is way less whiney.  

I miss seeing the girls when there is no school, I don't get to have my office partner, or see the baby in the mornings, but I am thankful that they are home safe and warm!  If this continues, we might have to go beating down the door for some Wrenley snuggles and Evie insanity.  Madison has kept us stocked up on photos though!  I am thankful for that as well!