Dreaming of Summer

A cold, cold winter morning is the perfect time to dream about summer adventures. This year as we have been holed up in our houses for most of the past two months, we have plenty of time for dreaming.

What kind of summer fun will you have this year? Are you taking a summer vacation? Spending some time with the grandchildren? Is there a motorcycle or hiking adventure on the horizon or weekends at the cabin? I am trying to get through just one more week, just one more week of bitter cold so we can start enjoying the outdoors again. Hang on folks; summer really is coming!

The Valentines Box

A visit to Valentine aisle this week created an interesting memory for me. Apparently now you can buy a valentines box to put all of your lovely Valentines in. When I was a young school girl in Brandt Grade School you had to make your own box. Decorating anything; much less a shoe box using glue and construction paper is difficult for someone like me. Every year in Mrs. Hawley's room; grades 1-4; we were challenged to bring a box that others would use to drop the Valentines in. My memory is that I covered the shoe box with red paper, cut out a few pink hearts, cut a slit in the top and I had a Valentines box. It was functional and that was about it! My class was large 8 or 9 boys and Deb and Diane, the Haug twins and me. The Twins were great artists, they brought in very creative beautiful Valentine boxes. I always wished I could make something like theirs. But every year my box was pretty much a shoe box with construction paper.

I am glad to see Valentines boxes are available. I am also glad that we celebrate love on this day. Lets remember to send a little love to those that are single or maybe someone who lost their valentine since last year. Share the love and you don't even need a pretty box to do it.

By the way, it was a large class, I think one of my sisters had three in her class.

Happy Valentines Day!

The longest coldest winter EVER!

It is only February 13th and in our neck of the woods we can certainly be facing a lot more cold, snow and winter. You know it has been a cold one when spirits are lifted by a 16 degree reading on the thermometer. Yesterday morning at the gym spirits were lifted, many were talking of not having to wear a coat because it was so nice out. In general everyone seemed happier. The prospect of not dipping below zero for a few days has many ecstatic; including me!

Maybe this is not the longest, coldest winter ever. But to many in the Midwest it certainly is feeling like it. I am ready for a sloppy thaw, how about you?

Olympic Fever

I love the Olympics; I almost everything from the opening ceremony to the closing. I will watch almost any sport and enjoying the competition and a little trumped up drama. I even like the side stories. But I do not like to hear results of events before I get to watch them. I find myself going through the day with out listening to major newscasts, avoiding Twitter and Facebook and other social media. My solution is my own little news blackout everyday.  Then I discovered another trick; highlights On Demand. A two plus hour hockey game summarized in just three minutes. Added bonus this year; better commercials and team competition in ice skating. 

The two weeks of Olympics every four years gives us a glimpse of sports we wouldn't give an hour to on a Saturday any other time of year. But during this time we pretend to be experts on luge and speed skating; even though we have not followed the sport since the last Olympic competition. 

For now we wave the American flag and get excited for the twizzles and celebrate the victories like we are cheering on our hometown team.  Go USA!!!