February Still Here!

Well, this is our week for the snow!  We got about 8 inches with our "first" storm (as the weather announcers said, although it was JUST snow!), then a break yesterday for a bit, then sometime last night it started snowing again, and we are forecast to get anywhere from 1-10 inches (depending on which weather site you go to!)  Our temps though are just in the mid 30's, so it quickly turns into slush, at least the bottom couple inches.  So, black ice is a problem at night on the roads.  The snow plow just now, at 11:30 am came along Water Street, so before that I was entertained watching the cars trying to make it up the slippery little hill outside my windows.  Some of the drivers were not happy, I could tell.  They were probably trying to make the train (the train station parking lot is just 1/2 block away from here).  It amazes me that some people don't plan ahead for the snowy roads.  We have a couple of nurses on the day shift at work that always have that problem when it snows.  Don't they ever think to just get up and start out an hour earlier? Fortunately for them, the hospital has a 2 hour delay clause, so they still get their full days pay if they are late due to weather.  UNfortunately for those of us on the night shift, we have to stay till they get there!  But at least we do get the overtime.  I, personally would rather have them plan ahead so I could get the 2 hours sleep!  I am on a long stretch of work, working 5 nights over the next 6. I did have last night off with a good stretch of sleep.  But, now the cross country trails are just out there waiting for me in vain.  I hope Rob and Rachel go take advantage of them this weekend.

Mike made it to the Virgin Islands okay after about an 11 day voyage.  Bad weather early in the trip, but then a period of almost no wind.  The usual breakage of equipment, but nothing that can't be repaired.  He is now in St. John fixing things, cleaning up the boat and getting rejuvenated for the short trip on to St. Martin.  

 

  

 

 

The above photos were from last Saturday.  Hayden and I went to the Frost Valley YMCA camp.  It is a large, beautiful tract of land up in a high valley in the Catskills.  They always seem to have more snow than anyone else.  We skied for awhile, then did the sledding hill.  VERY exciting. The sledding hill had sculpted bumps and lumps where you would fly through air for a short bit.  It was a gray day as you can see, but had earlier been sunny.  The photos below were from yesterday morning when I got home from work.  It is very wet snow, very Pretty to watch coming down!  I could sit all day and watch it snow.....and of course not get anything else done.

This is Fallkill Creek, as it flows down into the Hudson.  The Pavilion next to the creek is owned by the Mid Hudson Children's Museum and is a teaching and event space.  This is the walk the dog and I take several times a day.

 

The above is part of Waryas Park, along the river.  Below is our parking lot, with the train tracks in the background.  The lot gets very slippery.  We having a plowing service, so must park elsewhere when the plow comes!  Takes planning ahead when you leave town or sleep during the day!

 

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Happy Valentine's Day!!

With Valentine's Day approaching, here we are with a snowstorm!  A couple of winters ago the only time we got snow was on Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day.  That was the winter that it was 50 degrees a couple days before Christmas.  But, we made up for it later. 

It is snowing here right now, and started a little after midnight last night.  It has been intermittant, but much more is forecast for this afternoon into evening.  Just in time for me to go to work!  I have enjoyed days off for the past several and now start a 4 night stretch on.

Last Sunday Rob and Rachel and Hayden and I all met at Belleayre for a day of cross country skiing.  Hayden was much better, and Rob and Rachel, who had never been, did pretty good! I was glad that they were able to go.  It is more fun most times with someone else along.  And, I am slowly getting a little better too, falling less often, and better at going down inclines.  I also went mid week last week by myself and had a great time on fresh powdery snow.  Today would be a lovely day to go.  SIGH   Hopefully the snow will last until I am off again, next week.

I am in the midst of winter projects though, so skiing is definitely a distraction.  I still have to finish the boat cushions.  I am almost ready to send my tax stuff to my accountant.  That will be a big relief.  AND I have several books to finish.  It is nice to have a list of things to do though and be able to do them.  I think of all the people whose lives were disrupted by the earthquake in Haiti, and am thankful for the roof over my head, the job to go to, and the lists of things I CAN do.  I had thought of volunteering to go on a medical mission to Haiti to help out, but have not found the right opportunity.  Most of the nursing/medical teams want two or more weeks commitment, which I cannot do right now. 

Mike is currently out at sea, heading down to St. Martin.  He left Green Turtle Cay on Sunday, and hopefully will be at his destination within the next two weeks.

I Can't Believe It is Almost February!

Yes, almost February!  I hope some of you got to see the "Wolf Moon" last night.   It was the first full moon of the New Year, and the closest a full moon will be this year.  If you would like to read more about the full moon names, see this web site:   http://www.farmersalmanac.com/full-moon-names/     It was really beautiful here in Poughkeepsie, as it was so COLD and Clear the past several nights.  If I had not been on my way to work, I would have tried to stay out and enjoy it and maybe take photos.  I did go use the fancy viewing binoculars down at the park on the Hudson to look at it.  The nights leading up to the full moon were also great viewing times here.  Last weekend when Hayden was here we looked at the waxing moon through the fancy commercial viewing binoculars down on the river at Waryas Park. 

The river still has ice, but with the warmer days earlier in the week, there is less of it.  This morning on my walk though, there were sheets of thinner ice (versus the big chunks that there usually are) drifting gently down river, until they ran into the remainder of the large chunks, making cracking and moaning sounds.  It is truly awesome to listen to the sounds of the ice on the river.  There were BIRDS! amazingly, swimming and diving in the river.  It is hard to imagine that they were finding any food, with the water so cold. 

It is a beautiful, clear, CRISP sunny day here.  Twelve Degrees!  at the local Dutchess County Airport.  Pretty darn cold!  Too cold to want to go outside and enjoy the weather!  But, alas, I am on my way to bed anyway, as I have to work again tonight.  BUT, the patients are doing good, and the past nights have been pleasant.  And so I hope it continues, at least for one more night.

Weekend with Hayden

I picked Hayden up Friday afternoon from his after-school care near his home and we headed back north to Poughkeepsie.   We stopped to do our grocery shopping and picked up "Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs" (the DVD).  I had not seen it, and liked the book.  As it turns out, the movie is much different than the book, but still fun to watch.  Saturday, after a slow start to the morning, I decided to see if I could introduce Hayden to cross country skiing.  We went to Belleayre Mountain, to the same trails that Mike and I had gone to when he was here.  The ski rental shop's smallest child's cross country shoe/boot was not quite the right size, but with an extra pair of socks we made it work.  The day was clear, sunny, and warm.  There was still a fair amount of snow on the trails, but it had warmed and refrozen, so it was kind of "crunchy" and packed down slick in some places.  Not the nice fresh powdery snow that Mike and I had.  BUT, it was still fun and since it was warmer, at least Hayden didn't complain about being too cold.  We started out with all the requisite falling down, but once Hayden saw that I, too, fell down fairly frequently, I could tell he didn't feel so bad.  At least he had a MUCH easier time getting up once he fell!  That is the hardest part for me.  Much easier to take one ski off than try to get up with both on sometimes.  I guess my ankles and knees are just not as flexible!  Plus, Hayden is much closer to the ground! (shorter)  By the time we were half way through the trail we had both gotten much better.  I felt that I did improve my skills some over last time, especially considering the slipperiness of the trails.  At the end of the trail Hayden did say "That was Awesome!"  So, I hope that means he will go with me again.  Sometimes I feel that he says things like that just to make me think he enjoyed it.  He seemed to like it much more than ice skating, so maybe he will go with me again.

When we got home we called Dad and Rita with Skype, and after some technical difficulties did have a fun chat.  Then it was pizza and meatballs for supper.  AND of course watching "Meatballs" again.  We played a couple of games before bed.  Hayden beat me at the "I SPY" Memory game (similar to playing Concentration with picture cards), but I won at Dominoes.  Then stories and bedtime.  I read one book, and Hayden read one to me, and then we were soundly asleep.  This cross country skiing really makes me sleep good!

Christmas Past

We are now more than halfway through January, but I am still feeling the spirit of Christmas and believe this is going to be a Great Year!  Looking back at last year I have tried to figure out what worked and what didn't work for me.  Remembering the times I felt the lowest, and the happiest times of the year may help me plan this new year to make the most of it.  I have also posted some new photos and a video of Hayden from his school Holiday Concert on my flickr site.  If I can figure it out, I will try to post the video on this page.  But, if you don't see it and are interested, please go to flickr to watch it.  Yes, I know, it is past history now, but I couldn't get things to download in the short time I had in December, a very busy month for me.  I am still learning how to arrange things and make them happen on my blog. 

Our snow is melted, after a couple 40 degree days.  For those of you in Nebraska........I would really like to have some of your snow!  I remember fondly the winters growing up in Nebraska, especially the big drifts and piles of snow next to the driveway on Benton Street.  And, playing in the snow at Grandma's house in Missouri.  I REALLY do LOVE snow.  It is so magical for me.  I think about why this is so and am just not sure what the fascination is.  IT is JUST frozen rain!, but oh so pretty and almost mystical. It covers everything so quietly and wondrously.  I wonder if it is genetic (coming from kin who were from cold climes such as Scotland)?, or the desire to return to childhood, or what?  Any ideas, readers out there?

Well, I am going to hope for more snow!  At least until late March, when it will be the beginning of boating season again!