A new year

Happy New Year everyone.  I hope so far things have gone according your plans.  As everyone knows things always go according to my plans.  Well, yes, I think we need to move on here.  We are feeling like it is a heat wave today after really, really cold weather.  It was so cold one day, the generator didn't really want to start.  Shame on it.  But after a few persuasion techniques (I don't know if Tom used the thumb screws or the cold water torture on it) it coughed to life. That was very nice of it because we were able to listen to some story CD's and such while it was running.

We were getting ready for Christmas and I was feeling a little sad that we were not going to be having any lights or Christmas decoration around the house this time again.  Last year, the house was on the market and our Christmas stuff was in boxes in VT.  This year the Christmas things were within reach but without a sub-floor, we just didn't feel it was safe to have a tree.  We also don't have any furniture around to put Christmas decorations.  So I was just a little sad.  To me, those things add a lot to Christmas.  Sean and I went into town (yup, downtown) to pick up a shirt and pants for Logan for the play.  When I got back, my wonderful hubby had strung the lights along our beams.  They were lit up and gave the whole house a festive feeling.  He had put the lovely manger on one of the window sills, which was just terrific.  It brought me to tears because here is Tom with a thousand other things on his mind but still he too the time to string the lights and set up the manger because he knew it meant a lot to me.  He even had Christmas music playing!  That was a wonderful gift.  Another wonderful gift was the pie.  I wanted to have pie for Christmas day but of course couldn't bake.  So I figured I would buy one.  We had had a nice pie for Thanksgiving, which tasted really good.  As I searched for this pie, on Sunday early afternoon, I was dismayed to find that they had all sold out; surprise, surprise.  But I was told to go to this bakery at the outskirts of town.  We did this after church only to find out that the proprietor had just baked her last pie for Christmas.  I was pretty bummed and talking to her I shared that we are building and that the reason I couldn't just bake a pre-made pie was that I couldn't bake just yet.  She told me not to worry about it that she would have a pie for me the next day.  I was so happy the floodgates nearly opened again (I was a little emotional that week).  The pie was really, really, really, really good.   
  

Pastor Logan. Sounds good.

The Sunday before Christmas, Logan was in a play here at the church in Chester.  He did such a nice job.  He was very serious about his role as Pastor and God.  We then spent a wonderful Christmas Eve with family in CT and walked up the road to look at the old house.  That was so strange.  It really wasn't our house anymore and I am glad.  I felt no regret when I walked past it only peace about where we are now.  We visited with our neighbors really quickly before we left and that was a nice treat.  It was also a treat to see my friend Theresa who lives across the street from Chris and Tracy.  Before we got to their house we were able to check out a wonderful dance performance at Wintonburry church.  My niece Christina did a fabulous job with her fellow dancers.  Since we had the dog with us, we needed to get back and I really wanted to spend Christmas day in VT.  We even had a white Christmas and spent a wonderfully relaxing day with good food, lots of snacks and pie!

  

Really beautiful

The mail was delivered that day.

These pictures were taken after the real snow we got a week or so later.  We actually walked up to the top of our neighbor's property while it was snowing.  Logan had issues with it because he was hot!  The dog followed a deer trail, which was a lot of fun for him.  The next day, my sister and her husband came and spent two days with us.  We had such a great time and got to hike up again through the meters of snow (here I exaggerate which I do occasionally).  The view from the top was absolutely worth the agonizing pain I felt in my legs as I hiked up, not to mention the breath coming out in spurts because of the exhaustion (again, a little exaggerated but my legs did hurt and my face was bright red).  We ate dinner at Friendly's, Logan was really happy, which took about 2 hours.  But really it didn't matter because we were chatting and taking it easy.  Then they went back to their hotel and we joined them after putting more wood into the fire for the poor dog (teeth chattering when he gets cold).  The next day, my sister and I wanted to venture out into the once again snowing area to go to some of the numerous Antique stores together.  No, we needed chaperones.  The men came, but in a different car, so Eiki and I got to spend some quality time together.  It actually was a lot of fun to go around these stores.  I found one store I actually really like.  They build their own furniture and I really like what they have.  Did I mention I really liked the store?  Moving on....  They left in pretty stormy weather and made it to Cape Cod after 7 hours of bad driving.  I was glad they made it and really enjoyed my time with them.

We had a fantastic time New Years Eve with fun games and food, lots of that.  We spent it here and were invited to spend it with friends at the church.  We played this game called 4 on a couch right before midnight.  I don't know if any of you have heard of it, it is confusing .  But it is such a holler.  Logan played it for the first time this year and laughed so hard.  I will not explain it because it is too confusing my brain will start hurting.

And then the great freeze!!!!!  But you know, through it all, God kept us warm at night with lots and lots of fire wood to use.  The house was pretty toasty, since Tom cut down a tree that had died standing up.  The wood was so dry it went up beautifully and gave out some major heat.  That has been one concern for us because we don't know how much wood we are going to be using.  So far we have used a good amount.  But after this weekend we will have windows in the bedroom area and that will help a little bit. 

Keep the pup warm

I am so thankful we are up there.  I get to gaze at the stars at night, and I love it.  In the morning I get to shove the dog out of my bed and that is a lot of fun too.  Because he is a pampered dog, yes I have to admit it, he does not do well when it gets cold.  He can't go outside for a very long time because if he does, he comes back shivering with his teeth chattering.  It is kind of funny but really not.  At night the house does get colder but we don't feel it.  He does.

Logan the builder

Logan got to build a small fort the other day (it was a balmy 10 degrees that day!).  He had a great time and was quite put out when I wanted him to come in (darkness fell and need I say more).  Today we had issues with plywood but in the end it all worked out.  Tomorrow is another plywood day and Sean is not working so he can help us with that.  Sunday may be a window day, who knows.

I don't really have any words of wisdom to share.  God is so faithful and merciful to us that I really can't add anything on top of that.







I hope you have a wonderful beginning of a new year.

 

Snow, snow everywhere

Logan as God, very well done.

Sunset

What can I say?


I leave you  now with this funny Video from Tim Hawkins.  Have a good laugh with him