4/5/24

 MORE (&#%()&$^)%& SNOW!!!! I got halfway to work and wimped out. It was coming down good, roads were trash and I just kept envisioning my road after a full day of snow. And I couldn't do it. I'm out of sick days so it'll cost me, but better than making myself sick with worry or worse an accident. My biggest fear is always not being able to get up my road though. Getting stuck. Etc. You'd think I'd get LESS wimpy as I get older. But I think it's actually that I'm smarter and know the consequences and such! So I'll survive without the money. 

See Ya March

You'd think we'd also be saying goodbye to winter, but NOOO. Another almost foot (so far) on this last weekend of March. Slugger and I are BEYOND over it! WE've managed to get some walks in this weekend between snow falls. But I have also shoveled multiple times. ON EASTER! Okay, we always get snow about now, but not this much!! Mother Nature got a late start but I guess wanted to make sure we get as much as possible. Though according to forecasts, it actually could've been worse. But it's not done yet? Who knows. 

Oh, and more next weekend, by the way. Though maybe not as much?

I tried to post the snow video from Saturday morning but Blogger hates me I guess. Sorry. Have cute Slugger instead:

How we spent our snowy weekend :)

Spring Break SNOW

 Friday, March 15, the last day of school before Spring Break. NOT! We woke up to a FOOT of snow!!! And it's not done.  Might be a different break than expected. Like no trail runs probably! 

Pics at 8:30am

What. A. Week!

 The highs and lows of the last week are kinda extreme. Well, the lows aren't really lows, just aggravations. 

The washer that came with the house was dying - didn't want to do the final rinse unless I tried really hard (like ran the final spin over and over and took out half the stuff, etc). So, last Saturday, Dad and I finally got the gumption to get my old washer from his garage into my house. We did it! We were so proud of ourselves!! And the newly placed washer was worse than the original! Not only didn't it do the final spin right but it didn't drain at all. It drained the soapy part but not the final rinse. There was a drum full of water (and clothes). I almost cried. But of course, I really wanted a new set anyway, so one was ordered before we even got around to eating the dinner I made (which I didn't like but Dad said was good). 

The week was busy. Sunday I went for a run and my knee was giving me issues so I made a chiropractor appointment for Monday afternoon. I get there, and of course he's WAY behind, so I said never mind and left. 

Tuesday I had an appointment with the local tire guys to see what they could do with my slow leak. They said it was unrepairable and I needed 4 new tires. WHAT?!?! But he could replace them for $1000. Uh, no thanks. I am pretty darn sure that I don't need all new tires. Maybe 1, so really 2. Talked to the auto teacher at school and when they have time they're gonna take a look for me. And I got a name of a tire place in Apple Valley from a neighbor, just in case. But really?! Ugh.

I don't remember Wednesday. Oh, ha. Dad came over and helped me get both washers into my truck, individually, and I took them, one at a time, to the dump. Dad's such a good man! I didn't even feed him.

Thursday was Slugger's monthly shot, but also his annual visit with Dr. D. This was actually a high point. He raved about how well Slugger did inside. Oh, they had construction issues so it's like during covid where I sit in my car and they take Slugs. Doc then calls with his report. Anyway, Slugger was awesome, looks good, none of his lumps and warts are worrisome. He didn't even hear the heart murmur which means it didn't get worse, though it is still there so we keep an eye on it every year. They did some bloodwork and we left to get dinner. Dad came over and I didn't make him do any manual labor :) 

Oh, the BEST news of the week/month/year was earlier on Thursday (started happening Wednesday?) - I think I've made my last student loan payment EVER! They processed the Azle form and my new payment count eligible for forgiveness is 134. Only need 120!!! So THEY put it in forbearance while all the paperwork is getting processed and such. I won't cry until I see $0 balance but I'm SO CLOSE!!!

Friday dawns... I was still living the student loan high, and happily expecting the delivery of the new washer/dryer. Well, I was at work, Dad was at my house. The installer dude BROKE a pipe! Like the pipe in the wall that goes to the water!! I hurriedly called a plumber who finally came this morning. So I spent about 24 hours with  no water in the house. Luckily I am prepared for this since when the power goes out, I have no water. Slugger and I survived. The guys fixed the pipe (and turned back on the water heater that had gone out cuz of the ferocious wind overnight while there was no water). And I will figure out how to get Home Depot to pay for it. And will never use them again. 

Oh and my amazing awesome Dad was here before 10am and stayed long enough for me to get home and walk the dog. THEN he went into town to get dinner and brought it back!!! 

Because all that wasn't enough, this morning I burned my bagel, then cut my thumb pretty good on the second one. The wind has caused power to flicker several times. BUT so far, no snow and barely any rain. Mostly blue skies all day actually. And amazingly ferocious wind. They say we could still see snow. It's 325pm and it's blue sky over us (not so much at the west end).

Anyway, I need a nap. And an influx of money to refill my savings. BUT THANK GOD I HAVE SAVINGS!!! I can't imagine how stressful this week would've been if I didn't. 

Road trips aren't cheap

Whowee road trips aren't cheap! I have planned out the basics of the trip - air, flight, car. More or less what I'll do each day, but not the specifics. That's what the next 3.5 months are for :) But man, all those hotels add up!! So now I get to see what I can adjust as the months go by to make at least that part cheaper. Already planning to buy lunch and snack food to eat on the road, as opposed to restaurants. And many of the hotels do include breakfast so that's a plus. There's not really any other way to cut costs. Though I'll also keep an eye on car rental prices just in case they go down. 

I also keep telling myself that it's the trip of a lifetime and I need to enjoy it.

Oh, I could also cut out the baseball part... 

Survived

 Well, I survived the first real weather. My road is even almost dry again. Totally rutted and awful, but usable. We are supposed to get more this week. Yay. Though it won't be much. Just enough to be a nuisance getting to work in the mornings and getting up the road in the afternoon. Yay. Good news is that we have less than a month until Spring Break when we should be mostly done with the stupid weather. Spring snow isn't that big of a deal, hopefully! 

Slugger and I have escaped a couple times to find dry dirt. I tried running up 2N02 yesterday but it was gross much of the way. Did some hill repeats on the dry parts. 

I. Hate. Winter.

Planning Days

To me, winter is about planning Summer Break (and more). Whether that's a trip or house projects, it always gets me through the doldrums of snow and being stuck inside and such.

This weekend I started (continued?) planning one of each :) 

Yesterday Slugger and I escaped off the mountain and stopped at Lowes for paint color cards. Someone mentioned that a nice grey might be pretty on the cabinets now that the countertops are their gorgeous "slate". So I got about 50 different shades of grey (hehe) cards. I narrowed it down to about a dozen and they are now hanging on the doors so I can see them in different lights, etc. I kinda want a darker grey because it seems like lighter might just seem like dirty white. The plan is to get a couple actual samples and during spring break (if I wait that long!) actually paint a couple doors. OR something like that. 

These are the ones that went the best with the slate countertops. 
Leaning toward the two overlapped on the left that are basically the same color. 

Then the rest of the weekend was dedicated to planning the BIG ROAD TRIP!! I've been dreaming of this trip for years and it has expanded to include some baseball. The baseball portion is BOOKED!! Well not the games. I'll probably not buy tickets until I get there. That's how I used to always do it. We'll see. I have 5 months to decide!! 

So, Tigers, then probably train to Chicago, Cubs, Brewers, and Twins! THEN I head to North Dakota to start the adventure part of the trip!! EEEEEEE!!!! I am SOOO Super excited!!!! I know I'm not going to want to hurry through ND and SD. But I will also be missing my puppy excruciating amounts. But I may never go back so I gotta see the stuff :) 

Still hope to get the stupid wall done this summer too. We'll see!!