Lately!

Well, as you can clearly see, it's been snowing and frozen and cleared up yet again! I know it's frustrating to the snow boarders in town ... but I for one really appreciate mother nature just breaking us in a little at a time! I stay frozen, even when it's 50 degrees! The first picture is our beautiful wood pile and neighbors shed ... then there is a picture of where Paul works (Blue Mountain Metalworks) with a small blizzard in the back of his truck, then the frozen road in front of his workshop (which is right beside the police station in Banner Elk!) and finally, the full moon rising in my back yard (right out of my kitchen window!). Can you believe how blue the sky gets after the snow storm clears out all the gunk? It is absolutely breathtaking after the snow falls and the sky goes to blue. The air is crisp and the world is so silent and still! It's amazing! Especially coming from Orlando, I guess! I really enjoyed watching the moon rise up over the mountain! It was spectacular and took all of about 15 seconds!

We had a beautifully mild weekend. Paul worked on cleaning out the never ending mess in the basement (there is debris in there from the early 1900s, I'm sure of it!) along with trying to insulate a bit of it so we can feel our feet in the kitchen when it's really cold! The best part of the day was when Paul got to go to the local hardware store to acquire the burn permit. Isn't that where ya'll get your burn permits???? Lucky for us, that was the day we were going to the local Nutcracker, so he got to explain to Mike and all the hardware boys exactly what that meant! I would loved to have been a fly on the wall!!! But I was home faux washing the kitchen walls. Wow! Are they looking nice! I'll post pics IF I ever get finished! Christmas shopping has gotten in the schedule now ... so a lot of projects are on hold, yet again. When I went to the hardware store to get more staples, the boys did tell me they knew all about the Nutcracker now, and that they just don't think Paul's figured them out yet! Now, I ask you, who has who figured out around here!??! I'm still fighting this crazy cough and fever thing that I've had since Christian left. It makes me less than the girl I want to be! I have an appointment to meet with the lady who owns the local dance studio tomorrow about the possibility of teaching for her! Y'all keep your fingers crossed for me! It's time for me to get back to work (mandated first by the bank account, of course!) I know it's going to be an interesting change, no matter where I go to work. The Nutcracker that we saw was quite good, and a big different show than what we've been seeing for years! The director/choreographer/producer was phenomenally brave as she used 50 or so little uns (under 5!) and all kinds of things were extremely well done. The Cavalier was elegant and quite nice to watch. We left very impressed, and of course, I left shivering. By the time we walked the 3/4 mile to the car in 18 degrees, got in the not heated car, drove 40 minutes home, I was in uncontrollable shivers! I know I'm going to get used to this, and I'm all for that happening! It's just for now, I shiver a lot! I'm sure all of you are busy with the same things we're trying to get busy doing, decking the halls, wrapping the gifts and such! Hopefully it doesn't take you an hour to drive to Target, which I did experience today! But when I got there, it was so worth it! Made me smile to be in a Target again! AND I found a Starbucks as a bonus prize for doing all the Christmas shopping! Our lives have changed a lot and we are always aware of that. But we are blessed and we know it! Hope you are all feeling much the same! All the best to everyone. Paul & Cheri