What a relaxing weekend! 'bout time, ya think?

We had high winds today, but it hit 48 today!!!! Due to the high winds, the pine tree in the blueberry field had another fatality!!! This time it was a pretty high up limb. A big one too! This poor, poor tree. It stands alone in our edge of the field and we are the 4th highest property in Freeport. This tree is located across the street from our driveway. When we look out the front window in the livingroom, this is what we see! During the ice storm earlier this year, the top to the left came down. Yes, it had 2 tops! So, now, it is a pretty funny looking tree.

It did hit 48 today and the melting began. We went around and knocked down what icicles that we could reach and the ones that would do the most damaged when they landed. We couldn't reach one section up over the diningroom picture window. When that icicle let go today, it sounded like the house had collapsed!!! The cat freaked out and so did I! When it came down, it completely destroyed the top of the cat yard. So, Mike and Jimmy, shoveled the cat yard out and moved all that ice from the top of the yard and re-strung the chicken wire! They truly love Ying-Yang, to do all that work! Now, Ying-Yang can go out in his yard tomorrow. I will not allow him into the big yard, now. The snow is so high that, it is just a mini hop and he is out of the yard! He tried it twice today and that is when I put him on restriction, until Spring!!! After that, he had some definite 'attitude'. He paced the house and was right at the door when someone was going through it. (Any door and every door.) I think it would be safe to say, that he doesn't like winter.

Today was a beautiful, sunny and warm day! We just could not resist the urge to go snowshoeing!!! Can you see the puffy white clouds? It was bright and crisp! All the ingredients to help one sleep good at night in Maine! We went across the field you see and followed the snow mobile trail over to Mike & Mary's. Mary is Mike Soule's daughter. Oldest one. They live on the other end of Murch Road. At least three quarters of a mile, one way. As long as we stayed in the snowmobile tracks, we were OK. I ventured out of my bounds a little (BIG SHOCK!!) and sunk quite a bit. The warm temps were making unpacked snow melt quicker. It was beautiful, but we haven't walked since snow first flew. We were both pretty winded. Then Mary had the wood stove cranking and it was 82 in there. We had just worked up a sweat, trucking through the snow and now we are peeling off clothes like skins on banana's! I had a drink and smoked a couple cigarettes and we came home! It was hot there! Had to breathe!

Recently, I cashed out my 401K money to help us survive the winter. I took a HUGE tax loss, but we paid off my car, bought a four wheel truck for cash and were able to put those and the bike on a liability insurance policy and save a whole lot of money, monthly. We then paid off 2 credit cards. Home Depot and Best Buy. The only payment left beside's the house is a small loan from the credit union and our monthly bills. That is a big load off of my mind, let me tell ya. It's still all me in the financial department and Mike is feeling guilty, but what can you do. He helps in major ways on the home front. Keeping that roof shoveled, is a job in itself. PLUS; he does ALL the cooking, laundry, catbox, dishes, trash, lugging in wood, emptying the ash bucket, vaccumming, and much much more. That is awesome, that I come home and everything is ready for me. I feel guilty at that point. In our 'perfect world' , the guy went to work and the woman stayed home and did those things. Sometimes it is hard for us to adjust to that reverse phycology. For us it has always been the opposite. I feel guilty that I am not baking and cleaning and Mike feels guilty that he doesn't have a job. I tell him, no worries. =)

My new company, Couche-Tard, had a major conference call with the ENTIRE company last week. I was on it. Paul Rodriguz said that we are going to be pro-active about our company. The CEO is taking a pay cut of 10% and they were not going to close any stores or lay-off any personal. In order to accomplish this, there will be no more raises until further notice. (1+ year). Bonus' and a hiring freeze are now in effect until further notice. The hiring freeze doesn't effect the C-stores. If someone quits or gets terminated, we can re-place them. (Thank God) I wasn't impressed at first, but with the given economy, and lack of jobs. Home Depot, Zales, 7-11, and many others have either laid-off people, closed locations or gone out of business. I work long days and I am on a dead run from beginning to end. I am at work at 5:45 am and leave at 4:30 pm (if I'm lucky!) Sometimes, 7 or 8 pm. Sometimes, someone calls out and I am there until 10:30 pm or later. Last week, I only worked 55 hours and felt like I was cheating. A girl that I just hired, called to tell me that she 'wasn't comfortable' working for me. I immediately thought: Was I a bitch to her? Did someone say something sexual to her? Why is she 'uncomfortable'? She couldn't believe that I expected her to stock the cooler!!! I explained this to her in the interview and she responded quite eager to do that! When I brought that to her attention, she said, "I didn't think you meant the whole thing!" So, at that point I didn't care what I said. I said, "Then what night do we NOT sell beer? I'm sure the customers would like to be enlightened about that! She got pissed and hung up on me. Just a part of my life in a day at work. Everyone has similar stupid people stories, I'm sure! I don't understand how some people make it thru a day!

Trent turned 2; Jan 15th. Tiffany turned 10 on Feb. 3rd! I'm getting OLDer everyday! Trent was overwhelmed, but he dealt with it. I think that he was dragged down by a cold also and that doesn't help your energy level, no matter what your age is. Julia's birthday is coming up soon, March 26. She will be 4! Doesn't seem possible, does it? They are ALL good babies and young adults. I am VERY proud of all of them. John and Katie are trying to work on things, but no promises. Bradley, their dog is doing good, too. He is active and still a kid himself! He looks a little 'creepy' with his eyes glowing, like that, doesn't he?
So, I talked to Brian today. It's in the 70's and he mowed his lawn, yesterday. Doesn't that just make you sick? Maybe he has the right idea, living there. Even Florida is freezing these days! Who would have thunk it?

So, back to the snowshoeing episode. When the three of us got home, we knew it was gonna cool off tonight. (-3 to 12) tonight. So I built one of my famous one-match fires. I set it all up and lit one match. We all sat around on the floor watching the fan on top of the wood stove. We were taking bets as to when it would turn on. After 23 minutes, Jimmy was bored of this and pushed the fan. We figured it had to have been on the edge, cause when I stopped it from rotating, it continued on it's own. The things you do in the cold to keep amused!

After the fire we watched a movie! Haven't done that for awhile! We watched 'Lake View Terrace'. It was pretty good and I didn't fall asleep! That was a feat in itself!

So I should probably get going for now. I need to get some sleep. Tomorrow is Monday and the weekend is over!!! That's the way life goes. I'm grateful that I got to do what I wanted this weekend, instead of bing all drove up with homework! I feel so much more relaxed, going into the upcoming week. That is a nice feeling! So, we made it through January, February is a short month and in March, we turn the clocks ahead! That's AWESOME!!! Goodnight, Barbara!

P.S. - Can anyone tell me how to get rid of the BIG gaps between my words and pictures? Sure would love some input on this. Thanks