Going to keep warm this winter

I'm a person who likes it on the cool side. Heat really bothers me. During the winter I never wear gloves and usually just layer on the sweaters and don't bother with jackets to often. I use firewood to heat my house for the most part having a fireplace insert which blows nice warm air into the livingroom. I keep the bedroom and bathroom doors closed during the day to keep the warmer air in the livingroom and hallway to keep the thermostats from kicking on the heat. When I go into my bedroom at night, sometimes it's only in the upper 40's. A couple years ago I happened to have a little heater fan move into my bedroom which I kept on a timer so my room would be heated up a bit before I went in to bed, then it would turn off a little while after I fell asleep. It worked out really well, then one night it start acting up so I turned it off and planned to replace it in the fall. When I finally got around to unplugging the little heater from the timer, I found that the timer had actaully melted! I don't know if the timer was faulty or if the heater had caused the problem. Regardless, it was rather scary. I had no idea how old this heater fan was as I got it used.

Yesterday I got out shopping and stopped at Lowes to look for a new and improved fan and came across this one. It has two speeds plus an automatic thermostat setting, it oscillates, has a timer for 1 hour up to 8 hours and even has a remote control! When I got it home and set it up I couldn't believe the heat that came from it. I did put it on for a little while last night when I went to bed, but it wasn't really that cold in the bedroom so with the remote control, I turned it off. I guess it's just a new fun tool for me to use in my home!

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!

After two and half years of classes, study and training, training, training, my friend Jody and I became Certified 19-A Examiners in the state of New York. For those of you who don't know what that means, we can now do certain tests on bus drivers that are required annually or biennually by New York State. I won't be using these skills so much at Iroquois but it was one of the conditions of getting the job at Aspire that I would be successful in getting certified.

It was a very long day with the DMV examiner showing up about 9:45AM and not leaving us until about 2:20PM. We started by taking a 100 question test which I wasn't as prepared for as I thought I should be. We had been lead to believe that the test would be more heavy on CDL (Commerical Driver's License) questions but turned out about 1/3 of the test were 19-A related. Of course I had concentrated on the CDL part and did very well on that part. I ended up getting an 83, (80 was passing). Jody, who was sure she would blow it got an 89, Way to go Jody!

Next we each had to have a vision test then we had to drive to show our skills behind the wheel, then it was sitting in the examiner's seat and testing a fellow driver's skills. (Thanks Laura for taking all day to help us out!). We then spent time discussing our strengths and weaknesses. It really was very informative.

I'M JUST GLAD IT'S OVER!!!!!!!!

So now I can really say that I'm certifiable!

A little of this, A little of that

One of my hobbies is knitting but I don't seem to have much time to get much done. During the "October Surprise Storm" I had the time and the yarn do I made myself a pair of slippers. Mason liked them so I made him a pair also. His feet are so little compared to mine, it took no time at all to finish his pair.

I like having interesting looking rocks in my garden so Cory brought me neat turtle rock that he found on one of his job sites. You can't tell from the picture, but this rock is about two feet wide and looks like it's "conjoined". I'm hoping to someday have a quiet, peaceful, tranquility garden that this rock will reside in someday.

I finally took a walk back beyond the barn to the "lower 40" the other day with Nicki and Mason. Cory had been concerned about any damage done to some of our favorite trees including two large old tulip trees and a stand of maples. When we got back there it was a relief to see they survived with no damage. It was also good to see that a buttonwood tree had also escaped the storm with no damage. This is the area that Cory has his bonfires and so when I saw this burned tree trunk and roots with the new growth of weeds it made me smile to think that even after the destruction of the storm or in this case the bonfire, there is always new growth and restored beauty.
I have a theme party every year. "David" was given to me at the first party in 2004 and he has attended each party since. After a few drinks, he usually gets dressed. Some people might think it's a waste of good vegetables but we all thought it was pretty funny. I wonder how we will abuse him next year?

A New Song I Like

Ok so I'm writing twice in one day, it isn't against the law is it?????

I got around to listening to the rest of the new to me Four Bitchin' Babes CD this afternoon. As always, there seems to be words to one song that stand out to me. Here is this CD's song.

The Choice by Megon McDonough

When you gettin' married girl, when you comin' home

When you gonna wake up and get out on your own

Oh the whole world seems to push you every way but up

And tells you choices are like diamonds and only one's enough

Margie's got decisions now that she's gotta make

She really wants it all she says, but what's it gonna take

Her mother always told her it's husband or career

And then handed her a briefcase and a lace brassiere

Some women give the world babies

Some women give the world songs

All women give the world beauty

That's what rights so many wrongs

So you drive yourself to happiness then back for heaven's sake

Wearing Wonder Woman's bracelets, your initials on her cape

You're takin' on America before goin' overseas

When askin' for your place my dear just say pretty please

Some women give the world sugar

Some women give the world spice

All women give the world courage

It's what come from asking twice

Look there's someone in the picture He's wonderful He's great

He tell you not to worry He's patient he can wait

His mother send you recipes And patterns for a quilt

You mother sends you phone bills of encouragement and guilt

Oh some women give the world laughter

Some women give the world tears

All women give the world feelings

It gives meaning to the years

Oh, some women give the world babies

Some women give the world songs

All women give the world beauty

It's what rights so many wrongs

Let's talk about music

I recently picked up a 30gig iPod. Of course shortly after I got my iPod, the price dropped! The biggest problem I see with the iPod is all the really neat gadgets and gizmos that go along with it. Some of them are worth the money and some aren't. One thing I just got this week is definitely worth the money, especially when I got it on sale! Below is pictured the ifunsion speaker docking system. I'm very impressed with the sound quality. Yesterday I set it up on the front porch and turned it up nice and loud for us to listen too while working in the front yard cleaning up. I bought this originally to have for traveling so I could have my tunes with me in a motel room without having to be hooked up to the iPod by earphones. Of course now that my travel season is drawing to a close, I'm sure I'll find many more uses for this great iPod accessory! I have over 2000 tunes loaded on the iPod, anything from oldies to jazz, heavy metal to folk. And of course for Mason and Sean, Veggie Tales.

Nicki was home this weekend so we were able to do one of our favorite activities - shopping at a media store. Nicki picked up a book and one CD and I walked out with 2 DVDs (The Phantom of the Opera and Hamlet) and six CDs. Since getting the iPod, I find that I am listening to a lot more music so I just couldn't resist picking up some CDs that I had wanted to add to my collection.
From left to right, starting in back, Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet featuring Take Five. I can remember trying to learn to play Take Five many years ago for an piano lesson. I never really knew much about jazz having been raised on Classical and Country music. As I "aged", I have always tried to expand my knowledge of different types of music and jazz was one that I have grown to enjoy over the years. Back when Nicki was still in college but home for the summer, we were able to see Dave Brubeck in concert and all I can say is WOW! This particular album was recorded in 1959, it's been remastered and contains his most requested music. Nicki picked up a copy for her collection also.

In the center is Four Bitchin' Babes with it's original members in a recording from 1993. This is the first time I've ever bought a CD from the Used CD portion of a store. To be honest, I haven't had the time to listen to this whole CD but I'm sure that I'll enjoy it when I do.

On the right is another jazz artist, Lee Ritenour's album Overtime. I became a Lee Ritenour fan when hearing his music played at a Media Play store. I heard the music, recognizing the classical music "Pavane". I walked out of the store with the CD and was hooked in no time at all.

The bottom CDs from left to right are The Ultimate Peter & Gordon collection, Peter, Paul & Mary Platinum Collection and The Very Best of Chad & Jeremy. It seems the older I get, the more I enjoy listening to the music I grew up with. I was a huge fan of the British groups and the harmonies of Peter & Gordan and Chad & Jeremy hold good memories for me. I was and still am a fan of folk music and what collection would be complete without Peter, Paul & Mary? I had some of their later works but wanted to get the earlier stuff.

I have updated my Wish List at Amazon.com as five of these six CDs were listed on it. I wonder how long it will take me to get the rest?

Many things to be thankful for

While surviving the five days with no power and listening to talk radio with the majority of people calling and complaining, I decided I needed to write down the things I was thankful for during the recovery from the "October Surprise Storm"

1. Having Elma water - never had to boil it
2. Having natural gas so I could cook
3. Mason coming over and staying for a couple days
4. Having my new camera cell phone to use when the batteries were low in my digital camera
5. Being able to charge my cell phone in my car
6. Getting my hair cut short on Monday so it dried faster without a hairdryer
7. Having just enough batteries to keep the walkman going
8. Enough snow to use to keep food cold
9. Family was all safe
10. Extension on school tax payment
11. No damage to house or contends
12. Sunshine to warm the house
13. My son, Cory, works for a tree service
14. As bad as trees are, they could have been damaged worse
15. Glad I cancelled my motorcycle trip to WV I was suppose to take that weekend
16. Warm enough to ride motorcycle that Monday
17. Hearing from my sister in AZ
18. Phone calls from PABob
19. Snowday pay from school
20. Personal time pay from Aspire
21. WBEN-AM radio for keeping updated
22. Plenty of candles to light the house at night
23. Enough yarn to knit some projects, warm cozy slippers for Mason and me
24. Caught up on magazine reading (Flash and Skin & Ink - Tattoo magazines)
25. Being able to text message Nicki or Cory whenever I wanted to send updates
26. Name for next year's theme party - October Surprise Storm Commemorative Bonfire
27. Making S'mores in the fireplace for Mason and me
28. Plenty of food that wouldn't spoil
29. Thankful I prefer cooler temperatures
30. Seeing the first NYSEG Truck pull up in front of the house on day 5
31. Seeing violets and dandelions blooming in the yard when snow melted
32. Having a neighbor girl taking pics of my trees for a school project
33. Finally knowing the freezer will be cleaned out
34. Finally getting mail service again
35. Getting a package that contained a new electronic gizmo and arriving fully charged so I could play with it before power came on

I'm sure if I took more time I would come up with many more things that I was thankful for but I thought this was a pretty good list. Now that the worst is over and life has begun to return to normal, I just hope that no matter what happens in the future, I remember to always look for the positive things in life.

It has been forever since I lost posted to this blog as life has been crazy. Then this past week was our "October Surprise Storm" in Western New York as the media calls it. I was without power from Thrusday evening at 11:30PM until 4:00PM on Tuesday. Lost lost almost all the food in both my freezer downstairs and the freezer upstairs in my fridge. I probably won't bother with an insurance claim as I'm sure the amount lost will be less then my deductiable anyway. This seems so minor after hearing of the deaths that are related to the storm.

I'm really too tired to write to much tonight but will share some pics including a pic taken from my bus Thursday afternoon as I drove to pick up students in Hamburg, NY. That is not the sun in the clouds but a reflection of my the light/flash in my cell phone camera.

My Heros! Of this crew, only one guy was local. They were taking a coffee break in front of my house so I took them a banana bread as a very small token of my appreciation for all their hard work and long hours. They joked that I didn't have to bribe them with food, that they planned on turning my power on anyways. They said it would take just a few minutes and they were right! I'm also thankful to the Time Warner guys working in other places that got our cable up and running just before the electric came on.

Weekend Visitors

I had some visitors this weekend. Mason was here Friday night and Saturday with his Dad. We just hung out around the house Friday night. Saturday morning Mason went to work with his Daddy then came home to play for a while before he and I went to a pumpkin patch party at the home of our friends, Dave, Laura and Clate Williams. After enjoying sitting around the campfire and having hamburgers and hotdogs it was time for everyone to enter the huge pumpkin patch to claim your favorite pumpkin. You just stood by your pumpkin until Dave came to cut the vines away.

On Sunday while watching TV I notice there was something in the doublehung window behind the TV. Right away I recognized it as a bat so naturally I took pictures. There is a small opening where he was able to get in. He moved around quite a bit during the day then sometime around 7PM he flew out to get his evening fill of bugs. I tried to close up the storm window better but wasn't successful. It will be interesting to see if he returns in the morning or if he will head back to the barn or behind the basketball backboard where I know there are a number of bats. I also believe they are living above the garage ceiling as there sometimes are droppings in the middle of the garage floor which I now know are bat droppings.