Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day

which used to be one of my favorite days in grade school.  We'd make boxes or envelopes, pick out Valentines (which luckily didn't promote movies yet), then give them to every single classmate during an afternoon school party.  Mom made us give one to every classmate--even those we didn't actually like--so it was a holiday for everyone.

I've been much less of a fan as an adult.  If you're in a relationship, how valuable is it if your partner gives you flowers because it's expected?  If you're not in a relationship, it's the ultimate boy-do-you-not-fit-in-because-you're-single day of the year.  Well I have a lot of great friends who are wonderful people but not in relationships.  I think we should go back to the way it was in grade school--just a fun day to celebrate with friends.  So to all my friends--single, married, dating, divorced, whatever--Happy Valentine's Day!  Who better to love than one's friends?

Snowshoeing!

We went snowshoeing today!

and judging by how much the snow changed in just one week, winter is ending early even in the mountains thanks to extremely high temperatures for this time of year--which is our new norm.  I've snowshoed several times in the past, but had never bought snowshoes as I don't like it as well as cross-country skiing, but it DOES make it easier to get off-trail, and our friends have really gotten into it, so I ordered some snowshoes and this was their inaugural run. 

We had taken skis as well, as we were going to do a short loop with skis then switch to snowshoes, but the snow had melted so much and refrozen that it was ICE, and it was just too slick for safe skiing without skins, so it worked out well.  The day was beautiful

and we were able to get into some remoter places.  We even figured out how to take a "selfie" with Andy's new camera:

This week temperatures are supposed to reach a VERY unseasonal 60 degrees, so the days of snow sports are coming to an end, but at least I get to play this year!

We Went Cross Country Skiing Today!!!!!!!

My Taste Didn't Grow Up

Thanks to our library's app, I can download and listen to audio books on my phone, which is the first thing that's made me really happy about upgrading to a "smartphone."  What makes this setup even better is that I can listen to kid's books without anyone knowing.

Yep, I'm 45 and I listen to children's books.

At first it was just the ones that I thought were "classics" but that I had missed:  Pinnochio, Anne of Green Gables, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Then I moved on to the Percy Jackson series that one of our nephews was really into.  Then on to the sequel series.  Now it's anything I can find.

As far as I'm concerned, kids get better stories than adults do.  No horrific violence.  No heaving breasts.  No mid-30s-woman-putting-her-life-back-together-after-divorce-and-inevitably-involving-a-circle-of-girlfriends-(one-of-whom-will-get-cancer).  No heroine standing in front of the mirror and describing her appearance.  No misery-memoirs (fabricated or otherwise).  No look-how-my-southern-family-messed-up-my-life retrospectives.  Just originality and story.   

I may be old enough for reading glasses (sigh), but my literary TASTE certainly isn't. 

How To Deal With Spam

I have a new hero:



Seriously, haven't you always wanted to turn around and annoy a spammer or telemarketer?

To Be Sensitive..

Having spent two months coping with bronchitis on and off, THEN having it start turning to pneumonia and 10 days of a nasty antibiotic to get rid of it, what could be more fun than catching a cold?  Seriously, does my immune system do anything? 

After a few days of daytime cold medicine, I changed tactics yesterday afternoon and tried Andy's Sudafed.  I tried the 12-hour once for allergies, and didn't sleep for two days, but thought I could cope with the 4-hour version.  And it did work!  I breathed easier, had a clearer head, and

channeled that legal-amphetamine-hyperactivity into finally getting the rest of the Christmas decorations located, packed, put away, and the winter ones put up and the downstairs cleaned.  Really, I haven't had that sort of energy in two months.  Andy was wishing he were as sensitive to medications as I am--that was sort of handy......:)

Zero For Two

In the past, I've either physically dusted lampshades or rinsed them with water to clean them.  However,

dusting broke the first one, rinsing broke the second, AND the color bled on both of them.  So, we're looking for new lamps/lampshades.

I'm thinking the third option would have just been to replace the blasted things in the first place........