Biggest Snow in North Texas Since the Alamo

I don't know what that title is saying, but I have just really enjoyed watching "real" snow fall and accumulate. I see how people up north need mudrooms too. We have kids boots, mittens, hats, etc, etc all over this house with water puddling. First pic from yesterday and the 2nd two are from today. I got to use the 4 wheel drive today for the 2nd time. I had to dust the cobwebs off the shift knob.

We Have A Visitor

I hope you can see these pictures. I took them of the tree outside our bedroom window and of an opossum. Since an opossum is not that uncommon and perhaps not that exciting, you may be wondering why I would take time to blog these pictures. I am posting them because I was excited to finally get a visual of what was waking me up in the middle of the night stomping around the side of my house! Yes, this opossum is the answer to my lingering question. See, we have quite a lot of what I like to call detritus, or leaf litter, also known as lots of dead leaves on the side of our house. I like it there because it is natural in how it breaks down organically. But, I also like it there because it provides a natural security or alarm system: you can't sneak up on the side of the house...it is so loud walking on 2 feet of detritus. So, yeah, I've heard what sounds like a small person walking outside my window a few times recently in the night. And, yes, I GET UP and look out the blinds all stealth-like. One time I woke Scott up determined that someone was on the side of our house. He got out of bed and even went and inspected. I realize that it could have been a dog or cat, but I never could see anything. But, this morning was different because I heard the noise of some tiny person or huge cat walking on the leaves when I looked out the window and saw an opossum at the base of the smaller tree we have out there. Then, he crawed slowly up the tree right in front of me and the window. He perched up there on the branch in the early morning sunlight probably trying to get some rest from a night of foraging.

Anyway, I'm happy to identifiy our intruder. I'm also looking forward to spotting him each morning when he returns. I've got Scout on high alert for opossum spottings as well. It is like we are training for camping.

I WANT A TATOO

These People Must Have Made This For Me...

Are you kidding me? Unbelievably dreamy...

My retirement vision:
Watch out coastal regions, Alaska, and any amazing place I could explore:
If you can dream it, you can achieve it...

You can get them with toilets, sinks, fridges, and even showers.

Even their own website states what I want: Whether your need is to get out in nature for four days or four years, we have an expedition vehicle for you. With an EarthRoamer® Xpedition Vehicle, you can truly Live Your Dream!™

Happy Birthday Jesus and Christy

We got together to give thanks for Jesus' birth. Wow, we are really thankful.

Christy turned another year older too, so we threw her a bone and had an amazing cake and shared stories and shenanigans.

J-Rock even came over to join in the fun. Thank goodness my mom was able to keep the kids overnight! Merry Christmas to all....

When You Are A Teacher - It's Just Another Day...of Stanky A's...

One of my African-American students just loudly told about 5 other random kids this as the bell rang and they were leaving my class...

And I quote:

"Oooh I was just in the bathroom and these dumb African girls kept turning the lights off and laughing. I told them, uh, you do that one mo time and I'm gonna slap yo stanky asses."

Glad I quick blogged this so I wouldn't forget.

Tyler State Park - Texas Parks & Wildlife

Here is a picture of the drive into the park. I am motivated to return very soon.

What a great day out of town I had last weekend. I drove out to Tyler, Texas and took the pop-up for 36 hours in nature. The beauty of Tyler State Park totally surprised me. I couldn't believe that only 2 hours from Dallas exist lake front camp sites, tall pine trees, and a small spring fed lake where kayaks and paddle boats could effortlessly be rented. Christy and I sat by our campfire on the grass covered incline overlooking the still waters. Lisa arrived just in time for me to pour a final drink and for Christy to turn on the mattress warmer that she informed me was available on the pop up.

This is roughly how our chairs were situated:

This was our view from our campsite looking across the lake's inlet. The waters were so calm. Only one motorized little fishing skiff came by the whole time we were there.
People were surprised that I'd go camping for one day. However, I just love getting outdoors, starting fires, visiting with friends, and washing my mind of the "city dirt." Makes me think of this quote I came across some time ago:

"As to when I shall revisit civilization, it will not be soon ... I prefer the saddle to the streetcar and the star sprinkled sky to the roof, the obscure and difficult trail leading into the unknown to any paved highway, the deep peace of the wild to the discontent bred by cities.“

-Everett Ruess (1934 in Utah)

Why the Heck Have I Never Posted These?

Came across some throwback Charlie and Ro-Ro pics tonight while looking for other photos. I always was holding onto Charlie; luckily she was a sweetie-pie and I didn't mind. Even now, she's not too bad even though she's on the brink of 29! What?! Except, when she gets just a tidge bit neurotic about people and ice chest coolers in cars... Charlie: take a look at photo number 3: Do you think anyone cared where the cooler went? Um, note, you wore a diaper in public. But, we were classy in our hearts!

The photo below is probably my 12th birthday. I know because I got a schweet Schwinn bike I'm straddling and I was wearing my solid Max Headroom shirt that I scored from collecting Coca Cola can pull tabs. The bike was practical since I had to ride 2 miles to jr. high AND I had a paper route after school: notice the baskets on the back....


The next two pics are from the same trip to well, hell if I know where we were, but it was some place in the Dallas area where you could wander around as kids and your parents could act like hippies. I think there was like a lake involved. The picture immediately below is of me and my little Charlie-kins. She was always nice and pleasant and a little tense. I was always a HUGE IDIOT.

I'm loving the schweet rides around his place. Truly, Charlie and I were living the dream...

Since you guys asked....

We are so excited to have this new big piece of organizational/display chotskis. Thank heavens we have a place for everything that's been stashed and stacked randomly around our tiny house. I'm going to IKEA to buy boxes/baskets for the bottom two rows so we can store anything and everything we have still about the place. Credit must be given to Scott since he is the one that will hawk craigslist.org until he finds what he's looking for.

We moved the Texas flag over the table, and I like it. We are most likely going to buy some new dining room chairs as well.

You asked for pics of the living room, and here is one. You can see we moved the couch. The recliners are now right when you walk in, and it really opens it up.

I am also working with a current specialist on obtaining some quality curtains for the home.

design on a dime

Since my mom painted, we've been in a state of disarray. We've had nothing on the walls, furniture huddled together in corners they didn't belong, and crap upon crap on our dining room table. This weekend, we finally had enough. I listed furniture (our old armoire) and electronics (our old TV that's been in our armoire since we moved in this house in '99) on www.craigslist.com. I've sold one, and I'm holding one until the buyer can drive in from East Texas.

Here are some pics of my new arrangement of my old license plates. It is over our organizational piece of furniture we love. I've only hung 2 other pictures on the wall. The rest will remain in a holding pattern until more furniture issues are resolved. Oh, and if anyone cares, we re-arranged our living room furniture for the first time in about 7 years. Wow, we really don't change very often.