Snowy days and Mondays getting people down

Its almost April 1st and as I write this today, we are waiting for our next winter storm that is roaring this way. Just when we were feeling we were going to beat the flood, mother nature is going to add this to the mix.
I have been surprisingly taking it all in stride. Where so many people are not, I have come to the conclusion there is nothing you can do to stop the weather. I feel confident we are protected, and as long as my family is safe that is all that really matters.
I got a call from a close friend from high school last night, she is from Fargo, but has been here in Grand Forks for the last 8 days with her Dad, who is in the intensive care unit with pneumonia. While she is here taking care of her Mom and sitting with her Dad, her husband is back home protecting their home, they live very close to a dike that is having some leaking.
She said it all in one simple statement, "All you can do is HOPE and PRAY for the best."
Our prayers do go out to her and her family, in this most difficult time.

Why Oh Why!

So why do we live up here in this frozen tundra? That is the question we find ourselves asking once again. Just when we were getting to the point where all the snow was gone, another blizzard last night, this combining with another flood capable of having the same crests of 1997. The big difference this year is that we have the multi million dollar flood wall in place. Fargo, just 75 miles south of us is not so fortunate, this may be their, flood of the century,, they are fighting a good fight, and God willing they will win the fight.
We only have one bridge open between East Grand Forks where we live and Grand Forks where we work, they are saying that by next Monday the lone bridge may have to close as well. Just hope I am on the right side when that happens, meaning a few days off work cause we have no way to get there. If not, my parents will have a couple of house guests, you know, that would not be such a bad deal. I know my Mom she would be cooking some great meals for supper, heck, Ron probably would not want to go home to his lean cuisine suppers.
Well I will let you all know how we fare, hopefully we will stay dry. We did not take the gamble and buy flood insurance. So if for some reason the worst happens, we may be retiring to the south earlier than planned.

Weight Watchers Struggles

Well I did it! I got on the scale this morning at Weight Watchers. I knew it was not going to be good, gained 5.6 pounds, YIKES! I did this in the last 2 weeks, I will tell you I did enjoy a lot of good food and restaurants in those 2 weeks, heck last Saturday night we ate supper twice, WHO does that?
And of course our Friday nights out don't help either, last night was the same as usual a few beers and then all willpower goes out the window, Ron and I then proceeded to eat a large pizza. I had been doing pretty good on most of my Friday nights by planning ahead, but have struggled with all of that the last 2 weeks.
Next Friday we are having a Polish Party planning meeting at a different establishment, they are famous for their scooners of long island teas, we think they will help us get our creative juices flowing so we can decide on our group theme for the party.
Polish Days is a party every year in April at the Southgate lounge, we have been going every year for the last 7 or so. Last year we went as the Polish Curling team, it was good timing, because at the same time Grand Forks was hosting the world tournaments.
So far we have thrown around ideas like Polish Housewives of Polk County / Polish Octuplets , that type of thing, so you can about imagine.
We are trying to decide what to do today, We were thinking of a drive to Fargo and do some shopping,....or a CASINO. They do have a great buffet at the casino....... and I don't have to weigh again until next Saturday......... oh the vicious cycle continues.....

Great weekend after a very long week!

It's been over a week since my last post, mainly because it's been a long depressing week up here in the Great White North! We had a blizzard on Tuesday, don't know if winter is ever going to end, now, all everyone is talking about is another huge flood. Do you take the gamble and buy flood insurance or not? We have elected not to buy it, mainly because of the multimillion dollar flood wall that was constructed to protect our fair city after the flood of 97. We shall see in a few short weeks, if we took the right gamble.
But alas, the weekend came and all was well in the world, as the sun came out and the temp was above freezing and started melting some of that nasty snow once again.
The best part of the weekend was when my son Chris and his fiance Katie came to visit this weekend. It was a short visit, but so wonderful. They packed a lot of visiting in, in a 24 hour period, they got to lunch with his Dad and Renee, and Laura and her boyfriend Brian. They got to both Grandparents, and out to supper with us last night.
While they were busy visiting in the afternoon, Ron and I did our annual St Pat's loop of the downtown, and watched the parade. A little green beer and some Irish stew, it was a good time.

Blizzards in March

Ok, I am not talking about blizzards that come from mother nature. I am talking about the ones that come from the Dairy Queen!
Last week Ron and I drove past the DQ, I never even think about stopping there until it's summer, but I read on the sign that the blizzard of the month was the chocolate covered cherry, Ron's favorite. We did not stop that particular day. But last night after having a few glasses of wine and supper with friends, Ron said, "I want to take you for a treat.", which really meant, he wanted his treat, we headed for the Dairy Queen. It was snowing and blowing and very cold, not the kind of night I think of going out for ice cream. I did indulge slightly and had a small vanilla cone, for some reason to me, it tastes alot better on a hot summer night than a cold blustery one in March.
The past week was pretty uneventful for us, Ron has been sick with a cold, which I think I am now coming down with. We did make it to dance class and learned some new turns, and had some more great laughs while doing so. Laura has been sick with an extremely bad ear infection, so bad that she has not gone to her friends places for the last 3 days.
I got bad news at work, getting denied for my vacation time in July, this is the week that we were to go to Vegas with our friends, I am looking at other options so we can still get there that same weekend, but maybe a different flight.
Just happy it's the weekend!

Thank God for heated mattress pads!

Another weekend is coming to a close, they go way too fast. We did our usual on Friday night and met our friends at Joe Blacks for a few beers and something to eat. It's a big hockey weekend here in Grand Forks, state high school hockey and the the last home game of the season for the Sioux, so we watched some of those games.
It has been so cold here again this weekend. We got home on Friday night at 9, and it was so cold we decided just to crawl into bed, we have a heated mattress pad and I swear to you it is the best investment you will ever make if you live up here in the great white north.
Saturday I got up and went to WW then over to visit my parents, I walked into their house and it smelled glorious, my Mom had just made home made cinnamon rolls. Good timing after just coming from WW. Ron was home busy in the garage working on his restoration of the 65 Chevelle. This is about a 3 year project that takes a lot of time and money, but when it's done it is going to be so much fun, we are going to take it to car shows around the area. After he completes the Chevelle there is the 70 Gremlin in the other garage to tackle.
In the evening we decided to go the Gate and watch the Sioux game and play some bingo, of course we did not win, but we got together with Tomi and Pat again and had a few more good laughs, called it an early evening, went and rented another bad movie which I only saw the first 10 minutes, as I quickly fell asleep because I had placed my chair directly in front of the fireplace.
Today is Sunday and Ron is going to meet up with his work cronies at Wild Wings to do trivia and have a few beers, and I don't have a plan other than to grocery shop and plan supper, a nice way to end the weekend and ease back to the new week.