again

Another picture... because I am just really proud of this.

accomplishment

Today I caught a chicken.

after

Yesterday, someone dug my car out of the snow. That's just about the nicest thing ever. This enabled me to drive Brittany to work this morning in a timely fashion. When I got back, I shoveled out our walkway, did a little more on the sidewalk, and cleared most of Jason's parking space. Am now exhausted.

When I came in, I fixed myself some breakfast: a vitamuffin, WW yogurt, and a cuppa green tea. Yeah, not a huge fan of the green tea, but I know it's good for you so I am trying like mad to get into it. By the way, that breakfast was 2 points. Granted, I'm still a little hungry, but I think I'll whip up some eggwhites and wrap them in a flatout and add some WW cheese and a whole lotta baby spinach for a very satisfying 3pt yumminess.

Yes, I am talking about food a lot. Well, I need to get my act together cause I've seem to hit a plateau with the weight loss and that sucks cause I still have a ways to go. Granted, it's normal, but it's just not very timely as it's difficult enough to try to keep on track and do well when all my internal instincts say "HIBERNATE" and "EAT".

Due to the big snow yesterday (the second biggest in PA history, how about that!), our WW meeting was canceled. So when I go on the 13th, I really need to have some good numbers... so I must try extra extra hard this week. I also intend to work out and get back into that... still babying the knee, just cause I'm nervous about it, but exercising just the same.

Jason spent the night yet again at the Temperance House, as he didn't want to risk driving home on icy roads at 3am. So I am really looking forward to his arrival! I saw him briefly on Friday, like for 10 minutes, and not since. Our schedules SUCK!!!!!!!! It is so difficult. Sometimes I think this is why I was a single mother with Brittany for 5+ years so I would be prepared for doing this parenthood thing on my own so much.

Jason, wouldn't it be nice to win the lottery? We could buy a house with a two car garage and room for your tools and workshop and a snow-blower and I could have a large greenhouse in the backyard for gardening things... Never have to dig our cars out of snow, never have to shovel out a parking space. We could live in town so we could walk Madison to the bookstore or to get a cuppa in the morning, and you could walk to the bar to work a shift or two each week. If there was snow, you'd get snowed in at home and not at work. And since we are lottery winners, we just work a little each week, for walking-around money, and we could spend more time having fun and being together.

Oh well, until that happens, we're stuck doing this for a while longer... I guess it could always be worse. I just miss my husband, and the kids miss their dad.

Today, the three of us are going to Pat & Rachel's house for a Superbowl party. Well, not really... the Superbowl will make an appearance, I'm sure, but I'm just there to see them and have fun. I wish Brittany didn't have to work on Sundays so she could go with us.

Yesterday, I didn't really get much accomplished. Well, what a lot of people would consider not much; personally, I felt good about what I got done. Let's see, I did some reading of my Happiness Project book, I watched The Rocker on dvd with Jack (stars Rainn Wilson from the Office and it's hilarious), I took a nap on the front room couch... pictured here. Really an extremely comfortable nappy couch... the down pillows help with that. Brittany and I got a good start to our jigsaw puzzle... the entire border (save for one piece) is completely, as well as a few crucial sections. She is her mother's daughter, and I am my grandmother's granddaughter... in that we all love/loved doing jigsaw puzzles. Mimi almost always had a card-table set up in the family room with a jigsaw puzzle in various stages of completion on it. I also framed some pictures to add to our family picture wall (which can also be seen in the couch photo). Here's one of my personal favorites that I put up there:


You know, this green tea isn't that bad. Maybe it's just this variety, but I seem to like this more than ones I've sampled in the past. Isn't it nice when you find a product/item that you like? Watch... it will soon be discontinued. That seems to happen a lot at the Giant Supermarket I go to. I find something new and it's perfect for whatever reason, and then the next thing you know... gone. Maybe I should load up on this while I still can...

The temps here have warmed up to 16*. Woo hoo... practically balmy! Rumor has it that we are due for more snow on Tuesday night... that should be interesting. All week we having highs below the freezing mark, so this stuff we've already got piled up all over isn't going to be melting anytime soon. Boy oh boy... it's a crazy winter!

I wrote previously about the crazy must-buy-everything frenzy that I experienced on Thursday evening because the news media perpetuates that sort of thing whenever there is a blip on the radar that we might have snow. Well, when Friday at 6pm came around and there was nary a snowflake in sight, the kids and I thought we'd venture out to Walmart to pick up a few things that I forgot in the madmadmad world of Giant Supermarket on Thursday night. There were a few people there, but not many... most, I'm thinking, we're still recovering from going crazy the night before at Giant. So we got a few things, including a new pair of black jeans in a smaller size - thank you very much - as well as said jigsaw puzzle mentioned above and some snacks to take over to P&R's house today.

The store we go to is a Super-Walmart, which has a market section in it as well. It was funny to see the entire egg section was completely bought out. What is it about a snowstorm that makes people crave/demand eggs? I know they are a big ingredient in a lot of cooking, but I just don't envision that many people baking during a blizzard. Besides, if you lose power, it's not like they can be eaten raw. Who knows? Fortunately, I didn't need any, as I had bought my free-range, organic huevos the night before. What did I use mine for? Well, I haven't used them all, but I will be making the above-mentioned item (see paragraph two) and think I'll whip up some muffins tomorrow. I've got a great recipe which uses applesauce and is a healthy alternative. Muffins are easy and fun to make... plus, they are a quick fix for a healthy but we've-overslept-and-don't-have-time-to-eat type breakfast that happens sometimes during the week. One muffin + one fruit = yummy breakfast. With 5 minutes more, you can add some tomato juice and a low-fat string cheese and voila... perfect breakfast.

When we came home, we three watched Criminal Minds... such a great show. We all like it, which is nice, and it's on tv a lot, which is nice, too. We have season 1 on dvd and I keep looking for #2 when we're out and about, but haven't come across it yet. Will most likely have to amazon it. Is amazon a verb? Apparently so. Brittany and I like the character played by Matthew Gray Gubler, Dr Spencer Reid... whom we also call Hot Doctor #2. To properly pronounce this, you have to say "hot doctor" in a singsong voice like you were saying the "hot pocket" commercial. FYI, he is #2 because hot doctor #1, who is just referred to as "hot doctor" is this guy.

Alrighty then, this concludes today's broadcast. Stayed tuned for more snow pics from the farm that I'll take tomorrow, pics from this afternoon's sure-to-be fabu wingding, and other various things which I will post about. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to stuff them in the suggestion box. What's that? You don't see a suggestion box? Well then simply stuff them elsewhere... like in your hat. Let's keep it clean folks, I don't work blue.

phooey

Dear Snow,

To you I say "Phooey." You make me cold and I don't like that. I'll admit you are pretty to look at, but as everyone knows, it's about what you are on the inside that really counts. And you, Snow, are cold and heartless and finger-numbing on the inside, so that I why I give to you a big phooey. You will not be the boss of me. I am going to sit on the couch with Jack and Brittany and eat my quesadilla and watch Ocean's 13 and laugh and maybe even do one of my new crossword puzzle books. Then later the three of us will scoop you off the walk and onto the lawn.

Take that, bad guy.

Unfaithfully yours,
Jennifer

morning

This is what greeted us this morning when I woke up... and it's still coming down.





Jason stayed at the inn last night, which is better than trying to drive during all this, and it looks like he may stay there again tonight, I don't know. It would be so nice if he could be snowed in at home sometime instead of at work. Being snowed in together would be so much fun and having him here to help shovel us out would be so great. I know I need to get out there and start putting a dent in shoveling out the car, the walkway, and Jason's parking space, but it is so physically painful to do all that, I am just dreading it. I'm already wearing two long underwear sets and sweats on top of that and I'm still cold, and I'm still in the house. I hate how the cold makes my body ache. Sorry, I guess the snow makes me whiny and complainy, too.

seventy-two

Growing up, my best friend Lori lived right down the street from me. Her parents and my parents were best friends, too, so we did a lot of things together... vacations, beach trips, sledding in the mountains, etc... Here is a pic from 1972 of us kids trick-or-treating together.... Lori is an angel, I am the pilgrim, Pam is a bear, and Tim is a genie. Being an only child, it was great growing up with them.

easter

This picture, from Easter 1974, shows a 9 year old me with Kelly, my parakeet. Apparently that holiday I got a chocolate rabbit and a stuffed lamb. Not too shabby.

punkin

My mom gave me a couple old pictures (from 1974!) when I stopped by their house yesterday. They are of my little dog Punkin, taken shortly after we adopted her. When she was a puppy, her hair was such a dark gray color... then, as she got older, her hair lightened up. She was such a great dog. Just a little mutt that I fell in love with at the pound. My parents saw a Springer Spaniel and thought I would like that dog, but it was love at first sight when I saw Punkin, and they said I could pick out our dog, so Punkin it was. As it turned out, almost immediately after adopting her and bringing her home, she was diagnosed with distemper and almost died. My mom would cook chicken breasts for her and gave her broth to drink, and for the next 16 years, whenever we cooked chicken, she would go nuts. Had we not adopted her when we did, she would have been put to sleep because of the distemper. I like to think of her up in heaven now with my grandparents, both of who loved her so much, too. I think of Punkin, Sadie, and Toby all hanging out with my grandparents, and it makes me smile. Well, it makes me tear up, but it makes me smile, too.

tired

So I thought I'd stop by the supermarket this afternoon to pick up a few things. Two hours later, I left the supermarket with a few things, including more gray hair and higher blood pressure.

You see, there is a blizzard in the forecast for tomorrow and the Superbowl weekend is coming up... which puts everyone into a panic that they might run out of onion dip and cheese doodles. So everyone in the tri-state area apparently decided to go to Giant in Warminster and see how many times they could drive their shopping cart into mine.

I got what I needed though, which includes lettuces and parsley for the rabbits, nectarines, grape tomatoes (my new favorite thing... dipped in hummus = yum!), bread, butter, milk, detergent, cheese, pintos, and a few other things. So we are set and ready and I say bring on the storm!

Prior to stopping at the market, I took Madison to the vet for a long-overdue appointment. She is, I am happy to say, in good health, although she does need a teeth-cleaning, and is now up-to-date on all her shots. While at the vet, which is right next to Petsmart, I bought her a new bed, some dog food, and also got some orchard grass for Bing, Hazel, and Pancake, as well as some rabbit pellets. So the critters are all set for being snowed in.

But now I am tired and must get to bed. One day left to this work week, and even though it will be a short one, it starts early, so I best get a move on.

lately

I saw this bunny house online and fell in love with it. I would love to have a bunny yard for Hazel and Pancake like this. I might try to do something like this... although I would definitely bring them in during winter cause it really does get too cold here to keep them outdoors year-round.


This is just a bit of Brittany's and my handiwork when we went to Walmart on Friday night. We're just kinda goofy that way. Of course, we get a bigger kick out of it than anyone else, but that's okay... many geniuses were not appreciated in their day.


Can you tell I like mixing and not-matching? Yeah, I do. I spent Saturday cleaning/organizing/rearranging the front room and am very happy with the results. It is very roomy now and I have plenty o' room to set up the Total Gym, which you can see sitting there in the corner. While I am still babying my knee, there is no reason I can get the rest of the bod in shape.


Madison playing winky peek-a-boo... she's good at it!



Lately I've been trying to grow out my hair so that it can get to a length where I can have it cut like this. What do you think? I like how it has some length to it, but it's still on the short side, and how it's a classic style that can be casual or dressed up. If I ever had a place to go where I had to dress up, I'm sure that would be a good thing.


Today I made a doctor appt for Madison as she is due... maybe even overdue. Once we get her utd with all her stuff, mostly rabies vaccine and heartworm meds, then I need to get her a new license, as I know that has expired. After all that, she will be ready to get a dog park membership! It will be awesome to give her a place to roam leash free with other dogs. I think Deb and I are looking forward to that even more than the dogs are... although that just might be because they don't know about it yet. Yeah, that's probably it.

Jack, too, has a doctor appt this week... no rabies shot for him, though. He is due for a physical. I was hoping Jason would take him, but he and Bob are going to be doing some work around the house and I don't want anything to prevent that from happening... because it may be a long time before that happens again. Fortunately, Jack is scheduled to see one of the male doctors, which is best, I think, when you're a 14 year old boy. I'm anxious to see how much taller he's gotten since last time... he really seems to have grown quite a bit to me. Almost eye to eye with him. His appt last week to check him out went fine. Not bronchitis, but an upper respiratory infection nonetheless. Today was his first day back at school. Still coughing a little, but no fever for quite a few days now and that's good.

Yesterday Jason and I took the kids out for Mexican and then to see Avatar. The food, of course, was delish, and the movie was awesome. Although during some of the moments when there was a lot going on onscreen - I'm thinking some of the very fast chase scenes - the whole 3D thing got to be a little too much for me and I had to close my eyes. I could feel a headache coming on. But it never fully showed so I did enjoy the movie.


Zachy stopped by the office to visit with me today. I tried to encourage him to lay in front of the fire, but he didn't take me up on it. I think he's one of those pigs who really enjoys being outside. He seems to love living in the barn, where it is warmer and he has more 'sheltered' space to roam around, and then having the privilege of wandering all around the farm during the day. That's the best of both worlds right there.



This little fella made a hearty meal out of the suet I put out for the birds. He is a Hairy Woodpecker, slightly longer than the Downy Woodpecker, which is the smallest woodpecker in this area. We get some of the big ones at the farm, but it's a lot trickier trying to get a picture of them.



This is the office area of the room, where I sit to write this thing. The tv behind me is strictly used for the wii, playstation 2, and occasionally watching dvds. I have begun using it for some exercise dvds because there is a lot of room to move now.


The morning light makes this room glow... or maybe it's my radiance? Nah, it's the windows.



I recently discovered Hearts of Palm and found it to be quite yummy. FYI: they are a zero point food... that's a Weight Watcher thing, and a very good thing at that. I have had them both cold (right out of the can from the fridge and dipped into hummus), and hot, as seen above: shredded on top of a grilled tomato with some low fat cheese. Both were good, but I liked the cold Hearts of Palm better. I will now be incorporating them into my diet on a regular basis. See mom.... I do like vegetables.

hike

Yesterday late afternoon, I took a walk down the road with Bam the goat. Goats are surprisingly great walking companions. They are very attentive and tend to stick right with you, and if a pesky dog tries to tag along, they will head-butt it until it runs away.

jason

I love Jason. He is an awesome guy. He makes me happy. He's super hip and fly. He's kinda goofy, which makes me love him more... boom de yada, boom de yada, boom de yada, boom de yada....

love

revelation

I had a revelation this morning. Did you hear the "ahhh" that broke the silence around 8am? If so, that was me.

My morning started around 4:30am when I woke up with a gnarly headache (which hasn't yet completely gone away even still!). Jason wasn't home yet so I called him and asked him to bring my pills from my purse and a flower bag* upstairs with him when he came in.

*Flower bag: We have these fabric bags that are filled with beans and dried rice and herbs and we keep them in the freezer. They remain cold for a long time and they are perfect for headaches as they conform to your face and the fabrics are very soft. They were named 'flower bags' because the first one we had was in a floral print and Jack, as a toddler, would call it a the flower bag, and the name just stuck. They also heat up well in the microwave and are awesome on my back when it's acting up.

Jason was at work until around 6am due to a leaky pipe that he had to fix. When he came in, he brought me my pills, a flower bag, and a cup of hot tea - caffeinated, of course. I dozed a little but awoke 7:30ish and decided to take a bath.

Whilst in the tub, I started reading a book that I just got in the mail from Amazon yesterday entitled "The Happiness Project". I'm not going to go into all the details of this book by Gretchen Rubin - you can check it out on Amazon or even moreso here - but I'll sum it up by plagiarizing Publishers Weekly, who said:

Rubin is not an unhappy woman: she has a loving husband, two great kids and a writing career in New York City. Still, she could-and, arguably, should-be happier. Thus, her methodical (and bizarre) happiness project: spend one year achieving careful, measurable goals in different areas of life (marriage, work, parenting, self-fulfillment) and build on them cumulatively, using concrete steps (such as, in January, going to bed earlier, exercising better, getting organized, and "acting more energetic"). By December, she's striving bemusedly to keep increasing happiness in every aspect of her life. The outcome is good, not perfect (in accordance with one of her "Secrets of Adulthood": "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good"), but Rubin's funny, perceptive account is both inspirational and forgiving, and sprinkled with just enough wise tips, concrete advice and timely research (including all those other recent books on happiness) to qualify as self-help. Defying self-help expectations, however, Rubin writes with keen senses of self and narrative, balancing the personal and the universal with a light touch. Rubin's project makes curiously compulsive reading, which is enough to make any reader happy.

You know how I have posted in the past words to this effect: I could go into that, but I want to keep this blog a happy place. Well, you see, the thing is, that's wrong. Who cares if this blog is a happy place.... it's my LIFE that needs to be a happy place. Hello?! That's the important thing. And I'm not naive enough, at least not yet anyway, to think that I won't let things bother me at all and I'll just be happy all the time... I know that is not realistic. But, and this is a huge but, there is no reason why I shouldn't be more happy. More appreciative of all the good things I've got going on.

So, as I read this book, and beyond having read the book, I will be creating my own Happiness Project, and I am going to be writing about it here. So maybe we can all go on this happy journey called life together. I don't want the words of Collette to be my motto: "What a wonderful life I've had! I only wish I'd realized it sooner."

sick

Today is day 5 of Jack being sick so we are off to the doctor at 11am. I actually thought I would have more time to post, but since we need to leave in about an hour and we both need breakfast and showers, I think I didn't plan this too well. So... I will update when we return.

yeah

Just making a post to let you know that I am on my way upstairs at 8:30pm - wow, how did it get so late so quickly - to work on organizing my room and the large laundry pile therein. I am going to conquer Mt Washmore and get things all spiffed up, and will report back here with the sure-to-be glorious results of said endeavors. Brace yourselves, folks, and prepare to be amazed...

record

In two months and one day, I will be turning 45. That's a big number. It reminds me of records, like when you could go buy a 45 of your favorite single and then discover what song was on the flip side. People don't do that anymore. Which further proves that yes, I am turning 45 years old.

Sidebar: Vinyl is having a slight resurgence and people still buy albums, but not singles or 45s, at least not that I know of, but I'm not up to date with all that (just check out Jeff and his vinyl-loving passion here) which is cool. It's a completely different sound listening to an album and taking it all in... the order the songs are presented, the artwork of the cover, the sound itself which has huge charms... I could go on, but instead, just read Jeff's blog about it. He's much more knowledgeable and articulate about his passion than I am).

Anyway, it's weird when you hit these milestone birthdays. I think of people in their mid-forties as old, yet here I am.

So I've lately gotten on this kick of really trying to improve the look of my skin. Slathering myself with lotion and I recently bought all sort of anti-aging potions and lotions for my face. I will let you know if they seem to be working.

My friend Deb recently bought this from HSN and I am interested in finding out how that works, too... because there might be one in my future.

What a drag it is getting old....

weight

I've been struggling with my diet lately and have kinda hit a plateau in my weight-loss efforts. But this week saw some good days and I am fired up and back on track, determined to see a big number in the weight loss at next Saturday's meeting. I did lose one pound this week, so my weight loss total is at exactly 34 lbs. Deb and I walked 2 miles after our meeting and my knee felt good. Well, maybe not good, per se, but it didn't hurt; it was more like just being a little more aware of it. So my goal this week is to work some sort of regular exercise on a daily basis back into my norm, and to keep copious records of what I eat so I stay on target. I am going to be accountable for it in my blog, so be prepared to read about that.

Oh? What's that? Not really what you wanted to read about? No worries, I will still post great pics and witty commentary on my fascinating life. What's that? You've never come across any of that here? Wait, who are you? Why are you here? All naysayers can scram... remember, this is a positive and happy place.

I look forward to posting a big weight-loss number next Saturday. And words of support are always welcome. And if that wasn't a hint, well, then I don't know what is.

sonny

This is Sonny, pictured here with a deer foot in his mouth. The dogs at the farm had found a dead deer in the woods and have been bringing it back piece by piece. When Sonny came running up to me with this in his mouth, I went to grab it thinking it was a branch that he wanted to play fetch with. I came thisclose to touching the deer foot, and have now made a mental note to look carefully before automatically grabbing Sonny's offering.

bogart

When I was a kid of, say, 11 or 12 years of age, I was in love with Humphrey Bogart. My friends were infatuated with slightly-more-age-appropriate actors and singers of our time, like John Travolta, Scott Baio, or Mark Hamill. But not me... I had a poster of Bogie on my bedroom wall. There's something about him that I really liked, and still do to this day (and am maybe slightly more capable of putting into words now). He never came across as someone who reeked of effort... as in he never had to try too hard. He's visually compelling onscreen, but not because he has typical leading man good looks, or a huge attention-grabbing body. It's the way he carries himself, the way he presents himself, the self-confidence he exudes without being obnoxious or over-the-top. That said, I did (and again, still do) find him to be very handsome and sexy. No wonder Lauren Bacall fell for him... how could she not?

review

Pictures from this week...


Perfectly preserved mouse skeletal remains... found under my stove. Poor thing.


Zach, my boy, who's become very affectionate lately. It's nice... I knew he was a big baby underneath his tough guy exterior.


Jason feeding Pancake and Hazel a banana... I think all three of them enjoyed this.


Last night's sunset over Rushland... so pretty.


It's still cold, but not as bad, and the piglets thought they'd take advantage of the pretty day to do some grazing.

freezing

It seems especially cold this morning and already I cannot feel my toes. I've got three pairs of socks on, which is my limit, otherwise the boots won't fit on my feet. Somebody please tell me that days of wearing flip flops will soon be here. It's so much easier to get dressed for work in the summer. Throw on a tee, slip on some capris, slide on the flips... voila, you are ready to go. Instead of putting on a shirt, then another one, then a sweater, then a pullover, maybe a coat. And that's just the top half. Now I need to pack the rest of my lunch and get to work. I've been able to leave at 3pm everyday lately, which has been great. It's definitely necessary, just so I can supervise Jack's homework situation more closely and he has more time to get it done. I am planning to maintain this 3pm workday quitting time during the summer as well, so I'll have time to enjoy my day while it's still daytime. I'm also going to take advantage of leaving early some days so we can hit the pool. Oh, the pool! How I miss that place. Can't really think about it too much though as I am headed out the door on a day stuck in the 20-30*s. Oh summer, come soon.

happy

I haven't been in a happy place lately. Mostly due to problems that I don't really want to get into here. After all, I may not be in a happy place, but I still want this blog to be one. I feel a little better today, and the reason why is pictured below.


You may recall a previous post (which I can't find right now but may link to in the future when I have more time to delve into this "I-can't-believe-I've-been-at-this-for-three-and-a-half-year-long Blog") about the secretary desk that belonged to my grandmother and that she bequeathed to me but has been at my aunt and uncle's house for the past 15+ years. I honestly don't think my aunt is ever going to give it to me. I'm not going to get into how much that hurts and all the emotion that goes with it because I am trying to get happier, not sadder, so let me just tell you about my new cabinet.


One of the things I wanted to use the secretary desk for was to house my collection of English Bone China floral pieces, as well as my little porcelain figurines and other little girly bits. You see, I'm not a fan of knick-knacks spread all over a house, and all the dusting that they require. My house is, for the most part, tchotchke-free, apart from pictures (which mostly are hung on the walls), a few things on my dining room windowsill, and houseplants.


So, when Brittany and I were at the Catholic thrift store over the weekend, I saw this and thought that it would be excellent for holding my things. I spent most of last night cleaning it and then cleaning the china bits and arranging everything just so. I am so very happy with it.


Now, I am not a materialistic person... just ask my family (who I think get pretty sick and tired of me always gathering things to collect for Goodwill), and I certainly do not think that you can buy your happiness with a piece of furniture. That said, I needed this. I wanted a place for my things so they could be there for me to visually enjoy, but without adding to a cluttered look to my house, as well as giving me a hundred more things to dust every week. This is perfect because now most of my girly things are here, together, and Jason won't feel like he's living in a testosterone-challenged home. Or something like that.


So, as the brilliant modern-day philosophers of the sixties who said that money can't buy me love, I would add that it can't buy true happiness, either, but it can bring a smile to someone who really needed a boost.

conan

I love two red headed men... one of them is my son, the other... Conan.
He's hilarious, but also classy and smart... read this.

kitty

yikes

One of the dogs at the farm found this head and spine of a deer in the woods... and brought it back to the farm for all of us to enjoy. Here, one of the chickens investigates.

more

Jack



Rachel and Merlin



Me... yeah, someone needs to take my picture next time, people!



Rock star



Pat and Mollie

sunday

Guitar Heroes


Merlin the cat... meow.


Apparently, Jason rocks... I've always thought so.


We are a highly sophisticated bunch. Here, the group is undoubtedly watching some important film, a classic at the very least, or perhaps a distinguished documentary...


...or the Simpsons. Yeah, that's more our speed.

monday

Monday, again. After a weekend spent having too much fun, now it's back to work and all that that entails... sigh. I don't want to go. I just want to sleep in and try to shake this ever-lasting sinus infection and get caught up on stuff around here. And lose this headache I've been fighting since 5:30am. Right now I am waiting on some laundry and in the midst of reloading the dishwasher and making my lunch. Just heard Britt get in the shower so it's gonna a be a few before I can take mine. This week I will be putting the Christmas stuff away. That will be good, but I will miss it. However, since we are well into 2010 now, I am in that place where I want to get rid of the Christmas clutter and put things away and clean and decorate. That should keep me busy for a while. For now, though, I am going to have some breakfast while I watch the Today show and let the buns hop around.

love

Who's that a picture of? Why that would be the new bar manager and head bartender at the Temperance House! Isn't he dreamy? Way to go, sweetie, I am so proud of you!!! Now fix mommy a drink...

found

I found this one my computer labeled "For when you don't know what to blog" so I thought I'd post it today. Enjoy! Or Endure! Or Ignore! I don't care.



Are you in a relationship? Yes. At the moment I am in a very committed and monogamous marriage with Jason Brown. Also, I am in a very committed and monogamous imaginative relationship with Mick Tucker of the Sweet.

Do you hate more than 3 people? Hate? I don't know, I really do try not to hate. But I'm not perfect, and yeah, I guess I do hate. I hate the devil, Mark David Chapman, and terrorists. People like that.

How many houses have you lived in? Houses? 3. Apartments? 4.

What is your favorite candy bar? Three Musketeers Bar = yum.

What are your favorite shoes? Flip flops. I've got these awesome ones that are actually Croc flip flops, and they are so comfy and look cute, too.

Have you ever tripped someone? I guess. I don't think I've done that on purpose though. But yeah, maybe.

Do you own a Britney Spears CD? No. See, I have good taste in music.

Have you ever thrown up in public? Yeah, like at concerts and stuff. I can even remember total strangers holding my hair back and being all supportive and stuff. Kinda renews your faith in the whole human experience, you know?

Name something that's always on your mind? Calories, fat grams, fiber, points. Yes, I go to Weight Watchers.

What is your favorite music genre? Classic rock and what I have recently discovered is called Power Pop.... this brilliantly explains it all: http://jeffreyanderson.blogspot.com/2009/08/godparents-of-power-pop.html

What is your sign? Dangerous curves ahead.

What time were you born? I think around 1am or 1pm. Being adopted, I can't call up my mom and ask, and my birth records are filed away deep.

Do you like beer? I used to, now I guess I still do, but I'm more particular about it.

Have you ever made a prank call? Sure.

What is the most embarrassing CD you own? I don't really get embarrassed over my tastes. If I'm into it, I'm into it. But I'll get into the spirit of the question and say that the most embarrassing CD I own is probably my vast collection of Bay City Rollers. But I'm not embarrassed by it. I love them!

Are you sarcastic? Never. I don't even know the meaning of the word.

What are your favorite colors? Seriously, I am begining to hate this question. I like so many different colors for different things. I love a red dress. I love red shoes worn with a black dress. I love the way blue and green look next to each other. I love coral nail polish. I love my pink/orange/yellow beach towels... they're so bright and girly. I love a classic tweed skirt. I love the oxblood brown/red of penny loafers. I love a white tee shirt with jeans. I love love love a wide variety of colors.... okay?!

How many watches do you own? One which I never wear. I don't like watches. Well, I take that back. When I worked at Robinsons, long before the day of cell phones, I wore a big man's watch, and it was so cool. It had Roman numerals on it and it was this gorgeous brown leather. It was quite the conversation starter, too. Guys really dug it.

Summer or winter? Summer!!!. Winter is something to be endured. I revel in summer!

Spring or fall? Spring.... it's so looked forward to, you know? Like the light at the end of the long dark tunnel of winter.

What is your favorite color to wear? See the question above when I went on my favorite color rant...

Pepsi or Sprite? Diet Pepsi, please.

What color is your cell phone? It's red. That is my accent color.

Have you ever slapped someone? Yeah, but it was accident. Like we were just goofing around. Oh! And once my mom slapped my arm cause I poked her boob. She was just being silly, but that woman can pack a punch.

Have you ever had a cavity? Only one. Although I haven't been to the dentist in a long time. Yikes.

How many lamps are in your bedroom? Four.

How many video games do you own? I have no idea... that is a question for the kids. There's a lot.

What was your first pet? I think Poker, my mouse. He was awesome. Still so surprised that my mom would let me have a mouse. Of course, he wasn't allowed in the house... his cage was in the garage. But my bedroom had a door in it that led to the garage, so I would spend a lot of time down there and leave a light on for him.

Have you ever had braces? No, but endured about 6 years of retainers.

Do looks matter? Sure. I mean, they're not everything, but they are also certainly not NOTHING.

Do you use chapstick? Yes. Obsessively.

Name 3 teachers from your high school: Mr Brewer, Mr Vogelli, and Mr Elfman.

American Eagle or Abercrombie? Gimme a break... neither.

Are you too forgiving? No, I tend to hold a grudge, which I am trying to stop. But if someone says something that hurts my feelings, or someone says something about my kids, I remember.

Do you own something from Hot Topic? Some tees.

What is your favorite breakfast? Eggs, turkey bacon, toast.

Do you own a gun? No.

Have you ever thought you were in love? Yes. Have I really been in love? Yes, and still am.

When was the last time you cried? Wow, it hasn't been too recently... that's something for me.

What did you do 3 nights ago? That would be Wednesday. I don't remember, but safe to say I watched tv, went on the computer, showered, read, and went to bed.

When was the last time you went to Olive Garden? It's been a year or so. Maybe longer.

Have you ever been in a castle? Yes, while in Germany. Oh, and also while at Disneyland.

What are your nicknames? Jen, Jay, JJ, Muffin. Yes, still... thanks to my cousins who keep the JJ alive, and thanks to Jason for Muffin.

Do you know anyone named Bertha? No.

Have you ever been to Hawaii? Yes, on my honeymoon. I want to go back!

Do you own something from Banana Republic? Nope.

Are you thinking about somebody right now? Dean Martin

Have you ever called someone Boo? Sometimes I would call Jack Mr Boo... a Boo Radley reference.

Do you own a diamond ring? Yes.

Are you happy with your life right now? For the most part.

Does anyone like you? Sure.... I'm pretty likable.

What were you doing May of 1994? Getting married. That was a good time in my life.

McDonald's or Wendy's? Wendy's.... love their baked potatoes.

Do you like yourself? Not always.

Favorite feature of the opposite sex? Smile and eyes - although was tempted to say penis, or prostate gland. You know, something that I don't have.

Are you afraid of the dark? When I start thinking about spooky stuff, yeah. But I like sleeping in a dark bedroom.

Have you ever eaten paste? No, but I do eat pasta.

Do you have a webcam? No, but I can be seen on the webcam at the farm Mon - Fri. That's enough for me.

Have you ever stripped? Uh... yeah.

Diamonds or pearls? Pearls. I am so enamored of Jackie Kennedy and she seems so pearl-y to me.

What was the last film you saw at the cinema? "FILM you saw at the CINEMA"? Wow. I guess "Sherlock Holmes" qualifies.

What are your favorite TV shows? Ever? LOST, the Office, I Love Lucy, Gilmore Girls, House, 24, Criminal Minds, Gilligan's Island.

What did you have for breakfast? Weight Watcher yogurt, Weight Watcher string cheese, two tangerines.

What is your middle name? Jean

What is your favorite cuisine? Nothing better than going out for Mexican. Best Food Ever.

What foods do you dislike? Broccoli, peas, cauliflower, nasty stuff like that.

What is your favorite CD at the moment? Sweet Anthology.

Favorite sandwich? Tomato and mayo.

What characteristics do you despise? snobbery, stupidity, thoughtlessness

What are your favorite clothes? My Sweet tee shirts, a couple black dresses that are awesome, comfy jeans, flip flops... things like that.

What color is your bathroom? Pink, but hopefully for not too much longer.

Eye Color? Greenish brown... hazel.

Ever been toilet papering? Oh yeah. And I am good at it!

Favorite day of the week? I like Saturday

review

A few pics to capture the first week in 2010...

Yes, we still have the Christmas tree up. All the other decorations are on the dining room table, apparently waiting for me to put them away. Nobody does stuff like that around here but me. Sometimes I think I just won't decorate this year, but then I would miss seeing all my Santas and having the house so festive.



It's been extremely cold this week. So cold, in fact, that Mr T doesn't want to leave the barn to go outside. So he finds things to do in the big part of the barn like knocking over the shavings bucket. I don't force him to go outside... he's too old and I know his arthritis is hurting him. There will be plenty of time for laying in the sun and grazing come Spring. Zachy, my other pig, doesn't seem to mind it as much.



I bought myself an African Violet. My grandmother used to have them and they always remind me of her. I've been having a lot of dreams about Mimi lately, so when I saw the violets in the market, I got one. Isn't it pretty?



Even the dog rolls her eyes at me when I try to take her picture now.



Quite possibly the most perfect onion omelet I've ever made. It was delicious.

shindig

Tonight Jason and I are going to a "Post-Holiday Party" at my Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Tom's house. They do this every year but this is the first that we're going... usually because Jason has to work and I didn't want to go alone. Pat and Rach will be there, thankfully, and my parents and other cousins and people we know so it should be a lot of fun. No kids though, this is a grown-up party... which congers up images of martinis and Dean Martin and shag carpeting and stereophonic tunes on the hi-fi. Apparently, I've not been to a grown-up party since the early '60s. Usually the kids just hang out in the basement playing pool and watching tv or playing games, so I don't know who I'm gonna be hanging out with when I need to get away from the grown-ups...

different

It's no surprise that men and women think differently. Lately, we have been having some really strong, cold winds blowing and part of the flashing of our roof has loosened. You can hear it flapping around up there. Jason said he'd climb up there on Tuesday to see if he can fix it or if he needs to call a roofer. Why? Because he's worried about rain and snow leaking into the attic. To which I replied, "Really? I'm more worried that the metal thing is going to fly off of there and decapitate somebody." See? Completely different lines of thinking.

second

Well, it's the second day of the new year... and it's a palindrome - 01022010 - so that makes it special, too, if you're into that sort thing, which I am not. So why did I bring it up? I don't know.

Anyway, tomorrow is my last day of my vacation and that has me bummed. It went by way too fast, and I am not ready to go back to work on Monday. One thing is for sure, though, and that is I am going to be leaving by 3pm at the latest. If they have a difficult time dealing with that, oh well... they can adapt. And I know I will have so much work to catch up on since I was gone for so long, but I don't care... I still will leave at 3pm. My priority has to be getting home in time to supervise and assist Jack in getting his homework done to the best of his ability and in the most timeliest of fashions. It may seem ridiculous that a 14yr old requires all that, and I would not argue with you, but that is what I must do. You see, Jack is doing quite poorly in school. Not because he isn't smart, but because he is extremely easily distracted and unorganized and just doesn't care. But he has become my 'project' and I am going to see that he not only does well in school and learns the subject matter, but that he learns how to study and keep his stuff organized and help him in other areas where the school system has failed him. All this will suck up a great deal of my time, but really, what other option do I have? Family is priority one, and so this means I get to go back to eighth grade again... yay.

On NYE, the kids and I saw "Sherlock Holmes" and enjoyed it. The theater was so empty, which was nice. This is what the kids and I do usually on NYE... it's a good thing. Better than going out and drinking and freezing. I'm not really very big on that particular holiday.

Over vacation, I've started wallpapering one of the walls in my bedroom. It's difficult and doesn't look perfect, but it's acceptable and I think it looks pretty. Jason, however, doesn't like it. But it's not like I am doing the entire room - it's just one wall. I will take pics when it is done. Then I want to paint the rest of the room. I want 2010 to be the year of finally getting the house fixed up.

Anyway, speaking of wallpapering, I think I'll head upstairs and maybe put some more up while I watch "Criminal Minds" or "thirtysomething" on dvd. Yes, that is my big exciting Saturday night.

three

This marks my three hundredth post for this year. Now, I think I said some nonsense about how this year I would be posting a lot more than that. So either tomorrow will see me spending a entire day typing many, many posts, or readers will have to learn to be happy with having a little over three hundred for the year. Hmm, how is this going to play out?

shining

Don't be scared... this is the feel-good comedy version. Well, this clip is, anyway.

christmas

Our Christmas day was lovely. We got up around 9am and opened presents. My parents came over around 3pm and we talked, fixed food, and played cards and then had dinner. Played more canasta after dinner before pie, and then they left. Pat and Mollie stopped by - Rach was home sick with a migraine, worst Christmas present ever, poor thing - and we visited with them for a bit. It was really nice and we all had a very good day.





I still can't believe the holiday is over until next year. Don't get me wrong, it's still Christmas time to me, but there is sooooo much prep-work for the day itself and then it's over in what seems to be a heartbeat. Next year everything will be done earlier in a more timely fashion so I don't end up having a nervous breakdown for Christmas, because that's a lousy present, too... especially to give to yourself. Much rather stick to 'days off from work' type presents.

off

I have taken this week off of work as a present to myself and it's been awesome. Haven't done anything major, but it is so nice getting to relax and do my own thing after all the hullabaloo of the holidays and the pre-holiday insanity. Here is a small list of what I've done lately:

Watched 'the Sound of Music' with Jason and Jack
Took a 3hr nap today from 2:30 - 5:30pm, and it was glorious
Went out to lunch with Jason
Played new wii games with Jack
Have started wall-papering one of the walls in our bedroom.
Watched thirtysomething on dvd

A lot of relaxing and having fun. So needed and so enjoyable. So there.

sunday

Sunday was spent at my sister Kim's house with all of our families.

A brief history on the whole sister situation: Kim and I have the same birth-mother who gave us both up for adoption when we were infants. We found each other almost 5 years ago when I googled my birth-name - Sarah Jean Walters - and up popped a form that Kim had filled out at a looking-for-adoptive-relative-type website. She knew that I existed but I didn't know that she did. We met face to face on my 40th birthday. Her parents and my parents are good friends now and visit each other and go to things together. Ironically, both of our dads worked for Boeing and knew a lot of the same people. Both of our moms are chatterboxes and can talk your ears off, now in stereo. Kim and her husband Rich have 3 boys and we all get along great and it's very cool.

Yesterday, I met for the first time John, who is Kim's adopted brother that she grew up with and his daughter Katie, who he just found out about a few years ago. Also at the shindig were Katherine, who is Katie's mom, and her partner Diane, and they brought their adorable 3mo old pug puppy, who charmed and entertained us all. It was a great time and we all had a blast. It's a lot of fun getting together with this new part of our family.

Jason holding 16mo old Gabe.


Kim's mom and my mom in constant conversation. Boy, these two could gold medal in the Olympic Chatterbox Team.


Jack and my nephews Johnny and Mike, along with my new brother John. The boys get along very well and all had a good time together. Likewise, Jason and John seemed to enjoy each other, too, and definitely had a musical compatibility thing going on. Nice.


Kim's brother John, which kinda makes him my brother, too, which is cool. As I told him, "I never had a brother before. Will you beat somebody up for me?" And he said he would. That is so cool. I didn't get his daughter Katie is in this picture which is too bad because, along with Jack, that would make three redheads on this side of the family. Awesome!


My long-lost sister and I together again.

tradition

Well, just like every Christmas for the past few years, I awoke on Dec 26th feeling sick and like I'm coming down with something. You know the drill: achy, sore throat, headache, exhausted, sinuses congested, and a nasty phlegm situation that I won't be elaborating on here. But seriously, this is one holiday tradition that I would love to not deal with anymore. This is the fourth year in a row that has seen me sick immediately after Christmas, and while I am grateful that it strikes post-holiday, I really would be much more delighted if it didn't happen at all. So for right now, it's back to being horizontal... going to lay in bed and watch thirtysomething on dvd, which isn't such a bad thing - if only I could do it without hacking up a lung.

humbug

Well, it's Christmas eve and I have a million things to do. Yes, a million. I will get in here later and write more, because right now I am decorating the tree, cooking stuffing, vacuuming, putting things away, making candy, trying to get the Christmas tree to stand up straight and not be crooked, scrubbing the downstairs bath, wrapping presents, tidying up the house because my parents are coming over tomorrow, and I don't feel like doing any of it. Jason and Brittany are at work, so it's just Jack and me, and I don't feel very Christmas-y. I feel tired and cranky and really fed up with the holiday, which is not how I want to be on Christmas. I truly love this holiday but haven't been able to enjoy it one bit, and that just adds to my stress. I don't have visions of sugarplums dancing in my head... I have visions of us blowing off all the stress and craziness of Christmas and going on a tropical vacation instead where I can lay on the beach drinking something with rum and a little umbrella in it.

snow

summer

This video was taken at the end of this past summer and features two of my favorite people in the whole world: Jack, my son, and Mollie, my first cousin once removed (I think... she's my cousin Patrick's daughter, you figure it out). It's just a little reminder to me that summer will once again be here. Not soon enough, but it will, one day.

snow

Jason stayed at his work on Saturday night which was good since the snow was coming down like mad all day. I took a couple pics but my camera battery died, so I will stop and get a new one on my way to work today. I have three days this week to get all my work stuff in order and done since I will be off until the 4th of the new year. So looking forward to having some down time to relax, to organize and clean the house, to breathe. I am operating on very little sleep and the remedy for that doesn't seem to be in my near future. Got a lot done around the house over the weekend, but not all that I had planned on, mostly because a good chunk of yesterday involved shoveling the front walk, sidewalk, Jason's parking space, and digging my car out. It was exhausting and back-breaking, but fortunately the kids helped a lot. Why is it that Jason always manages to get snowed in at work and not at home? Could it be so the kids and I get to shovel out everything? Hmm, could be. But I was just relieved that he wasn't going to be driving in it in the middle of the night. You know, my opinion of snow greatly changes depending on where I am. From inside, I love it. It's so pretty. When I'm out in it and freezing and can't feel my toes and fingers, and when the car slides on the road or another car/truck comes sliding at you, and when you finally get your car dug out but then the snowplow comes along and voila! you are snowed in again, and when you shovel and shovel and shovel and your back is screaming at you and your knee says, "hello? weren't we supposed to be babying me?!" and you're thinking, "is this heart attack snow cause I don't know if my chest and arms should be hurting so much", then I don't like it so much. Just so we're all clear on that.

rollers

Sometimes you just need to hear some happy music with killer harmonies and a sexy bass player to make everything a little bit better...

frost

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost - 1923

I've never been one who got into poetry, but Frost speaks volumes to me. I love him.

three

It's 3am and I am awake. This is because I fell asleep on the couch in the front room around nine and awoke to the sound of the snow plow pushing snow in front of my car at 2am. Jason is staying over at work (the Temperance House is also an Inn), and he's scheduled to work tomorrow because it's that busy time of year with banquets and holiday parties, etc... so that is better than him trying to drive home and then have to turn around just to go back to work. But that also means that I don't get to see him, which sucks more. Tomorrow, or later today when I officially get up, I will need to shovel out my car as well as Jason's parking space. See, this is the part where the snow gets ugly. Sure, it's all pretty falling and looks great when you see it out your window while you do some finishing touches on the Christmas decorating, but then you have to actually go out in it, and then it's a big pile of yuck. Since the little movie was shot below, we've had about an extra foot dumped on us, so it's very deep. Madison is a nut running around the back yard in it. She is so funny.

snow

chickens

Most of Thursday, I helped Richard winterize the chicken coop. The structure itself has four walls made out of a thicker gauge chicken-wire, with a very low-pitched roof. We cut plywood and screwed it in all the way around, leaving only the door open. Their nesting boxes are chock full of straw, and I think they will do much better out there now. Usually they roost when they go to bed, but if it gets cold enough they will go in the nesting box, and the wood sides all the way around the coop have completely cut down on the wind factor. I feel better knowing they're warmer.

I am up at the crack of dawn on Saturday because Brittany was scheduled to work at 6am and I didn't want her walking because it is below freezing and we're supposed to have a major snow storm happening. Of course, there's no snow as of yet, but according to the Accuweather news crew, a huge Nor'easter is on it's way, and it could be one of the biggest snowstorms to hit the Philly area in a December. We'll see. They love to talk up these things a lot.

I'm really hankering for some breakfast, but since I am waiting for Deb to pick me up for Weight Watchers, well, breakfast will have to wait. However, one thing that I am looking forward to in my near future is getting into her Mini-Cooper with it's heated car seats. Oh, let me tell you, heated car seats are the best invention for a car. Forget your rack and pinion steering, anti-lock brakes, v-8 engines... ha! That stuff is for amateurs! Because there is nothing sweeter than parking your tush on a hot car seat. It's like a little spa treatment for your back and bottom. I love it.

I don't know how I will have done this week. It is getting increasingly more difficult as the holidays get closer and the weather gets colder and I continue to not exercise because I am still babying my knee, which, by the way, is feeling better but not completely better. I am off my cane, and can walk almost relatively normally, but by the end of the day, I am more aware of it. I have to be careful of how I turn or twist it, too. But it's getting there. Maybe Santa will bring me a new knee.

The chickens at the farm have stopped laying eggs. I don't know if they aren't laying because it's so cold, or if they are laying somewhere else and we just haven't found the clutch. We'll know if we can't find one of the hens. If that happens, that means she's in 'incubating' mode and will pretty much stay on top of the eggs until they hatch. We don't want that happening in winter, and so far all four birds come back to the coop every night and are seen throughout the day wandering around together, so I am hoping they have some sort of chicken sense to not lay during the cold. But I am missing making those eggs into yummy omelets or soft-boiled eggs. I tell you, free-range farm-fresh eggs is the only way to go. The yolks are dark yellow and the eggs taste amazing. And it's the humane way to go. Well, for the chicken who layed it, not so much for the chick inside the egg. But the chickens who get to wander around the farm all day and be a chicken, not cooped up (no pun intended) in cages in horrible situations. When the warm weather rolls around and eggs are in abundance again, I will be buying from a local humane farmer, when I can't get any eggs from the chickens at work, that is.

I think I've talked myself into a egg breakfast when I get back from my meeting.

update: I gained .6 of a pound this week... bah humbug!

dream

The other night I was feeling extremely stressed out about a variety of things, namely Jack's schooling situation, trying to get the house decorating finished (yes, still), things at work, and of course shopping that I don't have the time, money, or inclination for. And often, when I am stressed, I don't sleep well, and that night I didn't. I had a very weird dream and I awoke feeling rather unsettled...

In my dream, I discovered that my grandmother is alive. I am so happy and thrilled that Mimi is here, and then she shows me a bite wound on her leg and I instantly recognize it as being from zombie. So now I have to shoot my grandmother before she completely turns into a zombie, and let me tell you, that is really stressful on an emotional level, even in a dream.

In part two of my dream, I am trying to get Stanley from "The Office" into my car because I am trying to save him from the zombies. I already have Bam Bam, the goat from the farm, in the backseat.

Stanley, get in the car. We don't have time to go get a coffee.
I'm not gettin' in no car with a goat in it.
You don't need to worry about the goat. You need to worry about the zombies.

Which I thought was pretty funny dialogue for a dream. And that is pretty much all that I remember. Which was enough.

The "finding out that a deceased loved one is actually still alive" theme is very recurring in my dreams, although it usually involves my grandfather Poppie, and one of my many childhood pets. Often, they are in the garage of my house in California, and I am always so happy to find that Poppie, or my parakeet Kelly, or a myriad of hamsters have survived down there. Then I awaken and am disappointed all over again.

laugh

late

I am up at almost 12:30am unpacking Christmas things, because I feel like if I don't get this done, I'm never going to get the house decorated. There is so much to do and so little time. I spent over an hour in traffic tonight trying to get to one of the local high schools where they were doing the H1N1 vaccinations. There was that much of a crowd-scene trying to get there, which I didn't realize at the time. I just figured it was a traffic accident up ahead, but when we crossed the intersection and were positioned on top of a slight hill, we could see the miles of brake-lighted cars ahead of us and that's when I said 'nope, I'm done.' Not a big fan of flu vaccines anyway, but everyone at work needs to get them because we can't risk getting sick and then contaminating the pigs, as they get hit a lot harder with it than humans do. So for them I will get a shot, but we gotta be able to get to the place first. I called Susan and told her and Richard to not even bother trying to come down, it was too swamped and there was no way they would have been seen before they shut down at nine. I traveled about a mile in an hour's time. I'm hoping Susan's dr can come to the farm and give us the shot because trying to battle thousands of people to just even get to the facility is a bit ridiculous.