Outside My Window ~ 1.9.2011

Outside My Window…is cold and dark at 7:15 p.m..  The temperature right now is about 30°F with a wind chill of 24°F.  We had a beautiful day today albeit cold and windy…my wind chimes sang to me the entire day.  Tonight will be clear and cold…a low of 23°F actual temperature, I’m not sure if there will be much wind to lower it that much more.   If you read the post yesterday you are aware of the very weird weather we were having.  It was so odd…sunshine, clouds, snow, sunshine….all in a matter of a couple of hours.  There is another winter storm forecast to move through our area Monday night and Tuesday morning however I don’t think it is suppose to be as intense as the one we experienced after Christmas.  If this winter weather pattern is following one that we experienced many years ago, we will probably have another large storm or two before this winter ends.  It does appear as if this year there are a lot of areas getting large amounts of snow that normally don’t see more than a dusting all winter.  I know a good amount of snow can create havoc in our area and we get it more often then the lower southern states ~ it must be nuts in the lower south when they get measurable amounts.  I saw on the weather channel this morning there were long lines at the gas stations for gas….grocery stores were being emptied by customers early this morning….and it was snowing as far south as Dallas.  I think I can count on one hand the number of times it snowed in Dallas the five years I lived there.  Definitely a bizarre winter this year.

I am thinking…about an early bedtime tonight.  I slept well this weekend….I generally have no problems sleeping.  But I have a tendency to stay up a little to late during the week so by the time Friday rolls around, I’m exhausted.  I would like to make a compromise with  myself ~ a little earlier to bed during the week so hopefully I’m not quite so tired by the time Friday arrives.  I found myself dozing off this past Friday not too long after I got home and sat down to relax for a moment….that is sad!  Of course I guess I could rationalize that this past week was the first one back to work after 16 days off and I was bound to be tired, but falling asleep at 7ish on a Friday night….not acceptable!  🙂

I am thankful…that we may have found a car for Cailin.  We looked at one yesterday that she liked but she wanted to think about it for a few days.  I put a small refundable deposit down to show our interest.  They also need to get it cleaned, inspected and ready to go.  I will call them tomorrow to see if they were able to do a few things I requested….if not I will wait a couple of days before we go back to finish the deal.  That is if Cailin doesn’t change her mind before that time.  I asked her to seriously consider whether or not this was the one for her and we will go from there.  She can be quite particular sometimes so I do want to be sure it is what she wants.  Fingers crossed!

From my kitchen…this evening was a large pot of home made chili.  To me, there is nothing better than a pot of chili on a chilly night….except maybe that same chili after it has sat overnight and the flavors have had the chance to blend together just so.  I think chili is always better the next evening ~ or the next time you eat it which for me will be during lunch at work tomorrow. 

I am reading…a book I picked up during my outing with my sister on New Years Eve….Twilight….and I’m enjoying it.  I took it to bed with me last night and ended up reading about a quarter of the way through.  It has been a while since I have picked up a book and read like this too….I was beginning to wonder if I ever would again.  Seriously!  Of course I have been reading snippets of things here and there but I picked this up last night and something happily clicked. 

I am hoping…that if we do experience some nasty weather in the next day or two it either stays on the light side or stays off the roads.  I know, how likely is that to happen with the cold temperatures we are experiencing now….guess maybe I will just bring some work home tomorrow evening just in case I can’t make it in Tuesday morning.  I’m really hoping if we do get snow it is minimal….I’m not ready to spend several hours shoveling snow again so soon…not to mention bored, trapped teenagers can make one crazy in a minimal amount of time.

I am hearing…the dryer tumbling Cailin’s clothes dry….the ticking of my many clocks….an annoying commercial on television.  Speaking of commercials, have they gone past annoying and stupid lately??  During the holidays I was watching Shrek on television….it wasn’t a premium channel so there were commercials.  Now tell me what is wrong with this picture….I am watching Shrek ~ geared toward the younger set more or less right (even though the first one made me laugh until I cried during some scenes) so imagine my surprise when the majority of the commercials were for men with low “t” and for numbers you could call to meet available singles in your area….cause all kids need help in either one of those departments right? 

Around the house…a few dinner dishes to clean up….some clutter here and there….warm pajamas and a cozy bed calling my name. 

Plans for the week include…hopefully finishing the deal on Cailin’s car….a dentist appointment for myself later this week which means also working from home…snow to contend with in the early part of the week, but hopefully not too much.

One of my favorite things…is that “aha” moment when everything comes together for you.  I had such a moment earlier this week while working with frames and clipping masks in PhotoShop.  I had worked with these items before but I wasn’t getting it…and because of that, I was making it much harder than it needed to be.  All of sudden, everything clicked and the “aha” moment arrived ~ but then I felt kind of stupid because it was so easy I had to wonder why it took me so long to comprehend.  🙂

A picture I’d like to share with you…I wish I could say I was posting a photograph of the two girls so I could finish my New Years card…which at this rate could end up being a spring or summer card.  Can I say how next to impossible it is to get the two of them together….when Alanna is ready Cailin is not and vice verse.  I’m thinking I may be going with a winter scene and that will be it…but I know some of the folks that will be receiving these would like updated images of the girls.  I will continue my quest….but until then….