Defrocking Inside, Re-decorating Outside

This past Saturday, Mandy decided that was going to be the day to take the tree down. It was a plan that, for the most part, went fairly well. Only one ornament was destroyed in the defrocking -that one being one that wasn't even on the tree but was still "safely" in its storage spot in the box but apparently, it was an ornament that appealed to Kurtis and he just had to pick it up and fondle it. That is, until it slipped out of his hands, feel to the floor and smashed into a mass of tiny shards just ready to prick into tiny barefeet, ya know!

That part of the de-trimming process landed Kurtis out of range and into the safety zone of his play pen!

The other "big" event of the tree detrimming was that for a time, Chino -the sweet little cat -disappeared. Couldn't find her, she wasn't responding to our calls, etc., and then, lo and behold, I spotted her.

Now, I know you're gonna look at this and say "WTF" -"What is in this black picture?" But really, if you study on it, look really, really close, you can see the object of our attention there.


Ok - here's little bit brighter picture of where Chino was hiding. Actually, she was so snuggled up in the branches and so sound asleep, I think maybe an earthquake could have shook the house and not disturbed her!


Today marked the date that Mandy and I had actively prayed for since oh, the Friday before Christmas. Yes, it was the first day back to school for Miss Maya.

Considering that the weather forecasters on the local tv stations were calling for lots of really crappy weather today and some school districts down in northern Maryland that falls into our local stations viewing range were either closing for today or running on delays, I was a bit worried this morning that the same might be arriving here and stop the return of the kids to school today. However, this morning was nice -cold, but nice -no snow, no ice, no sleet, no freezing rain. Nope, that forecast had all been changed to those conditions due to hit this afternoon!

And yes, they did hit then too -beginning with snowfall -those humungeous and really fluffy snowflakes, coming down rapidly and thickly for about two hours or so. Enough to cover the ground with a light blanket of snow before it switched over to rain and freezing rain, to boot.

Bill came home and quickly showered as he and his buddy, Jason, absolutely had to run over to Clearfield to Bob's Army and Navy Store for some such item. Apparently it was a really high priority run for them too. I know, to get me to go out in the kind of weather, on the crappy roads we had -still have at this hour now too three hours later -it would have had to be something involving lots and lots of pain -or blood -and would have meant heading to the hospital but sure as hell not to "Bob's Army and Navy Store!" Priorities sure do differ between the sexes as well as age groups, don't they?

Here's a couple of pictures taken last night when Mandy gave both the kids a treat -a popsicle! Too cold for my tastebuds to be eating those things now, but they enjoyed 'em, for sure!

Don't you think, with those eyes, Kurtis is going to be a "ladykiller" for sure some time in the not so distant future? His eyes always get me!

And, here's Maya in one of her relatively normal but very smug looking faces! Seeing this look on her face generally is indicative of a bit of attitude about to befall us but last night, she was actually on her good behavior -for the most part anyway!

And finally, a friend of Mandy's posted this video -from YouTube -on her CafeMom place today. Mandy showed it to Kurtis and he went ballistic watching it -laughing like a regular little fool! Later, when Mandy went to show it to me, Kurtis came over and insisted I pick him up and hold him so he could view it all the better -again -then too! Judging by the way he was kicking -along with his laughter -I'm betting my legs will have some really nice, big black and blue marks all over the shin areas! Nice!

I still can't figure out how to put a YouTube video in using the blogger video thingy. So you'll just have to click this on and watch it. But I putting it here mainly for all the cat lovers who stop by and read my blog. You know who you are -Fermicat, Magnetbabe, Minnesota Blue and lots more too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkT7A3jegBc

Now everyone, have a great day ahead -stay warm, stay safe and please keep the crappy weather where it belongs -that being, where you live, not here!

OKAY?