Sitting OUTSIDE

Would you believe ... it was warm enough yesterday for my daughters and I to sit outside at Starbucks?? Time for a chat  !!

I am glad we live in the higher part of my area. The Missouri River is going over its banks nearby. One of the interstate highways is closed. The Amtrack train is closed on its route from St. Louis to Kansas City though it seems like the freights are still traveling but with delays of up to 5 hours due to congestion. The trains are avoiding the routes north of us through Wisc., Minn and Nebraska.

From what I read... the water is going over the levees but the bigger problem is the current. The water is going super fast.

On Saturday I went to my daughter's non-profit's small fundraiser. Bingo and raffles ... didn't win at Bingo but did win one of the raffles!!  A $75.00 gift card to a restaurant near to my daughter's office. I think Bob and I will use the card to take her out to lunch!!

Tonight is Harper training class night!!

Harper's training class

I went with my husband and daughter to Harper's training class... just as an onlooker since Harper is getting so big that I am a little nervous about getting tripped. She is still easily distracted but is catching on to commands and is very treat oriented. She will do quite a bit for a treat!! LOL The part of the class which is obstacle oriented - tunnels, ball pits, trampolines etc. - she is really into with very little hesitations.
The class really tires her out ... Harper spent the last part with her head on my lap waiting for her turn!!

I have been checking out the weather reports ... while the weather is warmer it will be wet and very windy especially to the west of us and north.  Flood watches and warnings are up along the Missouri, Mississippi and the smaller rivers that flow into them. Luckily we live in the higher area and not too close to the Missouri River.

BTW blizzard warnings are up in Nebraska... yuck.

Still decluttering...some to recycle, some to give away and some for the trash!
Bob sold a "Lord of the Rings" book on ebay for $40 plus shipping. He found a box, packed it up and headed off to the PO !  The book had Merry Christmas in with totally unfamiliar hand writing... no idea where it came from!!  LOL

Cool but sunny

It is SO-O-O nice to see the sun again. We are still cool ( 33 when we went out) but Bob says he can see that Spring is on its way with the change in shadow direction.

Talked him into a trip to the Disabled Vets drop off...  a charity shop... with 4 large bags of stuff. I have been de-cluttering my storage boxes. Deciding what I dan't want or need. The only problem being that it doesn't seem to make things look any better.  But at least the bags are no longer a hazard in my bedroom!

My daughter and I are going to JoAnn's fabric store later this afternoon. She is going to make a costume for her fundraising event in April. The theme is the '70's... John Travolta era. I haven't seen what she has in mind... yet!  She has started "pushing" for Bob and me to have costumes too... probably not!

 95% of the snow is gone... just a few piles from the snowplow or Bob's shoveling.. now all the leftover leaves are VERY visible.  BTW... the weatherman says 60 by midweek but then down somewhat.

change in direction

I have been following some blog threads about plastic bags.... I have been trying to remember to take my reusable bags along with me to the grocery store. My grocery store takes off $.05 for each bag you bring and they use. That's not a huge amount but... better than having piles of plastic carry bags to get rid of.  And I don't put veggies or fruits in plastic bags when I pick them out.
But bags from stores are not the only plastic we have to get rid.  I don't use plastic water bottles and I don't got to Starbucks very often. I tell Hobby Lobby that I don't need a bag.... But I do get quite a few prescriptions and each comes in its own plastic lidded container.  What do you do with them?? The pharmacy won't take them back or even use them again with your prescriptions. I washed and removed labels from the bigger ones and took them to my craft meeting. Thought others might find them useful and indeed some did. A teacher took some for storing supplies in her classroom and wants more!  Hooray.. I hated throwing them out!

Our town used to have a recycling center but the gov't decided it was too expensive... and closed it. I don't trust the trash haulers to keep the recycle bin ( pay extra for that) materials separate. So stuff just goes into the trash and then the landfill.  Oops forgot - glass recycling containers are in the grocery store parking lot.  A beer brewery set this up so it could have a supply for making new beer bottles.

So this issue is going to get bigger and bigger

Winter slogs onward....any relief in sight??

Area schools are closed again. Our big, much touted, winter storm early Sunday morning only resulted in 2-4 inches of snow. Bob said that the snow was pretty light and shoveling was pretty easy.
But the school closings are due to the really really cold temperatures! This is the 9th day that the grandchildren ( and their Mother) have not had school.  It will be interesting to see what Missouri decides to do about this. ( yes, I mentioned this before!)

We haven't been out and about after our stockpiling shop earlier...and probably won't either. I really don't want to slip .
So I have been bear making and needle felting more Easter eggs.

That was yesterday... today was somewhat better. Do love the sun !!  We had "chores"  -so a trip to the bank was completed and then off to Starbuck's for coffee with a friend. Her husband has alzheimers . Luckily she has someone who comes in and she gets a little respite.
Then off to Kohl's to use my coupons and 30% off on underwear for Bob and jeans for me.

sunny and windy but cold

Today has been sunny and windy.... but cold!!  I can actually see grass out the window and most of the snow is gone.
The squirrels are taking full advantage and are running all around the backyards! Probably trying to find the acorns they buried last fall!!  Yes... one is digging away !

Yesterday Bob and our elder daughter met at Bass Pro Shop with Harper ( her 9 month old part bloodhound pup) for a training session. Harper is easily distracted so the dog trainer recommended going to Bass Pro Shop to learn how not to be distracted when there are loads of people. Bob and Laurel and Harper sat in the lobby by a fireplace for over an hour.... lots of people... lots of compliments. Then they walked around the building... guess it was a successful outing...

That was yesterday (Sunday) ... today is still sunny but even colder. Where the melting snow left puddles is now ice and treacherous!

Harper has training tonight... Bob is going with Laurel. 

 Here's Harper in her training get-up.  Laurel and Harper stopped by afterwards .. much to the dismay of the two cats Tigger and Jack. Harper would have loved to play with them ( the shelter she was adopted from said she was fine with cats) but the cats have never even seen a dog before so they watched Harper from afar!!

green eyes of jealousy

When I read others' blogs of snow drops...daffodils  etc I get very jealous ! I sit at my computer overlooking everyone's backyards and see nothing but snow and mostly leafless trees.
Today I woke to rain... not enough to get rid of the snow but enough to clear off the driveways and street. Part of this week will be warmer than last and wet... and then back to winter weather....maybe even snow ( again).

My lasered eye is pretty clear but the lasering left me with floaters. Sometimes it seems like little flittery bugs are flying in front of me. Hopefully they will settle somewhere where they won't make me want to swat them with a flyswatter!!  LOL
Next Wednesday will be eye #2.

Aside from this I can see well enough to sew or knit or needle felt again... so I should stop complaining!  Right??

I have been needle felting Easter eggs... wool roving over Styrofoam eggs. The Styrofoam makes the eggs lighter and I don't have to use up so much wool roving. I needle felt a solid cover over the egg and then add designs.  Fun!