New Year's News

This is slightly late on here, but I did post it on Facebook, twitter and posterous the day it happened. On January 3, my first day of clinicals for my last quarter I was meet with a flash freeze over night. Thanks to a lack of delay on part of the school and poor Pennsylvania road conditons, and the unknown driver of a Jeep my 2004 Mitusbishi Eclipse met with an untimely end.

I loved my car so very much because she was the perfect size for little 'ol me. Not to mention she had been a New Years gift from my husband when we were celebrating the start of our 1st year as a married couple.

I hope that this is not a sign of things to come in the New Year!

New Year, New Start

Happy New Year!

It's time to make some resolutuions. I have given up on doing them in the past since I can't make them last more than a week or two... or four if I'm really ambitious. This year has me thinking a little differently since I took a different stance. This year is to continue what I started last March; loosing weight, living healthier and just gernerally improving my overall out look.

Improving my outlook will involve accpeting all the choas in our lives right now and trying to adjust to it in a positive manor. For example, this whole impending relocation to Virginia has me slightly terrified. I haven't live in a city that large in a long time. There is also the whole fear of the unknown with the Virginia thing. As much as Joe reassures me that I will love it there, I know in my heart I'm a country girl. I hope I can adjust!

Winter Woes

It's really depressing when it's not even Halloween and the forcast is calling for 6-10" or 8-12" of snow. The leaves haven't even made thier way off the trees yet. Inevitably that will add to the distress this early snow will bring. I keep in mind that the ground isn't frozen yet, so it should melt rather quickly in the 40 degree temperatures that are being called for on Sunday.

I've got firewood coming on Thursday while I set aside money to start buying coal for the colder months of December-February. It appears that will be the most cost effective form of heating this winter, even if I have to buy a ton each month. It's cheaper than my electric bills have run over the past 6 winters. In fact tonight I've got the fireplace going just to avoid turning the heat on when the temperature plummets for the next coupld days (and nights). It is cute to see all the pets come out and lay aloof in the living room while the woodstove keeps us all toasty. I guess they see it as comforting as well.

As I plan all of this I realize I will be doing a lot of it alone while Joe works in Virginia. I never imagined having to survive a winter in this Hell Hole without him. It just makes it that much worse to deal with. I know that the seasonal depression will be compounded by missing him, school drama, and work drama. I know Joe will be back and will be here to help when he can, but it's still hard. Casey doesn't shovel snow... I should probably start keeping a $20 in the house to bribe the guys from maintinance to run the plow up the driveway.

Quickie Weekend

Joe was able to come home this past weekend. It was so nice to be able to snuggle with him that first night. I think it threw all the pets off that he was home because they have adjusted to sleeping in his spot in thebed.

His first night home was Friday night and he got in much later than planned due to traffic jams in the great state that doubles as a parking lot... New Jersey! I made him ziti with meatballs for his first official dinner home. What can I say, I have to feel my little meatball some meatballs! Then we just laid on the couch and watched Futurama.

Saturday was like our normal routine had just fallen back into palce. His father came upin the morning to help chop some firewood. About half of it got done because the wood wasn't seasoned. We're going to wait a month or so before trying to chop the rest. We did grocery shopping in the afternoon, had lunch at the Milford Diner followed by  ice cream at the Milford Dairy Bar. It was such a beautiful day out. I couldn't have asked for a nicer weekend. I had to work that night and Joe headed off to watch the UFC fights withthe boys.

Sunday I got home at 8am and he had to leave at 8:30. It was sad to have to say goodbye to him. I felt like I barely saw him. In the time since he left I've had horrible nightmares. Monday night they were so bad I almost called him in the middle of the night to make sure that everything was ok. in the nights since the dreams have subsided. I guess it's just my mind really missing him.

Lost Woobie

I'm lost without Joe right now. He left for Virginia this past Friday morning. He was originally going to leave on Thursay, but that was our 4 year anniversary and I was heartbroken that he might have to leave that day. I'm happy I was able to convince him to stay the extra day.

Our last day was marked by a meeting with the insurance adjuster from Liberty Mutual about my water logged interior in the Eclipse. It's going to get fixed because if we had to pay out of pocket, I would just be dealing with a moldy car. Who knew a car could get so soaked just sitting in a driveway in a hurricane?

After that we had at late lunch at the Gem and Keystone. We both opted to try something new on this visit and the food did not disappoint us! Then it was off to home. I have to admit that I was having a hard time being happy. All I could focus on was that he was leaving the next morning. After moping in the bedroom for a half hour or so, he pulled my into the living room to watch Rocko's Modern Life. Yes, cartoons make it all better.

We headed to bed early because Joe was having lower flank pain. Pretty sure he's got a kidney stone now since the pain hasn't eased. I've got him applying a heating pad, taking ibuprofin every 4 hours and alternating cranberry juice and orange juice with water in between. I know that he is doing ok, plus that's what he tells me, but I still worry. I've had chronic kidney stones since I was 18 and I know how painful they can be, so my heart is aching for him. It's killing me that I can't be there to make him feel better and help him.

9/11 Bud Commercial

On this day each year, I post this commercial somewhere. Only aired once during the Superbowl of the 2001 season, it is, to me, the most beautiful honoring of what happened that day.

We Will Never Forget
2001-2011

Where's My Ark & My Electricity?

I kept a log of what was going on during the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. I finally got around to typing it up on the computer. I originally wrote it with an old fashioned pen and paper. Wow!

Sunday:

Stupid hurricane or tropical storm or whatever Irene was calling herself. We survived the storm only to have the power go out after it was over. Stupid winds. Stupid Poconos. Stupid Met-Ed. It will be at least 1 week until I have power restored! Played a round of scrabble with Joe. I started. 1st word: Insane. Yup, that game started off good. I lost... SOB. 

I'm getting cranky. I'm getting bored. I can't do any homework because the computer is dead.  I knew I shouldn't have been shopping online earlier. I mean, doing my homework and project for school.

Car flooded horribly. My carpets in there look like the would float away if the doors were left open long enough. I guess I'll call the insurance company tomorrow to see if I should bother filing a claim.

I talked to my folks. Looks like they'll be without power for over a week. Sean's is heading out to get a generator at Tractor Supply Co. when they come in today. Mom mentioned the possibility that a tornado touched down on New Prospect. Freaky.

Going a bit stir crazy... still. I took the dogs on a bunch of walk to expand their little world. I can't take them to the creek or they'll float away. Don't want that now... 

As the sun sets, I'm reminded of living in my first apartment. I wouldn't turn the lights on until the last possible minute to conserve electricity. It's the same to night, minus being able to turn on the electricity. I know Met-Ed is going to jack it to the customers to pay for this. We get a 44% increase in rates every quarter. I do believe now it will be 88% every other month to pay for this clean up. I think I'm going to call out of school tomorrow. If the roads are a mess, I'm not killing myself to get there.

I have to say though, without all the ambient light from the surrounding communities, you really can see all the stars. It looks beautiful when I look up. I felt like I was camping. Of course, peeing in the woods gave me the same feeling.  I wonder where I'm going to shower.

Monday:

Joe left for Virginia this morning with his mother. He's heading down there for an interview. I had to bring him to the community parking lot since all the roads are closed and his mother would get lost trying to get to us. I sent him on the road with chocolate chip muffins and cornbread that I baked during the storm.... when I had power! He called later to tell me that they were detoured through Pocono Ranchlands into Pine Ridge to get to Bushkill Falls Road, which was closed, so they had to go up East Sugar Mountain Road just to get back down to Route 209 in Marshalls Creek. At least his mother got a tour of the upper Poconos.

 

My school had classes, despite the town it's in being flooded badly. I opted not to go since I thought it would be too dangerous. I was right.

Turns out the in-laws had no power either. They're in NJ, they'll get it back before we do, right? Nope. I tried to run my thawing freezer contents over there only to have Joe and his mother call as soon as I got to Montague to tell me there was no power there either. Crap.

Tuesday:
I hit the gym this morning so that I could shower. My 3 hour morning class was only 1 hour. I can't complain about that one. Or that my afternoon class was canclled since the professor lives in an area that will be declared a disater area. Now I just wait for a midnight text about clinicals in the morning. *praying*

Since getting home I spent the afternoon pouring over old magazines. I got a nice pile of them to recycle. I tore out the few little things I liked. Once I figure out how to scan them into the computer, I will have no clutter left. I like the sound of that!

The electric company is right up the road. I'm hoping to have my power back tonight. To fend off the bordem, I've been taking the dogs on 4 or 5 walks a day. That has been making us happy though. I'm exploring the neighborhood that I'm leaving in 6 months. ha ha

I was getting texts from Joe all day. Richmond sounds great.  I'm going to let him fill everyone in on his new job there. Looks like we've got a new place to set up a life.

Wednesday:
Never got that midnight text message from the profressor. I got up at the butt crack of dawn and drove to meet my carpool buddies. We got to clinical this morning to find out it was cancelled. Headed home to be bored. If I had known there wasn't going to be a clinical today, I would have gone to the gym. I've really slacked off this week and last week.

10pm, I'm laying in bed only to hear the voice of George clooney coming from my living room. Scary dream or is my power back?? POWER IS BACK!!! So excited. Now to go back to bed. Hey will you look at that, a text messege at midnight canclling clinical. Whoo! Dreams are coming true tonight!

Thursday:
Joe's home. I missed him so much. He'd going to fill me in about Richmond, but now I know this change is for real. To bribe me, he brought hom vegan cupcakes that were to die for! Once I have an IV bag full of those delectible cupcakes, I'm all for the idea of moving!