It's A Cold Day In Hell

Hell froze over!

a small town south/west of here

Today's high temperature was: 9

Windy and bitter

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I found out the greatest thing!!!  Balisha had lost my blog address.  She sent me an e-mail requesting it and I sent it back to her.  Her statement was, "You are hard to find!"  Which just reinforces the comfort I have in knowing all my searching and removing my blog address from search engines has worked!  Now--no distant cousin or family members can find it.  This pleases me :-)
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Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Miley Cyrus, Justin Beiber--they all started out as such lovely young innocent singers and movie stars--what happened?  Too much--too soon?  If Justin gets in more trouble, they are saying they may deport him back to Canada!

I have a friend that takes beautiful photos.  Well--she is Pammie's friend and Pammie's age, but I feel like she is one of my own kids and I am so proud of her.  She started less then a year ago, but she sure has the God-given talent, that comes from an artist"s eye, to see wonderful content.  She has just set up a website and I wanted to promote and post her link here.  Go in and look around.  Click on the different albums and then, click on "show all". Thanks.
http://rebeccasrjgphotography.zenfolio.com/p704408882

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I bit my fingernails most of my life.  Not down to the quick, but more of a hook one side and tear it off to the other.  (I also use to bit my toenails--but that is another story.)  About 25 years ago, I started using the glue on nails.  I didn't leave them long, just above the end of my finger a bit and polished them a nice, soft mauve.  My long fingers looked nice with long nails and the glued ones stayed on for quite a few weeks.  Then, one time I noticed that the glued on nails were starting to cause the real nail underneath to sort of become deformed.  I quit using them and noticed that I didn't bite my fingernails anymore and...man, my own nails took off and grew like crazy.  I let them become quite long and was quite vain about them--using hand gestures more when I talked--that sort of thing.

The other day I noticed that the index finger on my left hand as developed an arthritis bump and the end of my finger is becoming bent off to the side.  OHMYGOSH!!!  I've developed my Daddy's arthritic hands!!!

Can you see that index finger--getting crooked and bumpy?

So--I trimmed all my finger nails back!!

I was enthralled with my left hand because, as you can see,

my right hand is not too attractive with 1/4 of my index finger gone!

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Well--I have to rant!  I posted on Face Book about a young woman friend of mine who can't get health insurance.  Well, the young woman is my Pammie!!  We talked about it last Sunday.

She isn't in bad health, does not have a pre-existing condition, she hasn't any outstanding medical bills and she is not pregnant, so even though she is poor, she can't get Medicaid.  She called to see about getting set up with ObamaCare.  She can't get the subsidy because she doesn't qualify for Medicaid.  She was told that she should go to the doctor, get a lot of tests done and then--when she received the bills that she cannot pay, Medicaid will pay them for her.  Pam's reasoning is, why would she want to rack up a whole lot of medical bills, knowing she can't pay them, in hopes that she MIGHT get on Medicaid.  What if they turned her down or wouldn't pay all the bills.  So she told the lady, she just wanted some low cost health insurance.

She would HAVE TO HAVE maternity coverage--even though she is 55 and through menopause!  When she and the lady finally got it all settled, on what she needed--the cost was way more then Pammie can pay.  There is one good thing, Pammie will not have to pay the tax penalty for not being insured because--SHE IS SO POOR SHE DOESN'T MAKE ENOUGH TO FILE INCOME TAXES!!!!!

You all know by now, that I have NO love for that man who lounges around the White House, but I thought perhaps his health care plan might help Pammie.  It does not!!  It is the most convoluted law I have ever witnessed.  My other kids health insurance policies all went up--at least 1/3 AND their deductibles also--from $1,200 to $2,500.  THIS IS RIDICULOUS PEOPLE!!!

So, tonight I heard on the news that it's a good thing Pammie can't get on Medicaid BECAUSE,. you may be poor enough for it, BUT if you have any assets--like a house, 

which is not included when you sign up for Welfare, WHEN YOU DIE--under ObamaCare, the government will MAKE your heirs sell the house (even if it has been Willed to them) to pay for what Medicaid paid for your medical care.

Pardon my French, but this is FRIGGING UNBELIEVABLE!!!

...and Pammie voted for him twice!!!  She ought to get some help just for being one of his constituents and her error in judgment!!!

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I got an early morning call from my sister, Susan.  She and her hubs were shopping in Howell and they were coming to visit and bring me lunch.  What did I want?  "Two soft tacos please."

I told you that I was having a difficulty trying to figure out where to hang my new cross stitch.  I told Susie, she got up, took down the crocheted piece our great grandmother had done and said, "It needs to go here."...and the amazing thing is--I had the crochet piece hung on two hooks AND my long, narrow cross stitch frame hangers, just happened to fall in the same spots, so the piece hangs there perfectly.  

My sister, like our Mother, has a talent for decorating, and making little vignettes--a talent I have never possessed and will never, so of course, the picture looks great there.  I had thought to put it above the star, but it looks so much better under the star.

Perfect for all to see when they enter the front door

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I love this blog community we are joined in.  I think of most of you everyday.  When I hear the west side of our state is being hit with a huge amount of lake effect snow--I think of Jean and wonder if she is doing all right.  When I heard of the cold spell down in Florida, I worried about Sally, running around in 30 degree temperatures in her flip flops.  

When I heard of the shooting at Purdue University, my heart jumped and I started praying for Melissa's safety.  A blizzard hitting Cape Cod--oh my gosh, is Marcia going to be all right.  Icy roads in the Detroit area--are Jeanette and Debbie going to be able to get to work without getting in an accident. Is Deb's new greenhouse going to collapse! Heavy snowfall in Pennsylvania--I think of Judy Frey and my friend at Muse and Amuse.  

Snow and cold with icy roads in Texas?  How is Karen going to manage--Texans don't know how to drive in that kind of weather!  Then of course, there's Ernestine--living in the woods, way back from the road.  Is there anyone who checks on her and Cali to make sure they are okay?  Joanie--way up in Winnipeg--they have more snow then we do.  She'll be okay though--she has Gord and a 4-wheel drive vehicle.  

Judy C.--oh, she's okay.  They are wintering in Florida.  Pat and Cathy--they should be okay.  Their hubby's aren't too healthy lately, but they will be okay, at least they have husband's to share all of this with.  Jody--she has kids that check on her, she'll be taken care of and Bella--Dear Bella, living on the Cul-De-Sac--neighbors nice and close.  

What about Marla?  They got so much snow in Indiana.  She has to get to work and...she has two big dogs that have to be walked. Lisa too--living in the same area--she has to get to work and she can't if her daughter's school is closed.

When someone in my blog family is going in for tests, or their hubby has surgery--they are immediately at the top of my prayer list.  When someone has a new grand babe, I cry tears of happiness.  I find it amazing that you all feel closer to me and I know more about you than friends I have known since Kindergarten.  

We do get involved in each others lives--don't we?  How wonderful it is.  We are spread all over the map and yet--we are very close.  I just don't know what I would do without my friends in the blog world!!!

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Well ladies--tonight we are getting snow and fierce winds.  I have my front storm door tied with a stout string that comes through the door jamb and ties around my inner front door handle.  I had the wind catch that storm door once and slammed it back against the porch railing, where it smashed to bits.  I can't afford to go through that again.  Faucets will be on the trickle tonight, with cabinet doors under the sinks opened.  More snow on Sunday and then even colder temperatures next week.

I don't mind hibernating, as you all know--I enjoy being closed up inside in the winter, but...this is beginning to wear a bit even on me!!  

I will see you on Monday.  Love to all---Jude

A Bitterly Cold Thursday

Today's high temperature was: 14 degrees

Bright Sunshine

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This alert was in my e-mail:

Weather Alert for Livingston County, MI
! Wind Chill Watch !
Issued at: 3:29 am EST on January 23, 2014, expires at: 12:00 PM EST on January
24, 2014

...Wind chill watch in effect from this evening through Friday
morning...
The National Weather Service in Detroit/Pontiac has issued a wind
chill watch...which is in effect from this evening through Friday
morning.
Hazardous weather...
 * wind chill values will fall to -25 to -30 tonight through
  Friday morning.
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I looked up the Old Farmer's Almanac and it said, for this area, this week was "mild and rainy".  Really?  It also said we are to have a hot, drier then usual summer.
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Last evening, Pearl called me and our conversation went kind of like this:

"You get your pipes thawed?"

"Yep.  The kid got under there and got me all fixed up.  He looked around and said my heat tape and insulation is just fine.  Some varmint dug a hole between the skirting and the ground and it let in cold air that froze up a small section of pipe where it comes up from the ground."

"Well...good.  You better fix that hole this spring."

"I sure will."

"Do you need anything?  Are you all right."

"Yep. I'm great.  I even got my garbage can hauled out to the street."

"Why did you do that?"

"Ah--tomorrow is Thursday.  We have garbage pick-up on Thursday morning."

" They won't be coming tomorrow---we had a holiday this week..they will be coming on Friday."

"We didn't have a holiday--like Christmas or Easter or Fourth of July...it was like a Federal holiday where we didn't get mail and some banks were closed."

"I don't care...it was a holiday.  You better get out there and haul your garbage can back up to the porch."

"Naw--everyone else has their cans out--except you guys...I think I'll leave it there, just in case."

"You're all weird!"  and she hung up.
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This morning, Merle went for a walk and on his way by, he brought up my (empty) garbage can and mail.

"What are you doing out on such a frigid day?" I asked.

"Needed to get some air."

"Did you get your garbage can out this morning?"

"Nope.  I wanted to, but Pearl said they weren't coming today.  So now...I got a full garbage can and a week to wait."

"Oh.  Sorry."

"She is one stubborn woman...once she gets her mind set on somethin'.  You just can't talk any sense into her."

"Eh Yup," I said.

78 years old.  Been married nearly 60 years and still arguing over who is right!  Kind of glad I live alone!
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So--this is what I did today.  I did poke my nose outside once, to throw the bag of dirty cat litter out into the garbage can.


My smaller humidifier broke, so I got this bigger one. Holds 4 quarts--I filled it up and got it going.
Trying for at least 30% humidity in here.

 Then I got on FB and played these games:  Words With Friends, Papa Pear Saga and Candy Crush

Then I had a small roast beef sandwich for lunch and these for desert.  I have to have my fruit and...you can't tell me that covered in DARK chocolate, isn't good for me.  Just think of all the antioxidants!!!

Then I watched my soap and at 2:00, I put this together.

 The note on the back explains the history of the picture

It was suppose to go here, over the back door, but...the frame is about an inch too wide and would hang over the frame of the door. I just don't know--where should it go?

in place of this cross stitch of the Outer Banks?

or over the star?

I can't decide.  No one may want it when I die, but I know, no one will have the guts to throw it away, LOL

 So then, I sat down in my chair and did this,

While I watched this:

Little Laura (Melissa Gilbert) now lives just 3 miles away

in Howell, Mi.

and I watched The Walton's:

Then I made this for supper:

and watched this:

and of course, this:

and Big Bang Theory:

and pretty soon, I will do this.....

leaving cabinet doors open and water on a trickle

and soon after that, I will join this guy:

and sleep for nine hours.

 and...we shall see what tomorrow brings.

I hear--1-2 inches of snow and 2-4 on Sunday......and the beat goes on!

I Am Coming Into a Transit Time Period

Today's high temperature was: 7

Partly Sunny

Snowing tonight.  Going to be -15 degrees

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Minus 13 degrees when I woke up this morning to frozen water pipes!!  I have a heat tape on my exterior pipes--never have had a problem.  I did not open cabinet doors to let the warm air in.  I did not turn faucets on to let water trickle.  All the things I used to do in cold weather in my farmhouse--I have never done here, because--I THOUGHT THE HEAT TAPE WAS SUFFICIENT!!!  Apparently not!

Turned furnace up to 78 degrees, opened all cabinets by water pipes, turned on water taps. Called a plumber. Shoveled a big bucket of snow and brought into the house to melt so I could have something to flush.
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While I waited for the plumber--I did this:

Buddy climbed up into the rocker, Maggie climbed up with me

and I x-stitched and watched TV,

while they napped.

Working on the little brown bunny

Watching the birds outside

Got the bunny done

I love the basket weave on the cradle

Pipes did not thaw out so I knew, the problem was under the trailer.  Plumber finally arrived at 3:00, a nice young man, crawled under that crawl space like he knew what he was going.  Checked and the heat tape is fine.  However, because of the heaving and shifting of the cement pad this place sits on, it had opened up a small crack in the skirting and that is right where the pipe froze--about 6 inches of pipe.  He got out a propane heater and stuck it in there and we waited to see what would happen.  Nothing!

30 minutes later, I had water!!  Where the pipe comes up from the ground, has a ceramic bowl around it.  Apparently, snow had gotten into it, melted and then froze.  Usually the crock is dry, but because of the  teeny, tiny space between the skirting and the cement (from the trailer shifting), the snow got in there.  Next spring I will be sure dig out that area, put in much more soil and rocks and a 2x4 to keep it solid!!!

I asked him how it happened, why it happened and what could I do to keep it from happening again--this is how I have learned ALL my household maintenance thingies--so now--I know one more, :-) He also shoveled a lot of snow up around the skirting for extra insulation.

Plumbers around here charge $200 an hour, but this guy does a lot of jobs in this park, so it cost me $160--$80 an hour.  GEEZ!!! still a lot!   AND keep the faucets trickling a bit on these horrible, frigid nights to keep the water flowing--so the H2O molecules can't stick together and freeze.

It actually was a nice experience, as I have had with all repair and service people in this area.  They come from smallish towns and schools.  He is one of 14 children, has a twin brother, and is marrying his high school sweetheart in March.  "We found a nice little house, just around the corner up here.  We never would have known it was for sale, but one day, it was as if God sent us on a ride, because we never have gone on that road before, and we saw it. (big grin)  We want four children and I am going to be a great Dad."...and I'll bet he will.
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OMG!!!  I am going to win the Publisher's Clearing House contest!!!  One Million a year for life!

How do I know this?  I filled out one of those free on-line horoscope thingies and this morning I received an e-mail from the astrologer who did my report and she said" I am shocked at the transit period you are coming into.  Within the next three months,  you will receive a huge financial windfall!!!

Read on for your full report!"  and of course, I could have my whole report for.......money, of course,  She wants money.  Apparently she did not read the section where I said I needed financial help?

Just my luck, my "windfall" would be the big Maple tree, onto my house, smashing it to smithereens--which then, I could claim house insurance--I have good house insurance!

I will wait and if I win PCH, I will send her money for my full report, LOL.
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Well--what will tomorrow bring?

There is a Madness To My Method

Today's high temperature was: 13

Sunny

We have the frigid temperatures again, but the huge snowstorm, passed up by to the south.

I'm sorry, readers to the east--you are going to get dumped on.  :-(

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This morning when I woke up, I opened one eye and peaked at my TODAY IS, flip chart and this is what I saw.

I stared at that day.  What happened?  Did I sleep through a whole day?  Was I losing my mind?  Now--let me ponder on all this.

I know yesterday was Monday--there was no mail and I went to the Chiropractor.

I asked the kids what was going on, but they were more interested in getting their breakfast.

So--I took a wild chance that perhaps I had flipped over two days last night, and didn't notice.  I think I need a flip chart to remind me to check when I flip the TODAY IS chart over, to make sure I have done it right.  Oh well--I take the chance that today is Tuesday, change it and go out to feed the cats.

Geez--there is no method to my madness, just the reverse.

After I had the cats happily slurping up their tablespoon of morning wet cat food, I went into the bathroom.

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I have always been a blonde.  I was born a blonde, which turned into a white haired tow-head, which later turned into blonde, which, at about 15, started going mousy.

My Daddy hated the mousy and told my Mother, "Dorathy, put some lemon juice on her hair, or a rinse, or something."  So my Mother bought a "special" shampoo that kept my hair nice and blonde.  

I have colored my hair for....let's see...almost 60 years!!! EGAD!  My driver's license says my hair color is blond.  Every form I fill out says my hair is blond.  My once profile on the dating site said I was a blue-eyed blond and showed a picture(s) to prove it.

See my picture at the top of this page?  Even last summer, I was blonde or blond--whatever.

About six months ago, I decided there was enough grey color coming in that if I quit coloring it, I would have quite beautiful, snow white hair--like my sister has, like my Mother's father had.

Imagine my surprise, when quite suddenly one morning and quite shockingly I might add, I realized that all these years, I have had dark hair under my scalp--those dark hair follicle's wanting to come out and see the world...and so they have.  In actuality, I have been a brunette!!!!!  I do not have the beautiful snow white hair of my Mother's side of the family, I have the dark, really dark hair with grey overtones of my Father's side of the family--none of them ever went totally snow white.

My Chiropractor massage lady said yesterday, "You look different.  You look good, but there is something different."  She couldn't figure it out and I didn't help her because, to tell the truth, every time I see myself in a mirror, I am quite shocked.  

BUT--in my pursuit to find my "authentic" self, (LOL),it's me and I'm not going to change it---at least not right now.

I am quite amused at all of this!

So--let's see.  What else is there-----

I noticed something else this morning--at precisely 9:00 a.m., the sun comes through my computer room windows and does this:

If I were one of those widows searching for SIGNS,

I would think this was one.

BUT--it's not!  It is the sun's movement and when

we Spring Ahead, it will occur at 8:00 a.m.

I don't know if you remember, but last fall, on clearance, I ordered one of those triple-decker planters.

I thought how much fun it would be to plant it with Succulents.

Then I saw this on a website!!

WOW.

However, pondering on this--if I bought all the Succulents AND the cute little houses, that dang thing would cost me a couple hundred dollars!!!  I may have to review my idea?

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 Went out--filled feeder with this added to the seed---

He came back..... 

after a few nibbles--he flew off onto the ground--I could see him chewing on snow 

kids tell me, "squirrel runned away"

...and one last thought--

...but, who's counting, right?

Releif

Today's high temperature was: 23 degrees at noon

10 degrees now.  Minus degrees tomorrow.

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I wish Alberta would keep her Clippers up there in Canada, where they belong.

I wish Santa would keep his Polar air, up at the North Pole, where it belongs.

We are heading into another week of minus and single digit temperatures.

Not that it will effect me all that much.  I have no where to go and nothing to do so......I will stay warm and cozy in my wee residence.

Got up this morning and was going to take a shower--no hot water.  All sorts of worse case scenarios went through my head as I cleaned out the bedroom closet to get to the hot water heater waaaaaay in the back.  Heating element burned out?  Nope--I have a gas heater--they don't have an element.  They have a pan with the gas burner under it.  Down draft of air blew out the pilot light?  Probably--has happened before, but not in the last 3 years.  

I called Pearl's husband Merle and he came down to together, we figured it out.  Got the pilot light lit, turned the dial to "ON" and...whoosh, on came the gas and the day was saved.

Merle went home and I noticed that the toilet was running--like it needed the flush handle jiggled.  I jiggled.  It kept running.  So............I took off the tank cover and jiggled and fiddled and found out the problem.  The water leveler, on the float, had been turned so that the float never went back into his "hole" to let the tank fill up.  Turned it back and all was well.  Saved the day again.

Finally has enough hot water to take a shower.

Watched my soap, and traveled to the Chiropractor.

My headache was once again galloping all over the top of my head, my neck hurt so bad I could hardly turn it, the pain behind my shoulder blade (scapula) was back and my arm was numb.

I got the massage--it hurt so bad, but this girl knows what she's doing.  Then I saw the doc.  He gently held my head and moved my neck back and forth a bit--then he used his magic Woody Woodpecker tool up and down my spine, on my shoulder joints and my neck.  Then I moved to another room and another tech came in and ran the Thumper all up and down my spine, neck, and down my back, legs and feet.

I was so limp I didn't know if I'd be able to walk back to the car.  The cost?  $10.00--that was for the massage--the rest of the Chiropractic visit is paid for my Medicare.  I go back next week.  I will have to go once a week for, probably, four weeks, then every other week, until I can get back to the monthly maintenance.  I never should have quit going in November--6 weeks is just too long--the reason being?  I have slipped twice on the ice and contorted my spine and neck keeping my balance, PLUS, the old arthritic joints were really hurting.  Feel very sore tonight and probably will a bit tomorrow, but by Wednesday, if it is as it was before, I will be pain free.  At least the headache is gone!!!

Now--I have parked my car and don't think I will have to venture out until Thursday, when I once again, run out of Diet Pepsi and milk.  I have been without CAKE for three days and I may have to get some soon!  I was going to stop today on the way home, but something told me I was too tired, so instead of going through Brighton to get home, I came home the back way and when I got up to the west side of town, the corner where I turn right to come home, there was a very long line of traffic going into town.  I looked in my rear view mirrors and I could see fire trucks and ambulances, so, apparently there had been an accident.  I'm glad I listened to the God Whisper that told me to go the other way.

Now--I am exhausted and going to bed.  

I have such an exciting life!!!!!