Minds can be changed...

Elin has decided to miss a couple days with Auntie Ellen & Uncle Michael and go to 6th grade camp. She decided to go because its the only time she will get to go as a camper. I'll have to get her a couple disposable cameras to take along. I'm kinda glad she changed her mind. I remember it as being a great experience if you take out missing all day Thursday for going to an eye appointment in Portland and having your older sister on the same week as your councilor.

Oh Boy! The first week of May in the mountains. Weather is usually horrible, snow, rain, mud and gunk. Heavy coats in the morning with frozen ground, then warm sloppy afternoons and NO SWIMMING! The lake is way to cold. She ought to have a great week.

Good News/Bad News

Bad news first: School is now ending May 20th instead of the 28th. Spring sports is pay to play with the coaches volunteering. Elin is missing out on 6th grade outdoor school camp because Ellen and Michael will be here that week. Maybe I can take her up there on Tuesday and she can get in...
(Picture: Elin & Ebby)
Now the almost bad news: Elin had her 4H Rabbit/Poultry Spring Fling which is a fun day for all rabbit/poultry 4H'ers in the tri-county. Her first rabbit got a blue, her second got marked down for bad markings and her 3rd one, our darling Shadow got disqualified. Turns out he should have not passed the health check at the beginning of the fling, he has a cyst on his belly that has to be lanced. After all the bad news and disappointment, she got to go and spend the night Saturday with some friends who are also in her club.

The Good News: We got home tonight from her "all schools" choir concert. She got to play drum in one of the 6th grade choir songs, the two kids who normally do it were out sick. This was a very nice concert with members from Kindergarten to Senior in High school. It included the Crook county Boys Choir who head out to Ireland next week. Over 200 voices were raised in a song at the end of the concert. It was very nice.

Feburary is shot

With only a couple days left in February, I realized I hadn't checked in for a while. I spent Valentines weekend in Sacramento CA at my soccer Section meetings. Had a really great time. Spent about 9 hours driving down and back with 2 people on the board that I didn't know very well before we left. It was fun watching as the enthusiasm from the meetings moved into Christine and Lisa. They are so gung-ho now to do fund raising and trainings. We get started tomorrow evening at our first board meeting of the year.

The trimester is almost over for Elin. So far, 2 weeks has been cut from the end of the school year moving the last day of school from June to May 28th. The budget is at 1.1 mil in the hole so far this school year, no idea where it will end at, they are expecting to be something like 3 mil in the hole by the end of the year. Its really sad that neighboring schools are raising funds for our students to be able to have spring sports and compete. All of the coaches are going to volunteer their time for the track for both boys and girls.

Good night, sleep tight

Time Flies

Time flies when your working hard. Here it is already Feb. I leave Thursday to go to Sacramento CA for the Section 2 AYSO conferences. Section meetings are always a good way to start the soccer season. I'm driving down with 2 other women, about a 10 hour drive. Can't wait to meet up with other Oregon AYSO people who attend. The only bad thing is that the weather is not cooperating. Its started snowing all over the state again today. Driving conditions may no be very good.

We are getting ready to schedule registration dates and get the 2009 season underway. At least this year I'm not having to do all of it by my self. I've got 2 board members for treasurer and registration so I'm feeling very good with very little pressure.

I bought a new scanner yesterday. a ScanWizard5 with the slide and negative strip attachment. Played with it a while last night and scanned the picture of Elin from the 2008 season.



Haven't tried slides or strips yet, have too much going on to get ready to go. Todd left yesterday to work in Washington state. He should be home tonight. Doesn't look like I'll make the PEO meeting tonight.

Time to get E out of bed. I've called her once with only a groan. Now I'm going to have to turn on the light I won't really do it. She use to wake to excited about going to school and would have a huge smile on her face. This year, she is grumpy and lumpy and no fun till after breakfast, if then. Have a really good day today.

The snow from the end of December and the first of January is gone. The only traces left are at the top of Grizzle and Powell Butte and in the shadows on the north slopes of hills. The last few days we have been under a severe air inversion that has left much of Oregon in fog. And, of course, eastern Oregon has had freezing fog. The hoar frost in some places around Madras on Tuesday got up to about an inch long.

This morning I went out to start the car and the windshield was just wet. I climbed in to start the motor and run the wipers and darn if it wasn't patches of ice along with the wet. I got Elin to school, got home and stepped out of the car and went sliding down the drive. I had been gone about 10 minutes.

About an hour later, it wasn't any better, I was headed to Redmond and stopped to pick up Spencer. (He works at the Opportunity Foundation). He was running late and could hardly see... His glasses had gotten wet then froze while he was trying to walk to work (21 miles from where he lives). Any way, I stepped on the breaks and fish tailed to a stop at the side of the road. I then had problems getting started again down the highway after he got in because it was so slick. The really weird thing was that on top of the ice, it was very wet. Cars and trucks were throwing up muck onto windshields. (needless to say, I came home early.)

Spencer is kind of famous around central Oregon. In bad weather he walks to and from work. When the weather gets warmer and then through into fall when it gets to cold, he rides his bike. He has only missed 2 days of work in 10 some years that he has worked at OFCO. Its amazing how many people know him and are willing to pick him up to give him a ride.

Snow Gone!

Our beautiful snow is gone! All that is left is the piles of pushed aside dirty stuff. At least the drive is clear and I can take my car out again to work tomorrow. Not that the weather is improving. Tonight is a 50% chance of rain/snow same with tomorrow. Temps are up! Both outside rabbits got a little close to their light and singed the hair on their backs. Spice has quite a large singed area. Shadow's is just about quarter size. Neither got their skin burned, but it was enough that I raised their light farther above them so they can't get right up to the bulb. Although with the above freezing temps they really don't need the light.

Its back to work tomorrow. I've been doing the never ending laundry today. My usual Sunday activity. Todd and Elin headed out to Grammy & Papa's today. It sure has been nice and quiet without her "I'm bored".

We had a nice Christmas. Was good to see Tammi and Guy, Todd's brother and his wife. They arrived Christmas day just in time for dinner. They took off Friday morning to head back to Chiloquin.

Below is Elin, 5'1" taller than Grandma Norma, she is ready for her concert last Dec 7th.

Dec 23rd

Elin has already started on "can I open a present?" No, she has to wait till Christmas morning at Grandma Norma's then again in the evening at Grammy & Pappa's.
So, this is what the house looks like with 4 inches and counting. I started cleaning the drive, but it has been driven on several times so it is hard to get it all up.
So, I worked harder on my side of the drive than I did Todd's, but that is his problem. I had to move my car in order to get mom's out to take her on errands this afternoon. I've been putting the dog into the garage at night due to the cold, cold weather. She seems to wake up happier in the morning having the heat.

Well, along with the bomb that went off in a bank killing 2 police officers over in the valley, Prineville had it's own version. A call was made to the Mental Health office, and caused about 6 blocks to be evacuated for the day. This happened last Friday. It turned out that the call was traced and a suspect arrested. It closed the Mental Health building, several business across the street, US Bank and across third street (state hwy), Radio Shack and the barbershop. By the time I got home from work 3rd was back open, along with 7-11 and some others, but the bank and mental health, meat market and one or two couldn't reopen until Saturday.

So, I hope every one has a good holiday. We are double dipping again this year. Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!