As February Draws to a Close

We had snow in October, snow after Christmas, and now February has brought winter back in full force.  We must have gotten at least a foot of snow last week, and almost every morning since then we've gotten up to more.  Yesterday it snowed and this morning we had snow and wind.

It was amazing to watch.  I'm attempting to insert a video of it, so we'll see how it does.  UPDATE: I published and it seems to work just fine.  It's fun to watch in full screen! Brrrrr!!

In two short days March will be upon us and I think I'm ready.  Spring is starting to sound very good.  ♥

Dishwasher Update

No picture, because how many pictures of a dishwasher do you need to see?  

We finally ran a load. (Is it bigger inside?  Seems like we usually filled Brunhilda every day or two, but it took us four.)  We decided to try the one-hour wash and see how it did before we bit the bullet and went for the two to three hour cycle. There were plates and forks with egg on them, a pyrex pan that had enchiladas baked in it plus having the left-overs run through the microwave, and the usual miscellany of a well-used kitchen. The silverware basket was stuffed.  

So how did it do?  It shut off in exactly an hour and we trooped right into the kitchen to check it out. Everything was spotless and shiny!!  We were thrilled.  We examined every dish and piece of silverware.  Nary a spot. There's rising hope that this new one will be a winner!! 

Changing of the Guard

It is with some sadness that I tell my faithful readers that my beloved dishwasher, known to one and all as Brunhilde, went to that great scrapheap in the sky on Tuesday.  She had performed with great faithfulness and I knew we were on borrowed time.  The service tech who installed the new one today said he thought she was probably original to the house.   That would be forty-two plus years!

I had just set her to run Tuesday morning and stepped over to the stove to finish cleaning up after breakfast when I stepped back into a large puddle of water with more pouring out.  Thank goodness I hadn't gone any further!  

We contemplated trying to see what was wrong and fixing her, but finally decided that we would be afraid to leave the room when she was running.  We'd noticed a spot in the drum where it had rusted through just the day before and Dan had caulked it.  We finally declared total organ failure and went to look for a new one.

The shopping was an eye-opener.  Who knew Covid has played havoc with appliances?  Our local appliance store, the one we've used for thirty-some years,  had a limited number of dishwashers and only two were white.  I knew there was no hope of getting a bisque one to match the other appliances in our kitchen, but had no idea getting a white one would be a problem.  I don't want stainless, I've never liked it.  We finally picked the Whirlpool white model.  We decided if it wasn't up to our standards, we'd put our names on the list for the Bosch model we wanted and donate this one to Habitat for Humanity.  

An interesting comment was made while we were looking.  The lady helping us mentioned that someone had come all the way from Spokane a few days before to get the last white Bosch in stock because there were none to be had up there.  Apparently people building new homes can't do the final closing on their homes without a "working kitchen" including all appliances. Apparently it's a Washington rule and it's causing some problems during this pandemic. 

Well, my new dishwasher is in and we'll be giving it a run in a day or so.  I'll keep you up to date.  Here she is.  

I hope her name doesn't turn out to be Rue. ♥

The Big Snow

For once the forecasters seem to have hit it right. We've had a little snow over the past week, but then we began to hear that a big storm was coming, followed by yet another one.  And we have snow! Over a foot with more to come starting later today.  It's gorgeous and only in the twenties, so we have it much better than the south.  I hear Texas is a mess--single digit temperatures and no power; they're having a very bad time.   

But here at the resort we are enjoying a beautiful, cozy day. Coffee cake for breakfast, cups of warm coffee and tea, a little counted cross stitch and a fun books to read.  The big grandsons have taken off to do some skiing.  Ahh, the young!! Meanwhile, D is enjoying a little sledding.

Here are a couple of pictures from here at the Resort this morning.

View out the back--not a black and white photo!

The front view.  Boxwood marshmallows!

  Brrr!! Stay warm!!  ♥

Hello!

Well hello there!  Here it is, Presidents' Day weekend and Valentine's Day all in the same few days.  How quickly February passes.  And today is the birthday of one of our nieces.  Party on!

It's been a beautiful day.  Snow was forecast overnight, but it didn't begin until about daybreak.  It's cold, very cold as in the teens, and so even though it snowed almost all day, we got maybe three inches of very light, fluffy snow. We are supposed to get more over the weekend so we'll see how it goes.  

I don't have a lot of Valentine decorations, but I did make that runner last year with a kit from Shabby Fabrics so this is its first appearance.  I do love it!

I still use the four red hearts on sticks that Daniel gave me when he was five.  They warm my grammy heart each year when I get them out. Treasures, that's what they are.  

And of course, we must have the appropriately colored peanut M&M's in a bowl.  

I'm continuing to stitch away on my counted cross stitch.  I ordered a few more patterns for the Prairie Schooler Santas from more recent years and they came.  I saw a framed piece someone from the Instagram group for the Santas did and I'm hoping to do something similar.  It will probably take me a year or so though, so don't hold your breath!  :-)

And last, I ordered a new Instant Pot cookbook by the Six Sisters and it came.  I think it's going to be a good one!

Hope everyone is keeping warm!  This cold seems to be affecting a large part of our country.  But it is winter! ♥

What Have I Been Up To?

Well, what have I been up to lately?  Usually January is knitting month, but not this year.  I pondered a new project, but then declined.  I've been back at my counted cross stitch.  Apparently cross stitching is having a big moment.  Maybe the virus?  At any rate, it's a big deal crafting wise, and there are all kinds of related things tied to it.  Flosstubes?  What in the world?  Turns out it's videos on YouTube featuring ladies who stitch, either professionally or just for fun, or both.  I've finally watched one or two.  Interesting, but I don't think I'm signing up for the full stitch deal.  

What's that you ask?  Well, pricey fabrics to stitch on.  Hand dyed flosses, some in silk.  Fancy ways to store your flosses for the project you are working on.  Oh, and project bags to store your in-progress works.  I kinda feel old school with my old tin box filled with envelopes marked on the front (some in my daughter's middle school handwriting) with the color number.  And I haven't spent $10 for a magnetic needleminder as running my needle through a corner of the (not pricey) fabrics works just fine.  As a matter of fact, I think I'm taking perverse pleasure in my old school ways.  

On the other hand, I have found some lovely ways to finish my work and that pleases me.  There are some very clever and talented people out there and I'm so happy they are sharing their talents.  I have been stitching the Prairie Schooler yearly Santas for years. I framed four of them years and years ago and now have eight, almost nine that are stitched but homeless.  They deserve to see the light of day for the two months of the year that my house is decorated for Christmas.  Ideas are forming!

This first one is now finished.

And this one below is now in process (note needle stored in upper left corner).

I love the colors used in them and I think of them more as St. Nicholas's rather than Santas, regardless of their titles.  (Rest assured, the one just above will have two arms when done!)

And other than the usual home chores, that's what I've been up to lately! ♥

When Technology Fails

Saturday night both Dan and I were on our computers, on the internet, when WHAM, we weren't.  We are at the end of the cable line, our source for our high-speed internet (our only source due to the location of our house), so it happens occasionally.  Usually we wait a while and it comes back.  So we waited.  And finally went to bed.  We checked again in the morning before we went to church, but alas, no internet.  And none when we returned.  We were also without land-line service for our phone.  Thank goodness for our new phones!

It's amazing how often a need arises to check on something.  What is so and so up to on their blog?  What are the words to that song?  And where can I find the wooden plaque that stitcher used to frame her cross stitch (just what I was looking up when the internet went down)?

We tried rebooting our modem numerous times and after a phone call with Eric, we finally were moved to call our carrier.  I will say that Spectrum, our provider, has always been very helpful, and once again they were.  I spent considerable time with a real person who was patient as he asked us to try several different things.  Finally realizing that it was indeed the modem and that it had died, he set us up with an appointment the very next morning (Monday). Couldn't ask for better than that!

The technician arrived shortly before ten, installed the new modem, and was done before ten-thirty.  We were back in business!!  

Meanwhile, I'm deep into taking down all the remaining Christmas decorations.  Yes, I know it's January 26th.  I read a recent comment by a Norwegian lady who said her mother always kept her things up for twenty days after Christmas, and that her mother-in-law kept hers up until Candlemas (had to look that up), so I guess it's the Norwegian in me that keeps things up to long.  I've been vindicated!!