Life in the Bristolwood

Today’s awesome weather with sunshine and mild temperatures threw not only me, but Mark and Ben into “let’s skip out on our responsibilities today” mode!

After dropping Michelle at school today, we went over to Lowe’s and WalMart to bide some time until Mark’s doctor appointment at 8:30.  We then headed to the doctor’s office as Mark had an appointment to get a tetanus shot.  Last year, Ben, Michelle, and I all got our shots, but Mark needed a booster as well.

I went in with Mark to see the doctor and she is just the most wonderful doctor, ever!  Since Mark was her first patient of the day, she sat down and chatted with us as well as giving Mark his shot.  We had such a nice visit, it was almost like seeing our friend instead of going to the doctor! She is leaving on Friday to go to Haiti for several days to help.  Her heart is so good and I pray she has a safe and productive trip.

After the doctor’s visit, Mark and I came outside and the weather was beautiful!  We got into the truck with Ben and the two Scotties, and I mentioned perhaps a day off would be beneficial.  I didn’t have to twist any arms….Mark and Ben both agreed!  I mentioned a drive down Routes 5 &20 and Mark thought that would be great.

With no particular predetermined destination in mind, we set off.  We drove through Geneva, Waterloo, and on to Seneca Falls.  As we drove along,  I mentioned to Mark that there was a new WalMart down a side road.  Mark turned and thought we should just take a drive around to see what stores were there.  It was then that I remembered Priscilla, a visitor to this blog, had mentioned a Mennonite store located “somewhere” nearby.  Mark entered the store name into the GPS and we were only about 1/4 mile away!

We drove over to the store and all three of us went inside.  WOW! This store is even bigger than the other store I often visit. They are really a big grocery store with goods from food to a nice assortment of books including many on Mennonite and Amish living and beliefs.  I could have spent hours and hours there, but it was so crowded, it was tough getting around! The young Mennonite girl who checked out my order said that the fine weather brought customers out in larger-than-normal numbers.

We will definitely be visiting this store again. (and again!)

After looking around in the store,  we pulled around the back of the store so Mark could look up sites of interest on his GPS.  I looked down the small hill below us and saw a little stream meandering along.  In the stream were a few Canada Geese.  Now, in and of itself,  that is nothing unusual, but these geese were acting ***weird***!  They were splashing about in the water as though they were taking a bath to get good and clean!  I do know that geese need water to breed, but this didn’t appear to be in the minds of these geese. (unless a good bathing was needed prior to courtship!)

One of the geese was hysterical….comical…such a comedian!  The goose did a barrel roll several times…..round and round and round.  Don’t believe me? Click twice on this photo and it will PROVE I am not exaggerating!! Honest!

In all my hours and hours spent watching geese, I have never seen the likes of that before!  I didn’t bring my telephoto lens with me so I had to crop this photo in order to catch the barrel roll!

As an aside, Mark laughed as we drove out of the store parking lot.  The employees are all Mennonites and their autos were all parked in one area.  There must have been 20 cars….maybe a couple trucks….all black!  There was nearly every make represented in…..black!

We drove on a little further, keeping our eyes on the clock, as we needed to pick Michelle up again from school.

After arriving back home,  Mark wanted us to rinse all the salty dirt off the truck.  As we pulled into the driveway, there were some spots in the gutter next to the driveway that had dammed up, sending water spilling over the driveway.  While Michelle went down the driveway with shovel in hand to remedy the driveway,  Ben got out the pressure washer and rinsed off not only the truck,  but also the Explorer.  Ah, both the driveway and the vehicles look much better now!

I helped Ben wipe off the hose and wind it up, then put the pressure washer away.  By the time we were ready to go in the house, dusk was quickly settling in.  As I walked from the garage to the house,  I had to grab my camera.  This solar lamp is in the side garden next to the house.  The little lamp had been buried under snow from the last storm.  I wondered about it, but was surprised when I saw it glowing this evening! It just poked through the snow today, so you can see how much the snow sank down and melted today.

I think Ben, Mark, and I are all refreshed from taking this unplanned vacation day.  One of the greatest benefits about homeschooling is that we are able to take off a day every now and then without losing a day….Ben always makes up his work when we get back home.

Sooo…..conversation this morning.

Me: Wow! There’s a lotta snow out there!

Mark:  Nah, the snow is drifted, but it doesn’t *look* like there is much.  Just drifts here and there.

Ah, famous last words….

What Mark did *not* see was the snow the Scottie boys and I encountered early this morning before the sun came up. We three hopped down the steps only to witness snow that far exceeded the height of a wee-legged Scottie Dog!  I tried to push the snow aside with my boots, but it was so deep and heavy,  I could barely move it!  Seeing the frustration in my companions, I more or less “forced” them under the front porch where there was little snow on the ground!

As Mark and the kids did some things they needed to do,  I took a few photos of visitors to the suet feeder out back. The birds have been visiting with greater frequency the past few days.

This little Titmouse patiently awaited his turn atop the railing…..

And look at the lovely pose he struck just for the camera!

When Mark was nearly done with his chores, I went outside and shoveled off the back deck and part of the ramp.  I convinced Ben to finish the job and we had it cleared just as Mark was ready to wheel out the door.

I teased Mark the other day that the wheelchair ramp looks like a luge course.  Now that we have shoveled, it looks even more so!

Michelle took Murphy out to the front of the garage where she was about to shovel. She set him down and he more or less paddled his way through the snow to me.  He wasn’t the least bit impressed by this massive-to-him snowfall!

Both the truck and the Explorer are relatively high vehicles with a generous ground clearance. You can see that the snow in front of the garage was pretty deep!

Michelle and I worked at shoveling out the front of the garage as well as around the perimeter of the vehicles.  We always hand shovel these areas as Mark cannot get in tight enough with the plow.

The snowstorm last night involved snow that fell very finely.  Were it not for the fierce wind, we probably would have had a much deeper snowfall.  What did fall was not like the light, fluffy snow we had previously experienced this year, but heavy, wet snow.  As Michelle and I worked,  huge snowflakes began to fall.

Before Mark could plow with the ATV, he needed a bit of help to remount the two rear tires on the ATV.  He had removed them because when we had the inspection of the truck done yesterday,  he also had those two tires reseated on the rims as they were having some trouble losing air.

When Mark pulled forward to begin pushing the snow,  I couldn’t believe the snow was almost the same height as the ATV!

That ATV is worth its weight in gold.  It did indeed push through that enormous blockade and handily removed the snow from the driveway!

I tried to take the Scotties in the house, but Angus the Brave would not budge.  He wanted to linger outside, watching Mark plow the driveway.  Poor little fellow….he looked like a frozen Teddy Bear as he observed from the porch!

Murphy, on the other hand, bounded into the house with gleeful abandon as soon as the door was opened.  And still, Angus watched over Mark….

Michelle and I continued to work our way through that nasty pile of snow in front of the garage.

Mark worked on the driveway for a good two hours.  There was so much snow; this was a snowfall more like the “old-fashioned” ones we remember.

We were all thrilled with the mechanical advantage offered by the ATV! The only assistance Mark requires is a hand changing the blade direction on the plow from time to time.

As  soon as we finished clearing out the front of the garage, Michelle went inside the house to warm up.  I stayed outside a while longer, then as Mark was finishing  up, I shoveled the close to two inches of fluffy stuff that fell as we were working outside.

Ben helped Mark get things put away and then they came into the house.  Or, so I thought.

Mark kept hollering for me to grab a camera.

I raced to see what it was causing such a ruckus, only to find the boy like this…

Yup, that is how deep the snow is behind the house.  The disgusted look is because Ben claims he hates the snow.

We got everything secured and settled in to an afternoon of watching Team USA beat Team Finland in hockey.  One more game to go and we are assured at least a silver medal! Of course, we are so excited because our favorite team (the Buffalo Sabres) is represented in the form of TeamUSA’s winning goalie, Ryan Miller! What excitement!

The snow stopped falling, for the time being, and we were treated to another beautiful Bristolwood sunset.

We are told that the system that blessed us with this round of snowfall has stalled out and will now remain with us the next few days, causing flurries on and off.

We were off to an early start today.  It is Ben’s birthday, but we had lots of running around to accomplish.

While Mark headed off with Michelle  to drop her off, Ben and I headed to Kost Tire where I was to get new tires, an inspection,  an oil change, and an alignment on the Explorer.  I had forgotten to mention that Mark got the window all fixed this past weekend.  He had to replace a part called the regulator.   When I saw the door hanging open and parts sitting all over the garage,  my heart nearly sank, but I have seen Mark take things apart before and I knew all would end well! And so it did!

Before leaving the house, I wanted to get a photo of the little congregation of Goldfinches outside the bedroom window….

That photo is a funky color and that is okay because I took it well before the day had broken this morning and there was a fine snow falling.

After dropping the Explorer off for its work,  Ben and I climbed into the truck and we began making our way to Mark’s mom’s house.  We made a few stops along the way.  An interesting thing happened along the way, though….the blower fan on the truck quit working! Meaning, we spent the rest of the time in the truck freezing!  Although the temperature outside was right at the freezing mark,  it got so cold in the truck!  Time for another repair job!

We made it to “Grandma Cookie’s” house.  Yes, that is what Mark calls his mom and in so doing,  he nearly causes Angus to go ballistic!  Angus adores Grandma Cookie, after all!

While we chatted with Mark’s mom,  Ben tried to teach Murphy how to exercise on the treadmill….

Yup, as long as I held a carrot treat in front of Murphy’s nose, he would stride along on the treadmill for several steps! It was pretty funny!

Now, Scotties are known for their Braveheart disposition.  I would say on a scale of 1-10, my boys rate about 1.5 in the Braveheart category!  Particularly Angus who hightails it whenever he hears any device that makes a vibrating noise! Thus, the treadmill caused him to panic, so he jumped up on Grandma Cookie’s chair and watched a Western on television instead!

And just for Angus’s good name, he did dutifully bark those wild horses when they got out of control and began running!

Here is a natural ice sculpture outside my mother-in-law’s house…

We visited for a few hours, then it was time to go.  Back we went into the cold pickup truck.  We went to Henrietta, where Ben and Mark went into the Guitar Center to look at “stuff”.  Mark ordered Ben a bass guitar for his birthday but it will arrive tomorrow.  Bummer for Ben, but he was okay with it.  Ben has been having so much fun learning guitar and he wanted to learn bass as well so Mark figured we should let him learn as long as he is so willing.

We left and went back to Canandaigua so I could pick up the Explorer.  Mark dropped me off and he and Ben picked Michelle up at school.  I had a few minutes before meeting them at a restaurant for dinner, so I took the Explorer for a spin up the road.  Oh my! I had been driving on “slicks” so long,  I forgot that tires actually “bite” the snow!

We met up for dinner, then came home.  The fire in the woodstove had gone out and I quickly rebuilt a fire!  Now, I am finally warm for the first time today! Ah, it does feel good.  No more freezing toes!

I think Ben enjoyed his birthday and although the day was long, we had fun too!

Happy Birthday, Ben!

Mark and the kids made their way to Canandaigua this afternoon; the kids had plans to meet friends to take in a movie.  I had planned to go, but after dressing and going outside,  my body told me it might not be such a good idea!  My head was aching and my nose was beginning to get a bit stuffy.  Mark advised me it shouldn’t be too bad, as he suffered the same symptoms earlier this week. 

I called my mom later and we chatted for a long time! (sorry, Mom….we just don’t talk and laugh like we used to!!)  One of the things I had wanted to ask her about came to mind and she told me an interesting fact!  Mom’s maternal grandfather’s name was Charles Cunningham.  Mom wasn’t certain what nationality he was, but in looking online, I see the name is Scottish!  She did tell me some relatives visited from Scotland once when she was young and she couldn’t understand them!  This was a surprise to me, as I knew my paternal great-grandmother was Irish.  No wonder I feel such ties to the British Isles!

Well, I shan’t bore you with my whining. Instead, I shall show you photos I took as I drove to Kim’s house the other day!

I wish I would have gotten a better photo of the license plate on this truck.  From information I found online, this plate was probably issued between 1974 and 1984.  I would say this truck is in pretty good shape if it has been sitting for 25  years or so!

Some shoveling required….

The kids had friends over today.  Although the sun poked through the clouds, it was pretty cold. The kids got sleds out and some of the braver ones decided to give it a go through the woods.  They had so much fun! 

I tried out my new telephoto lens and I was very pleased with the results!

Kelsi dared me to try a run down the hill and, hey, what not accept a dare!  It was too much fun, although I ahould have changd from my jean skirt to a pair of jeans.  I went down a couple of times, and no, no one caught that with the camera!

The kids had tacos for dinner and watched some movies.  It really was a very nice winter’s day!

But not like you would think!

The kids wanted to go shopping today, so after helping Mark in the garage this morning, we got some blankets, activities, and the Scotties, and headed northward to Victor. The kids agreed to meet some of their friends,  so they told us to pick them up in about four hours. 

Mark drove around the parking lot looking for the “perfect” spot….The winds howled today and our moerate temperatures dropped to nearly startlingly cold.  We won’t discuss wind chill because I am sure it was mighty cold out there!  Mark wondered how we would survive in the truck,  but I told him not to fear. After all, we packed some blankets! He did find the perfect spot, too.  In a parking lot that isn’t really used much, there was a mountain of snow at the edge of a steep grade.  With the pile in front of us and the hill protecting us on two sides, we were parked in a small cove!

Mark sat in the front seat with Angus and I hopped into the back to keep Murphy company.  I had brought along my little netbook and some knitting, so I was all set to get comfortable!  The Scotties each had his own little bed so we were all getting settled in quite comfortably, thank you!

Of course, Angus had to check out the scenery before he could relax…

The snow fell continuously the entire time we were waiting, but the winds quickly dispersed it before it could light! At times, the snow was literally coming down horizontally…

And we remained safe, warm and dry in our cozy space.

I got out the netbook and played awhile, visiting Scotland….(hi Bill!)

And Syracuse….(hi Terri!)

And I visited some more blogs. 

Mark put a movie on his laptop and we watched that.   We really do live at an incredible time, technologically.

The time seemed to fly by as we enjoyed our little living room on wheels.  Soon, I could see the security lights shining in through the ice-frosted windows.

I did go into BJ’s for a little while to pick up a few items and I also got Mark a Subway sub for dinner.  How thoughtful of Subway to make it so convenient to grab something to eat!

The clock soon said seven and we were off to the mall to pick up the shoppers.

The drive home was hairy at times with blowing, drifting snow all over the road.  As Mark put the truck into four-wheel drive,  Michelle and I marvelled at the sound of snow crunching under the tires as we made our way home.  We have not heard that sound in a long time!

 All in all,  I think Mark and the Scotties would agree….what a lovely little diversion this was!

Yes, I am afraid Angus just does not want to cooperate with me!!!  Well, not really. It is just that there is so much going on around here,  I have not had the time (or energy) to photograph the little fellow.

The kids had a friend over yesterday and they went sledding for awhile, ate, then went down to Naples for a concert.  I was so pooped after running around!  I was also trying to watch a Sabres game between taking two runs to Naples, so it was really crazy! Thankfully, the Sabres won. Yay!

Here are a few photos for your perusal, taken throughout last week.  I am seriously loving the Nikon D-90 and would recommend it to anyone looking into buying a great D-SLR. 

The weather today was quite frightful….it wasn’t cold or blustery, but rather warm and springlike, complete with rain! Somehow, cold rain feels much more chilling than snow this time of the year.  Mark needed to do a little repair on the ATV before finally plowing the driveway.  By the time he got out there,  he was plowing the wettest slush!  Hopefully, it will remain warm enough tomorrow to finish melting all the slush from the driveway so it is clear before we get another Arctic blast midweek.

Tomorrow looks like another active day.  The kids have an early morning dental cleaning and in the afternoon, we are expected at Mark’s mom’s house.  Didn’t I mention that wintry weather was a time for *hibernation*?  Well, perhaps after Christmas?

Yes, tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day here in the US of A!  I am so excited because this means we will be traveling to the home of my parents for the big day!  We haven’t done this in a while, so it is going to be a real treat.  AND, Mom, bless her heart, is doing ALL of the cooking and baking!  Yay!!!

I truly am thankful for each and every one of you who has read my babbling…I really love blogging, but I imagine sometimes my mundane posts are painfully tedious!  And so, for you,  I am so grateful. You have encouraged me when I thought about giving up writing my oft silly posts!

You have no idea the anticipation of this morning….A couple of days ago, Mark and I sat at his desk and ordered a new Nikon D-90 camera, as well as an incredible lens.  I fluttered about the house,  whining and wondering how long I would need to wait for the box to arrive! 

The friendly Fed Ex guy came to the door with Angus announcing his arrival.  I floated into the house, box of goodies snuggled in my arms!  I am so happy!  And now, you poor thing,  you must bear with my photos taken today.  These photos were taken in Penn Yan, as the kids were there late this afternoon to visit with Jonathan, who came home for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The town of Penn Yan is situated on Keuka Lake, one of the Finger Lakes.  Penn Yan has an awesome trail called the Outlet Trail which runs along the outlet of the lake.  It really is a pretty little walk, but we arrived late in the day, after 4 pm.  I really was hoping to get some photos, but my hopes dwindled as the cloudy skies were darkening as the minutes ticked off.

Mark nudged me to walk along the trail, parking at a little public park along the trail.  I got out and began walking…I love walking so much.  As I walked,  I began using my new camera and was surprised at the results.  These were all taken in Auto mode with the camera set up just as it arrived at our door!

As I wandered along the trail,  I noticed what looked very much like a little rabbit hutch tucked into the brush.  I couldn’t figure out why someone would have discarded it there, nor why it hadn’t been removed by the town.  I do think I might have met up with its two inhabitants, though as I walked the trail.

Yeah, cute kitty, isn’t it?  Gads, the thing was gallopping toward me full bore! I saw another kitty a short time later pawing through a pile of leaves.  When I tried to take their photos, the wild felines appeared as though struck by lightening and one actually limbed up a small cliff. Not friendly.  Not at all!

I contemplated walking out on the railroad bridge, but the ties were so rotted, my smallish foot kept wanting to retreat into one of the open cracks.  I certainly was not wanting myself,  or my brand new camera, to make a splash!

Since the Birkett Mills is an integral part of this town,  I was happy to capture a few interesting shots of the huge yellow building….

I love the bridge with graceful arches.  As I walked closer and closer,  the noise was increasingly louder.  There must be turbines or some sort of machinery for the mill located there.  The water went from glass smooth to vicious whitewater while passing under the bridge!

I walked back to the truck and took a slight detour because I thought a mirage lie in front of me….all of our trees are stark naked. Not this one.

Mark and I decided to visit the little town to see if anything might want to be photographed.

I love the streetlamps decorated with small simple snowflakes.

We picked the kids up at 7:30 and headed home as we have an early day ahead tomorrow.  As I stepped out of the truck,  I decided to try a handheld shot of the moon and clouds.

I am so thrilled with the new camera. I cannot WAIT until tomorrow!

I featured a Halloween night in Cheshire on this blog before….The people of this tiny town resign themselves to the fact that any tree, bush….whatever, they own *will* indeed be decorated with toilet paper on this night!

It is always interesting passing through Cheshire afterwards, as there are large wads of toilet paper all over the road and it stretches out quite a way past the town’s limits!

I hate the thought that how I feel has anything to do with the weather outside,  but rainy and chilly weather today has left me (and my heart) feeling somewhat cold and discouraged. 

It all began Thursday evening when the kids had a couple of their friends over for dinner and some games.  Michelle, who is always quite the hostess,  spent time resting on the couch….not such a good sign.  By the time the kids left,  she headed straight upstairs, not even saying good night.  Really not a good sign.

On Friday morning,  she complained that her throat felt as though it was swollen and she could not talk….only squeak! I never took her temperature,  only using my wrist,  but any fever she might have had was very low.  This morning when I talked to her, she said her stomach was somewhat messed up,  so Mark decided to call the doctor’s office.

We were advised to call a Triage nurse service, which Mark did.  He was told a nurse would call back within half an hour.  We waited and Mark looked up information online to see if there was anything we might do to help Michelle.  The nurse who called back  (within half an hour!)  said this form of “bug” has been making its rounds for the past few weeks and she should be feeling better within a day or two.

The nurse gave us several pieces of information and then I headed to our small “local” market  to pick up some yogurt and bananas for Miss Michelle.  When I came home, she ate about half a yogurt and a banana.  Signs of improvement!

Our kids are generally so healthy, it is hard seeing one of them being sick!

Mark and Ben ran to Rochester to do some merchandise returns.  I would like to have gone,  but I would never leave Michelle alone when feeling sick.  Shortly after Mark left,  the mailman brought a package and left it on the mailbox.  I knew it was for Mark so I trudged down to the mailbox just as the heavens let loose and the rain came down in a total cloudburst! 

Michelle is beginning to show some real signs of improvement!  Yesterday, she got a brand new laptop for a graduation present from Mark and me. (The reason it was given so late is because we wanted to get her a model with the new Windows 7 operating system.) My heart was feeling so torn as I saw the unopened box just sitting on the floor.  Before Mark left,  she came downstairs and opened her new computer.  Just a short time ago, she actually went downstairs and brought her shiny new computer to her room!

In today’s mail was an Oriental Trading Company catalogue.  We haven’t ordered from them in years!  I opened the pages and began leafing through….Oh, the memories that flooded my soul as I saw all the cute little items that Michelle and Ben ordered for their birthdays a few years ago.  This, of course, caused me to reminisce and come face to face with the fact that our kids are no longer “little kids”,  but teens, with many thoughts and ideas of their own.  Bittersweet.  But, they are good kids,  and for that,  I am so very grateful!

Ah, all this thinking made me realize the past is behind us, and we look ahead to the future with great anticipation.  I was so thankful for the nurse’s assesstment that Michelle should be feeling much better tomorrow.  I am thankful she is eating,  thinking she needs some sustenence to build her strength back!  And, I am thankful that the weatherman is predicting sunny skies for tomorrow.

Tomorrow shall indeed be a better day!