Keep Calm and Celebrate Life

First weekend at home in almost a month. Plenty of "tasks" to do. Ready.... Go!

OK, right off the bat we have a decision to make. Pull a kitty and relax or get something done! She's sort of our own groundhog. Predicting spring pretty early. But she overestimated the warmth of the fresh air and only lasted about 20 minutes in the window.

The fresh air – combined with a little '80s music – got me motivated to knock a few things off my list. And it turned out to be a full day.

With our scrapbooking camp just two weekends away, I went over to my "dealer" Becky's house to pay up and get a few supplies. Since I haven't seen her in ages, we had a nice visit catching up... just in case we don't get time at camp!

Got home in time to see my nephew Zach compete in the NRCHA World Championships. That's a National Reined Cow Horse Association event in Fort Worth, Texas, this weekend. I don't profess to have a clue what he is doing besides looking and acting like a cowboy. But it was streaming live on the Internet so I finally got to SEE what it is he does. I'll have to have him explain it sometime. Didn't have time to research it then since I had pressing matters to attend to.

My early afternoon was spent at the funeral home for a memorial service. Miss K, a special education teacher at the elementary school Carter attended, passed away this week. She was only 57 but had multiple health complications over the past many, many months.

I didn't actually get to know Anne through Carter but through my friend/neighbor Cindy, who invited me to a Stamping Up! party years and years ago. Anne was the demonstrator (dealer) and, in a word, she was a hoot! Loved getting to know her through stamping and I know her quirky personality will be missed by friends, colleagues and students.

And her family. Uff da. Hard to hold it together when you see a mother having to say goodbye to her child. That has to be the hardest thing ever for a parent. So, so sad!!

After the service, Cindy and I decided the most appropriate thing to do was to celebrate life – like Miss K did every day. So we walked around in God's world for awhile.

The mild temperatures in the upper 30s today made it very comfortable weather for snowshoeing at Nepco Lake Park. Trails weren't the greatest because of recent ice/snow mix. But we made the best of it and had a good, calm, distracting walk. The sun wasn't shining this time, but I got a few interesting photos I'll share tomorrow.

Not long after I got home, hubby was on a mission to get rid of the brush/wood pile in the front yard. We had to wait until we had good snow cover on the ground, mild enough temperatures to stand outside and no wind. Today was the day!

The pile not only included tree branches and such from the back yard, but also our former wooden "sidewalk" that was torn out and replaced by our concrete driveway this summer. Yes, this pile has been awhile in the making.

We were both glad to see it go. It was a pretty farewell, too. And warm! 

The fire burned so high awhile that a selfie made me look angelic ... until you see the satanic sparks flying from the top of my head!

I blame it on the 80s music. Tomorrow I should just start my day with organ music at church instead.