This is what the front yard looked like this afternoon at 2:40 p.m. The snow is almost gone. WOW!! Where did snow go???
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This is what the front yard looked like this morning at 9:58 a.m. just after the sun came out.
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Friday, December 31, 2010 - Happy New Year's Eve!!!
At 6 a.m., I saw lightning and heard thunder, and then again about 20 til seven. Yikes!!! We've had rain off and on since last night. No tornado warnings, thank God.

This is so very strange. Yesterday, everything was covered in snow and more snow. Today -- not so much.

Have a happy new year. lalalalala, djb

EARTHQUAKE REPORT BELOW: I love this tree -- that's why I always take its picture.
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Thursday, December 30, 2010 - Just heard about the earthquake in Indiana. Here's the USGS info:

Earthquake Details

• This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.

Magnitude	4.2
Date-Time	Thursday, December 30, 2010 at 12:55:21 UTC Thursday, December 30, 2010 at 07:55:21 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location	40.427°N, 85.888°W
Depth	4.9 km (3.0 miles) set by location program
Region	INDIANA
Distances	20 km (15 miles) ESE of Kokomo, Indiana 20 km (15 miles) WSW of Marion, Indiana 40 km (25 miles) S of Wabash, Indiana 75 km (50 miles) NNE of INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana
Location Uncertainty	horizontal +/- 11.7 km (7.3 miles); depth fixed by location program
Parameters	NST=103, Nph=113, Dmin=102.4 km, Rmss=1.49 sec, Gp= 32°, M-type="Nuttli" surface wave magnitude (mbLg), Version=7
Source	USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID	usc0000x03

• Did you feel it? Report shaking and damage at your location. You can also view a map displaying accumulated data from your report and others.

Earthquake Summary

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We had NO quaking here in northern Illinois. How exciting for the folks in Indiana. What a way to start the day....or the beginning of the end of the year!! shake ya later, djb

We're having "freezing fog" this morning. This is the view across the street at around 7:14 a.m.
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Wednesday, December 29, 2010 - Okay, so I don't think I've ever heard of freezing fog before. Maybe once -- but it sounds so weird and apparently seems to be quite rare that it's not something that happens every day or every year....

However, it looks GORGEOUS outside. Everything is frosted with the results of the freezing fog. Wait a minute. Frosted freezing fog - fabulous!!!

frog ya later, djb

Here's the driveway at 12:56 p.m. this afternoon. Hey, that driveway was clean earlier this morning!
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Here's the driveway at 10:37 a.m. this morning. There's not much difference between the two pictures. Just lots of snow!
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Christmas Eve - December 24, 2010 - I think I heard a snowplow. Yeah!!!

Just as Bob was coming home, Diane called me and said that she was wearing a Santa hat while driving her car with the windows open because it's NOT snowing in Florida.

It's supposed to be 71 degrees there tomorrow. Not sure what we're going to be but somewhere around 30 degrees with white stuff falling out of the sky.

If you're dreaming of a WHITE Christmas. This is the place to be. It's very pretty. sigh........

snow ya later, djb

Here's the pile of snow that I made today. It's right by the driveway.
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Here's the driveway after I spent 3 and half hours shoveling it.
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Tuesday, December 21, 2010 - I just got an email from Ron and he said that they got 4 inches in McHenry and he heard from Tommy that we got 6 freaking inches of snow.

No wonder it took me three and a half hours to shovel it. After I shoveled the heavy snow at the end of the driveway (thanks to the snowplows), I seriously thought about calling Bob to find out how to start the snow blower because this was going to be a major project.

Had I known at that time HOW MUCH snow as out there, I would have left it there. Then again, I didn't die so what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger. I must be VERY STRONG!!

Whew! And we're supposed to be getting more SNOW just in time for Christmas. Yikes! snowstorm ya later, djb

This is the driveway at 6:45 a.m. this morning. It wasn't snowing at the time, so it appears that I have some orbs!!
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Tuesday, December 21, 2010 - Once again, I'm stunned to see so many orbs in this photo. The ones before and after it don't have them or I'd think my lens was dirty. This is cool.

It's a true winter wonderland out there. The snow covers all the ugliness of the dead grass and the sticks that fall out of the trees that mar the perfect panorama. sigh....

Plus, I don't have to deal with photophobia when the sun doesn't shine. Glass half full, doncha know. And the other nice thing is that when the temperature gets in the 20's, it actually feels warmer (okay, less cold) because we've been in the deep freeze for so long that we've gotten warped.

And finally - GO BEARS!!! I C ya later, djb

These candles are on top of the refrigerator. The first thing I do every morning is to plug them in. Well, really the very first thing I do is TURN UP THE HEAT!!!
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Monday, December 20, 2010 - I have no reason for not doing my Christmas cards earlier.... It might have been that I wanted to write a newsletter but when I did try that it was only about medical problems. That was kind of a downer.

But it seems kind of silly to send a card with just your name and no news. At least to me it does. But that's just me.

Next year, I'll have to do some really exciting things to put in a newsletter. Kind of like a bucket list, I guess. see ya later, djb

Here's what greeted me when I got up this morning. Yikes and brrrrrrrrr!
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Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - This is the temperature right outside the door in the dining room where the transmitter sits (brrr). I noticed that the official Elburn temperature was -3. Not sure where they get that number.

We do know where Aurora's official temperature is taken. At the airport in Sugar Grove -- a few miles south of here. Hey, it should be warmer but it never is. It's always the COLDEST temperature around these parts.

I saw that it was 29 degrees in Orlando this morning. That is extremely cold for central Florida. That's just wrong. It should not freeze on Mickey and Minnie! brr ya later, djb

Here's the view outside yesterday afternoon. You can see the snow being blown around and also those bird feeders getting tossed in the wind.
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Monday, December 13, 2010 - Every time I tried to get a picture of the snow being blown by 50 mile an hour winds yesterday, I got nothing until I took the above photo.

It didn't blow continuously but the gusts were quite intense. Just glad we didn't get 2 feet of snow!!! bye for now, djb

it's 12 12 on 12 12

Here's Cullen with his security bone (aka security blanket) outside in the snow.
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Friday, December 10, 2010 - This morning, I got a call from my neighbor, Brenda. She said that her big dog, Guiness, had to go to the vet for surgery on a hematoma so Cullen was home alone for the first time in his canine life.

She asked me if I minded going over to check on him and let him out to do his doggie business. There were treats on the counter if he didn't want to come back in the house.

That wasn't a problem. When I opened the door, he went out and then came back -- then out again, then in. then out, then in. out. in. out. in. You get the picture, right?!

He seemed to be coping all right. I stayed a while and petted him and talked about the doggie security bone he did NOT ever put down. Well, except for the one time when I gave him some beggin' strips. haha

When I got back home, I called Brenda and told her he was doing just fine. She was quite relieved to hear it. I told her that I know how it is. arf ya later, djb

Here's the sunset on November 28 at 4:42 p.m. This was taken with my awesome Canon camera -- the detail is amazing.
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Thursday, December 9, 2010 - ...back to my story that started on Andrew and Jarrett's Forever in Our Hearts Blog...

There's a reason I like to get early morning appointments - the traffic in the afternoon is nuts and the drivers are all psychos.

Between here and Wheaton there are probably close to 20 traffic lights. I hit every, single RED light. Plus, there was a slow freight train in West Chicago. ay caruma!

I don't mind driving in traffic on dry roads in the winter time but I do mind driving on the same roads with CRAZY people!!!

It was like a bi-polar driving experience. There were people driving VERY slow and others who were driving very FAST (those are the lane-changers). It was pretty bizarre - can't we all just drive 5 miles over the speed limit and stop the insanity.

WHEATON EYE CLINIC: When Dr. Lee checked the pressure in my right eye, it was 17. Very good. She said that my cornea was a little dry. Wait a minute....when was the last time she put plugs in my tear ducts? OMG! That was it. That was my problem. I was so happy to hear that. She put new plugs in and I was good to go.

She did mention that at some point I might want to consider having my tear ducts lasered shut permanently which would keep my eye moist so that I could avoid the pain and suffering that comes from the collagen plugs dissolving and the moisture evaporating. I'm on board with that. Avoid pain. It sounds weird but she totally knows what she's doing. I trust her.

Pretty soon, I'll be getting my blood drawn again for the autologous serum tears. It seems as though I just did that. Times flies whether you're having fun or not.

Of course, driving home toward the west was a unique experience in its own right because the sun was setting and it was at an extremely annoying angle --- directed right at my eyes. How totally NOT FUN!! Obviously, I made it home or I wouldn't be writing these words. haha.

WEATHER UPDATE: We're supposed to be getting an inch of *snow* this afternoon. Can't wait for that. bye for now, djb

Here's the present that Rachel brought over last night.
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Monday, December 6, 2010 - Last night, I was on the computer doing something when the doorbell rang. Since we hadn't shoveled the front sidewalk, I figured no one would go to the front door through the snow. Wrong!

It was Michelle's daughter, Rachel. Last summer at Elburn Days, I went on the rides with those two wonderful girls.

Well, Rachel had that box in her sweet little hands and said, "Open it." So, I did and inside there were COOKIES. oh boy!!

What a great and delicious surprise. I'm so touched by their kind gesture. Happy Birthday, Jesus. see ya later, djb

Here's the poinsettia that I bought yesterday at Wal-Mart. It looks better and BIGGER in person. I noticed that I forgot to take down the Halloween wreath (in the upper left hand corner of the picture!). That's funny. But on the right side, the angels are still hanging around.
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Here's a closer up view of my poinsettia. It was only ten bucks - Wow!
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Friday, December 3, 2010 - It was 16 outside and 61 inside when I got up this morning. I love when the numbers are opposite or would that be "transposed?" However, I don't particularly care for how low they were!

This lovely red poinsettia is the beginning of my Christmas decorating. Half of the boxes in our crawl space are filled with Christmas related items. And I couldn't be happier about that.

Yesterday, I realized that I have to get the Nativity set ready to take into Andrew and Jarrett's grave. Joseph had come unglued. Plus, the angel on top was precariously perched. I did use carpenter's glue but I think I'll also put some glue from the glue gun around the angel just in case. The winds do get fierce.

We're supposed to be getting 4-8 inches of snow starting tonight and into Saturday. Everyone is VERY excited. haha

I'll put a picture of what I'm going to be doing today on the boys' blogger blog. Brrrrrrrrr snow ya later, djb

Here's the sunset on SUNday night (11/28). We've been having the most beautiful sunsets lately. That usually happens this time of year.
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Wednesday, December 1, 2010 - My fingers have finally thawed out. I have heavy duty gloves but they just don't keep my fingers warm. These are thick and heavy ski gloves. I'm not sure what to do. Usually, I put on three pair to shovel the driveway.

Did you hear that my sweet, warm FLORIDA relatives??? Shovel the driveway. Not weed whack or sweep but shovel. Of course, we don't have enough snow yet. But, we will.

Oh boy. Winter is here. Brrr and snow ya later,djb