I explained Ground Hog Day to a person in Switzerland on Thursday and assured her that spring would come early this year. She said that my explanation helped her to understand the movie with Bill Murray (which she liked), but can you imagine seeing that movie without knowing what Ground Hog Day is? Didn't he wake up every morning to "I got you babe?"

Okay Lori, no secrets. I am having fun because I am organinzing a grant application with a team of wonderful people. There are some stellar local people and some from the national forestry scene as well. A lead researcher from the Forestry Sciences Lab in W Va and a forestry professor from NC State are flying in to Burlington to spend Wednesday with me. I have never had people take me quite this seriously before. Gosh! So, get those rabbits feet and whatever mojo you got in the backroom out of the closet. I need GOOD VIBES over the next few months or else I will continue to be the charming clerk that I am during my Clark Kent daytime role for the rest of my frickin life. I'm not dissing it. I am a pretty cute clerk.

I'm doing it all myself and that's why it'g going to take forever. I'll looking forward to seeing it done. I'll feel proud but jeez it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Not the room, the job. the room is big enough. It's the size of a small bedroom. A waste of space really but there you are.

I'm going out on the the 19th to spend the week with Dave in Baltimore.

Hey Ya'll, General Beauregard didn't see his shadow this week so looks like Spring is coming. He lives at the Yellow River Game Ranch a few miles from here in Stone Mountain. Up north we call them hedgehogs and the ACJ carried a story on the myth etc.

What are you having fun doing, Richard? Or is that a secret?

hi guys, life is soooo crazy. i'm having fun though. hope you are too.

Patti, it sounds like you're keeping yourself busy in your life as a "single." Just don't get too used to it! Just kidding. When will you be seeing Dave?

Are you doing all the work yourself or having someone come in and help? Hopefully, you have another one you can use while working on this one!!! A friend of mine is coming over on Saturday and we are going to craft together. She does a lot of stamping and its always fun to get new ideas. We are busy in the Valentine mode in Kindergarten. Lots of hearts and giving of phone numbers around. Thats the new thing...to write down your phone number on a tiny piece of paper in hopes that your "friend" will call you. Not sure how many parents appreciate it, but at least they are practicing number writing!! It was in the 30s here today....although it is predicted that there will be six more weeks of winter!! Like seeing his shadow really makes a difference! Hope all is well is everyone....happy thoughts!

the bathroom project kathi is a whopper. I've already run into the oops factor and so it will of course take me longer than hoped for but I'm pressing on.

This coming weekend I'm working as a scorer at the Jr. Biathlon. Although an official race this is our last "practice" before the Jr. Olympic Biathlon next year. Pretty exciting stuff. I have purchased new long johns for the occasion!

Hey all, Iced in today till about 11 am. Good things it was a weekend. I did venture out for mundane shopping and of course Wally World was packed. At least the last ten years of campaigning for safe driving in this weather has paid off. Everyone seemed to be doing about 35 and slowing for the intersections and being patient with one another. Home now and catching up on emails. Stoked the fire and put a pot o joe on. Its grilled cheese, chips, salad, and tomatoe soup tonight! The temp only dipped to about 28 here but thats cold for us and cold enough to cause a few inches of ice everywhere. Luckily we're on one of the strands that keep the little men peddling regardless so we have lights

BRRRR...it is so cold here. I now know why "old" people move to warmer climates. Tonight is suppose to be the coldest night so far. It is minus 5 already not sure what the wind chill is. Cold enough so children stayed in all day at school. Plus with the full moon this week....wild things!!! Richard, glad you finally made it home safely. Patti, got the bathroom done yet?? Tomorrow is Friday!!! I'd like to be hibernating! Enjoy and Happy Thoughts!

Lori, I am too rational to be part of the passional airport nut force. One 80 year old guy told a pilot that he hoped the pilot's plane would crash and that the pilot would die. How crazy is that? I was very glad to get home 48 hours after I was supposed to. I know the Detroit airport very well now and I have to recommend Rio Wrap at Gate 60 as the winner of best food at the airport.

Richard, you sound amazingly calm considering all the trouble you've had with your flights. Or maybe the scream just isn't coming across on the blog.

my extra time in new orleans was great. i found a friend that i had not seen in 23 years this morning. he has a really nice gallery and studio where he does his work. his name is thomas mann. check out his stuff on line. thomasmann.com, i think. i am now stuck in detroit. i got here and had a 3 hour lay over that was followed by a 4 hour delay that was concluded with cancelling the flight. now it is just drudgery to get home. i have a collapsible toothbrush in my brief case and that is about it. people at the airport were yelling at each other. i have a free hotel room and a $10 voucher for food. yahoo- i'll be super-sizing breakfast with that. i can't wait to have some real home cooked food. one more po' boy sandwich and i will die.

Good for You! What are you going to do???? How much did you get in Maine? Today started out below -11 but warmed up to the 20s and the sun was shinning. Maybe another snow storm on Wednesday. Guess we'll have to wait and see. Richard have a good flight home. Do you fly into Burlington? Boston had limited service today. Happy Thoughts...

In the spirit of non-one here to say me nay....I have begun to remodel my bathroom!!

i am stuck in new orleans because of the snow up north. i am not stressing out. i can't take a whole lot more of the french quarter, but i will head over to the garden district today. i am currently on the phone, on hold right now, waiting to try and improve my flight. i have been bumped out to tues. at 3. i need a little voodoo to help me out with this one. i only have 72 more minutes to wait . . .

We now have a blanket of 12 or so inches of fluffy white snow!!! The guy came early to plow, lucky for me, Neil was home so he could go out and shovel the pathways!! It is 5 degrees with wind chills below zero, which made for light fluffy snow instead of the heavy stuff. Hibernating today!! Have a good day.

By the time it was over we had a fresh 17 inches of fluffy, powdery snow. It was very beautiful. The wind made things tough later in the day but the skiing has taken a turn for the better.

This morning Dave called and said he had been to the store to stock up for the impending storm they have now in Baltimore. The shelves were bare, folks were panicking. Winter has hit everywhere now.

Kathi, Dave works for the Social Security Adminstration and he is currently working with the Deputy Commissioner of Social Security to give the "field office perspective" to a number of new programs with the department. It's very common for these details to come up, we have just never gotten this invovled in one before. Last year he had been selected to do a long detail down there which began shortly before the end of the school year and went all summer. I had made plans to join him after school got out and we'd spend the summer hiking in the Shenendoah. At the last minute it was given to another manager and Dave was left holding his head saying what just happened.

I spoke too soon about being glad Patti had the foot of snow because that's what the weather channel is predicting for us...went grocery shopping this morning so I'll have plenty of comfort food. There were so many people in the store, you would think they had never had a snowstorm before. I was actually going before I heard we were getting a storm...something about the cupboards being bare. To think there was a time many years ago when I thought grocery shopping was fun. Crazy...well, heres to being toasty warm and safe at home! Happy Thoughts to all...

Yes, Kathi, I do like the warm, sunny weather here. I feel cold just reading what you all write about the snow and freezing temperatures. I don't remember it bothering me when I grew up in Vermont, but now that I'm used to warmth and sun--from Los Angeles and, before that, Israel--I don't think I could go back to living in a cold place. Visiting is okay, though!

Patti, I am glad you were the ones to get the foot of snow. We have a few inches on the ground and it sounds like the storm this weekend will be a southern New England storm. It is -5 right now with wind chills down to -25. I am glad that its Friday and can hibernate for the weekend. What does your husband do for work that he is gone for 4 months? Lori, California sounds like the place to be today!!! My sister-in-law lives in SanDiego and she emailed me it was beautiful weather now that its stopped raining. I have a couple of "girl" movies I think I'll try watching tonight...Neil is out on the road...so its a good opportunity and sounds better than cleaning! Have a great weekend everybody. Stay warm! Happy Thoughts...

Hi folks, over a foot of fresh snow on the ground and coming down like crazy! I did the driveway at 8 a.m and I'll do it again later. Maybe I'll let Colin do it when he comes home from work. I don't mind it much, I just don't favor the idea of doing in the dark before school. Today it was easy cause it was daylight.

You're right Kathi I do have the opportunity to do crafty or creative things and not have to worry about leaving the mess around. I can work out whenever I want and eat the way I want too. No big suppers anymore.

the glass is 1/2 full.

Richard sounds very exciting. I"ll anxiously await the CD. Our temps have been a bit colder than normal here but supposed to bounce back tomorrow to our normal 50ish. Just finished building a triler to transport our critters and round bales of hay. We took the bed of an old tractor trailer and a triaxel frame from another and welded them together and voila...... drove it home and putting the finishing touches on it. When the Suburbans hooked to it its about 52' or so, not something that everyone could handle but very useful. I learned to work the acetelene torches. See, I'm learning to work with big metals now, its fun.

Pat, you will have a good time visiting Baltimore. We took the kids when they were little and did the Inner Harbor, the aquarium and the USS Constellation docked there. In the meantime, maybe you can get a timer for your furnace that will jack up the temp a half hour before you are due home. Lori, the diet was going okay until I went away for the weekend. Now I am "revisiting" a couple of pounds. Its not a bad way of eating, only lean meats and lots of veggies and good oils (fats). I just am such a chocolate addict and I love bread and alcohol. I eat when I am depressed, happy, alone, with somebody ..... you get the idea. Right now I am leaving to go have my fasting cholesterol done ... ain't getting old great???????? Then after that I think I will go have a mocha latte and a chocolate croissant, hah!

Now is the time to buy the electric blanket!!! Or those little bags filled with corn that you put in the mircrowave to keep your feet warm! Hopefully, the cold snap will not stay around very long. Its past the midpoint in January, the days are getting longer....Pat, you can now do all those creative things you can't get to when there are others in your house-- to keep yourself busy.

Our rain's finished, and we're back to warm, sunny weather. I went hiking with my friend today, and it was so nice out there. Like spring.

By the way, Karen, how's your South Beach diet going? The only diet that seems to work for me is if I'm depressed. Then I can lose a few pounds. I don't recommend it, though!

-25 with the wind chill. I am soooo cold.

It takes forever for the house to warm up after I get back form school. By the time I'm not cold anymore it's bedtime. Whatever, this too will pass

Dave took off yesterday afternoon. Called from Spring Hill, NY around 4:30 to say he was off the road for the night. And so it begins.

Quite cold for GA also. We had 19 this morning when I got up. It is only going to reach into the high 30's. When I go out to the stores, that is what people will be talking about. I notice that a lot of them don't wear coats and complain about the cold ... I wonder if it is denial or they don't own heavy jackets? We had a good trip to FL. It was cold for them too, but sunny and close to 70 on Sunday. Have a good week!

It is COLD here in Vermont. Suppose to be in the minus tonight. The wind has a definite chill. Holiday today and a teacher inservice day tomorrow, so no school/work for me! I think I could like 4 day weekends. What's everybody been up to? My daughter was home from NYC for the weekend. I took her to BF to catch Amtrak this morning. She ended up taking a bus to Springfield, MA because of a train derailment Sunday morning outside of Brattleboro somewhere. Not the passenger train, but cars carrying wood products or something. We didn't know anything about it until we got to the train station. Didn't go to the mailbox to get the newspaper before we left. Anyways, she ended up busing, then having to switch trains twice before getting back to the city. See once you get here its not easy to leave! She really didn't find that amusing....not like me.
Hope everyone had a good weekend and hopefully, day off.

Roland, thanks. My new job is good. I have missed being needed, even it people are being paid to need me. I will send you a CD, it has just been nuts staying on top of things. Things are picking up speed now and it is so much fun. I visited an old woodworking friend tonight and showed him my process. He says he totally believes in it. He is no light weight in the world of woodworking and he is interested in playing a role in what I am up to. I am going for a federal grant for research that I will title lunch@the museum. It is an installation piece that involves a constructed space with people eating lunch in it at different museums around the country. Y'all need to cross your fingers cuz this is going to be a gas. Of course, I will need the grant or this is going to be out of gas.

My Daughter calls their band a heavy melodic progressive rock. they also like to use these bands as barmeters:tools, rush,you never know who/lsning

Hey Richard, forgot to congradulate you on your recent promotion. Also I'm sure you're presentation went well. We got the bid for the 14 acres over in Loganville and plan to be in by the 15th of next mo. Its a fix er up er but well worth it and theres and option on an adjoining 35 acres and another barn house. Its got a small creek and lots of pasture room for the critters. Quite apriject but should turn out nice. Presently I feel like I'm one of the Clampets or something. At least its out of metro, no sirens and much less traffic. Venive Beach is usually nice this time of year but the weathers been quite unpredictable so be careful Karen.

Hi guys! I have enjoyed reading everyone's entries. Glad you all came back. I am headed for Venice, FL this weekend with my husband and youngest son to check on my mother in law. I hear it is going to be cold there this weekend and getting cooler here in Atlanta as well. Its about a 7 and a half hour trip for us so not too bad. Have a good long weekend and I guess some are getting some extra days off up north with the storms. Is anyone else out there doing South Beach for the new year? This is my second time on it and this time I am feeling deprived of the sugars. I find that the second time on any diet is for me like sex over the years ..... you know what to expect and its not quite as exciting as it was the first time! HAHA!

Kathi, I remember you mentioning a while back that one of your kids is a musician. Is it your daughter or your son? How is he/she doing? What kind of music?

Patti, you don't sound so thrilled about Dave's job opportunity! I can understand why, but hopefully you'll enjoy having a lot of time to yourself to do whatever you feel like doing ...

Hi Everyone, I'm back. Just been heaven knows where but here I am again. It's interesting as always to read what everyone is up to.
Maui was fabulous and lush; We'd go back there anytime we had the chance. But the Big Island and Kilaua were amazing when we went to the rainforest and walked around on the volcano. Simply amazing. I was awestruck and dumbstruck. It doesn't happen often. I've never seen anything like it.
It's cold here and the weather is crummy. Some snow coming but rain on top of that so it won't last and the skiing isn't so hot, for those who care.
I'm getting ready to be a single woman.
Dave is moving to Baltimore for 4 months, leaving on Monday. He'll be working on some big deal program and I'm sure it's an honor to be chosen. (gag) I expect winter to hit with a vengeance the minute he's out of sight. My snowblower and I are going to become bosom buddies. do I sound bitter? It'll pass.
I'm travelling down to see him in Feb. and then the four of us are going to Plant City, FL to see my dad in April. It will be such fun to travel with the boys. It's been a long time since they've wanted to do anything like that with us. I'm anxious to see my dad.

Lori, thanks for the update. Its interesting that your kids are musicians and so is one of mine. Just by reading here on the site you've done a lot of traveling and seen lots of the world. I'd never been further than PA until I was 40. Now I'm a big traveler, hah, having been to SanDiego twice to visit my sister-in-law, and Raleigh, NC 5 or 6 times,to visit our daughter. Since we closed the vegetable stand, Neil has been driving truck for a company in Brattleboro. He drives in NE, with PA and NJ thrown in sometimes. So with all the driving he does, traveling really doesn't interest him. We're pretty much homebodies except for visiting family. I'm glad that your writing has been good to you. Its nice that your parents can come and visit with you and the rest of your family. Be good to yourself.

Kathi, here's a brief update. My husband, Avi, is Israeli. We met at the university in Jerusalem, and our 3 kids were born in Israel. We have a girl (25) and 2 boys (24 and 20). The older two are musicians, still struggling to make a living from music--though our daughter also works for my husband, helping him with the designs for the shirts he manufactures. The youngest works as an assistant sales rep for BCBG (women's clothing). And I write poetry and have been published in various literary magazines, which is rewarding for me (not financially!).

Lori, tell me about you, your family. Its been a long time. If anyone else would like to share the things I've missed, please do. Hope the rain stops soon. We are forcasted nasty weather for late tonight into tomorrow. Another Snow Day????? Hope not. They add them onto the end of the year. Well, everyone have a great day.
Happy Thoughts...

I'll skip the goldfish and dogs! I'll go straight for the grandchildren, whenever that happens. And, no, Kathi, I'm not bored by the Nana stories. And, yes, it's still raining here. It hasn't stopped for about 2 weeks. Our son went snowboarding at Mammoth over the weekend (about a 5 hour drive from here), and we were worried he wouldn't make it home since some of the roads were closed. He did get home safely, though--and thrilled about the snowboarding conditions there.

lori, the only one that ever got famous in forestry was smokey the bear and i don't think i have what the bear had. kathi is right about having another beautiful day in paradise here. i have to say that the grandparent thing still scares me a little. i am just hoping that my boys will be contributing members of society for starters. then maybe they could work up to it by beginning with goldfish and then maybe a dog. i suppose greater miracles have happened.

It was a beautiful winter day here in Vermont. We have 8 inches of new snow. Luckily it is the light and fluffy stuff that doesn't take too much effort to shovel. This week is suppose to get warm (for us). Maybe even a record high by Thursday. The shoveling was probably the highlight of the day. Besides the laundry, making dinner and watching football. My oldest daughter is coming home next weekend and we will have our Christmas. I put up this funky fake tree because I was gone over the holiday and didn't want to buy a real tree for my husband to forget to water. It certainly didn't smell like Christmas. And burning the tree smelling candles doesn't work. Oh well, next year. Hope everybody has a good week. Lori, is it still raining in LA? Hope I don't bore you with the Nana stories. You have to cherish every memory.

Thanks for the poem, Richard. Any words of inspiration are always welcome! And congratulations on your progress with your wood ideas. Will you still talk to us when you're famous?!

Kathi, I like hearing about your grandmother experiences. I'm not there yet, but it's good to know what to expect!

that is a nice fantasy. let's hope for it and the party will definitely be one that is "not to be missed." if it ever happens, i just hope it's before our 50th!

Is this when we get to say, "Little Dicky Loveless, I knew him when ...."? Congratulations Richard. I am impressed.

Pat how was your Hawaii trip? Haven't heard much about it. Now would be the time to appeciate the beautiful weather there! We are suppose to get more snow today. Hopefully, not the freezing rain. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

hi, my presentation and time at the forest products lab went very well. they assigned a researcher to act as a primary consultant to me. i also spent a lot of time with about four other reseachers who are available to discuss technical issues with me if i need them. they had some really good ideas on how to commercialize my work- which products first and where to have them made (roland, i will send a cd sometime soon). it was the result that i had hoped for.

lori, here is a second version of the same story written as a poem. i hope it is an affirmation to one of my favorite poets and what she is doing.

"I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze
than it should be stifled by dry rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor,
every atom of me in magnificent glow,
than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The proper function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time" -Jack London

Let us know how it went, Richard! And tell us some more stories. I like the sailboat one.

Richard...I am sure you will do great. You obviously know a lot about what you are doing and are ready to show the world. Good luck. We did get about 6 inches of snow. Here was just snow. Further up 91 it was snow with freezing rain. Very nasty driving. Anyways, think positive! Have a safe journey back.

kathi, i hope the snow comes to vt. it snowed about 8" in wisconsin where i am now. i had a long morning driving from chicago to milwaukee. i am in madison now, which is like a big burlington. it is university centric. i need to go explore a little bit, but this sofa is so comfortable and i like the music that is playing on my cd player. i hope you all cross your fingers for me tomorrow am. i am presenting my wood process between 8:30 and 9:00. then i get to explore the lab and talk with researchers in every imaginable area that relates to wood. i will be very, very tired when i get home tomorrow night and i don't even know how that will feel just yet. i know it will be good. here is a story that i like. two men run down a hill to the waters edge where each has a boat waiting. one man steps onto his motorboat and says "i can't wait to get there!" the other steps onto his sailboat and says "i am already there!" i am trying to be the "already there" guy. it is a little bit of an adjustment but i think i am doing okay at it.

The snow is finally coming down. A big no school day here in Springfield. Hopefully, the freezing rain will stay away! The weather channel says 4-6 inches. We'll see! Everybody have a good day.

Got home in one piece and what a celebration those Mexicans have!!! Looking at more property tomorrow. Only 12 ac but house, barn, and stream off the beaten path but still a good central location. Kathi you sound busy, wow, grand kids.....makes us feel the years but then again it keeps you going. Sure hope this weather keeps up it hit near 75 today here and they still haven't forcast cold weather. We BBQed last night and some friends stopped over to make it merrier. The critters are well and we hope to get the donkey sometime this month.

Hi again everyone. I've been kind of busy the last few weeks. Avi and I and the kids were in Vermont for a week for my brother's son's Bar Mitzvah. I didn't get to see friends this time because we were too busy with the family--my brother's family and also my parents, who came from Israel for the event. We were pretty lucky with the weather, though I think I'd get really lazy if I lived in a cold place--even going out to throw the garbage seems hard when it's cold out! After we got back from Vermont, we had guests for 2 weeks. Avi's uncle and his family were here. Their daughter is studying at UCLA for a year. They live in Paris. As of yesterday, we have peace and quiet again, which is a relief! Actually, I'm not really complaining cuz that uncle is one of my favorite people in the world. I love talking to him.

hi, i am in a hotel in cayuga falls, ohio. it is where the snow, ice, etc that kathi mentions as coming her way is right now. i have a new job at my daytime- pay the bills place of employment. i am the technical marketing manager for north america. basically, i have a sales engineering department that has been formed with me at the helm. it is good!! on the woodworking front (that is the nighttime doesn't pay me nuthin, but i wish it did) i will be presenting my innovations for buildings at the forest products lab in madison, wi in two days. i will meet with many specialists and i am totally psyched.

Hi. I made it back from NC fine...Neil was there to meet me and was glad to see me! My new baby is so sweet. Camille is very mellow. She looks just like my daughter when she was born. Brings back memories. My 2 year old grandson Caleb, called me last night to sing You Are My Sunshine and say I miss you Nana. I had so much fun playing, cuddling and reading with him. I have to say its almost better than being a mother. Other than that, school started up so it was back to work. We have no snow and it was in the 40s today. A cold front is coming, so probably ice and snow is coming. You know this can't last! Hope everyone is happy and well.

Is everyone still recovering or what?????? Seventy degrees here today. I have been out raking. Awesome! Kathi, did you get home all right? Roland, are you back? Pat, has your tan faded? Richard, what is up with the job and the new venture? And Lori, where are you? To everyone else, join us please!

Hey ya'll from Mexico City!!!!!! Friends invited me down and even sent a jet!! Wow! Had a great holiday and New Year. Its been warm here and getting warmer as well as back in GA. We fly back tomorrow sometime.

Yes, the hair is still red....not as bright and with a few blonde highlights.....I don't get gray...just white! My grandfather had beautiful white hair...but I think I'll be an redhead forever....if Lucy could do it, so can I! Glad your house is still intact! and hopefully someone else had more of a headache then you....And don't you know, its your JOB to embarress your children. Remember they embarressed you enough when they were young, its called payback time! Hope for good flying weather on Friday and that my husband will remember to come and get me at the airport!haha....Happy Thoughts to all.

A new grandchild, wow! That's great. I can't imagine all of that just yet- but it will be cool if it happens. I think news of grandchildren, trees falling, and large family occasions would all make kamikazes seem like a good option to me. And, let's see there is my dog's birthday. Fido and I always toss a couple back for that one. Just kidding. Karen you know when to be wicked. I love that!

Congratulations on your new grand daughter Kathi, but I want to know how you still get to have red hair ....... and not gray? My hair dresser is trying to perform miracles with foil and dye on mine!! As for exciting and eventful, do you count a tree coming down on our house on the 19th and piercing the roof as well as coming into the master bath ceiling?? Sixteen for Christmas was exciting. It all went well, except for the last night when I was coaxed into doing kamikaze shots with the young crowd! I did score some points with the cousins but embarrassed a couple of my kids! Oh well. Having some friends in for New Years but it will be low key. I have been watching some of the coverage of the Tsunamis today ... how horrible. Happy New Year to All!

Hi Everyone. Hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday. I have a new granddaughter. She was born 12/20 at 9:52 am and weighed 9lb. 5 oz., 21 in long. She has dark hair, which was a little disappointing because my year old grandson has red hair like Nana. Anyways, there is nothing like holding a grandbaby. I will be in Raleigh until Friday and I will fly back home....I will be happy to get home but will miss my daughter and the babies. I wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope that something eventful and exciting happen to each and everyone of you. Happy thoughts .