Hello everyone!! I am a winter lover, but now is about the time I am ready for it to be over. Even I can have too much winter, and with how intense winter has been this month – it’s time to call it. Let’s get some warmer weather, some sunshine up in here. I am done wintering, however February in Michigan means more winter. So, we will just keep on keeping on a little bit longer.
I know this weather is affecting such a large part of the U.S. right now too, and I feel for those of you who are not used to it. It’s tough for me and I am a Michigander. I mean, it was 12 degrees yesterday, and I took the kittens to their vaccine appointment without a coat. Just my sweatshirt and hat. I did cover the carrier with my coat though, despite the car being heated with heated seats. The clinic I went to is one that is run by my SIL. It is a high quality, high volume, low cost spay/neuter clinic that does vaccine clinics on Thursdays, also low cost. I just want to talk about how awesome this place is for a minute. The shots for both of the kittens was a total of $60, and I didn’t even have to get out of my car. I called when I got there, the tech came out to grab them in their carrier, took them in, did the things, and brought them back. It was very convenient! We are also getting them spayed and neutered there as well. They have a grant package (a few of them, one for feral cats too) that is called A Family Affair, where if you take in a mom cat and her kittens, the mom is basically $100 for the surgery and shots, and each kitten is $5 for shots and surgery. So, Max and Mouse will be done with everything for about $20 really, once I pay for their tiny cones of shame on top of it. Our friend where we got the kittens is taking in their mom and their sister at the same time, so we can utilize the grant. The clinic does not do full vet care, but for things like this, it is a fantastic value.
On Sunday, we got a lot of snow! Not as much as some places, but a lot for our area. For some reason snow usually misses us! We got about 7-8 inches. We waited until evening to go outside and shovel and snowblow, and Wyatt went out with us. It has always been sort of difficult to get him outside in the snow, but now that we have the deck and ramp, it was so much easier! And, the ramp served another purpose this time- sledding! Wyatt had fun going down a few times than just hanging out throwing snow at his father and I while we worked. It was mega-cold out but he was not ready to go back in. He had a blast!! Although I realized belatedly that this kid does not have boots! It is just not something we need to buy him normally so we used an old pair of his shoes and really thick wool socks. I need to write a note for next winter to buy boots!
This weekend we absolutely have to leave this house. I don’t care if it is the arctic outside. We are getting out and doing something. If it is not too terrible, a city near us is having an Ice Festival, which might be fun. Actually, a few communities near us are having ice sculpting fests with hot chocolate, so we will pick one perhaps and go. I remember going to the one in Plymouth when I was a kid. My family went with my aunt and uncle, and my cousin Brian and I got to ride in the back of their station wagon, in a fold up seat that faced backwards. The 80s were a wild time, weren’t they? My mom and my aunt were like the moms in A Christmas Story, and would bundle us up so much we could hardly move, but we were warm. We were always together, our whole lives. Lots of good time and memories, even when I had to stomp about in moon boots. God I hated those things! I always felt bad for the kids who forgot to bring shoes in the winter, and had to wear those big boots all day during school. I can still hear the sounds of them walking in the classroom or down the hall, the hiss of the radiators, feeling a bit drowsy in the afternoon from the heat and playing on the playground. Scarves and hats and mittens and boots, and now I try not to wear anything out but boots, a hat, and gloves. Wyatt, however, I bundle up like my mom did me, although I always make sure not to zip his chin like my mom did me.
Tonight is pizza Friday and I can’t wait. I am so over planning dinners this week! We made a whole chicken on Sunday since we were all snowed in and not leaving, and then we ate the leftovers as chicken quesadillas the next two days though, so it wasn’t too hard planning them. And honestly, those were the best freaking quesadillas I have ever eaten. It was the first time I ever made them, and they turned out so good. Definitely something we are keeping on the menu for future leftovers.
While I am stuck here in snowy Michigan, one of my besties is over in London, living it up! She is sending me pics of her trip, and it looks awesome. A Wes Anderson exhibit, tea at Harrods, and shopping at Hatchards. I had no idea what that was, but some of you might. It is the oldest bookseller in London, and has been around since 1797. The owner was a publisher and anti-slavery campaigner, and the store holds a Royal Warrant, which means they service the royal family. Pretty cool! And because she loves me, Kelly texted me a photo of a huge Agatha Christie book display and had me pick a book! She said there was no way she could be at the oldest bookstore in London and not get me a book by a British author. I had a minute of blurting out via text different titles before I settled on The Sittaford Mystery.
Which one would you have picked?
And wow I have really rambled, sorry about that!!! I will close with a few random photos, and a wish for you guys to do somethings today that makes you smile! Stay safe and warm my friends!
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 
I’m not an Agatha Christie fan, so I would have gone for the cat cover 😉 (although I actually own that book from a long time ago!).
Now I’ll have to get over the image of tiny cones of shame o.O
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Lol!! They are going to be so tiny! It’s coming up!
That was one of the titles I said, that cover is so cute! I couldn’t choose for a second! Lol.
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Oh I am so ready to call it as well! I’ve had enough! Funny mention that about not wearing a coat because I’m the same way. We went out today and it was only 8 degrees but I didn’t bother wearing my coat either… just a quick run from the car to the store doesn’t seem worth the added bulk.
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Ugh I am the same way! I hate to wear one. The bulk and also it gets so hot wearing one in the car!
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That clinic does vaccinations and neutering is such an excellent idea.
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It is such a help!
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What a great idea to use the ramp to sled! My boys have to make do with too small boots this year if it snows. We have different sizes but not the ones they are in now! We definitely had a bit of cabin fever this past monday after being indoors all weekend long.
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
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An added bonus we never considered! Lol. This winter has been rough! It would be ok if it wasn’t so cold that we couldn’t even really go outside, but these temps are crazy. Yesterday was in the 20s though so we got our kiddo out of the house for a bit.
I am writing in my planner to get boots next October/Novemberish when I see them!
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Wow, your animal clinic sounds amazing! Love that you had door-to-car service, too!
Like you, I love winter and like you I am feeling VERY cooped up after two days of virtual school. I need to get outside and enjoy the snow rather than continuing to cozy up at home. We are also having a pizza night and I am relieved not to have to cook!
Your Ice Festival sounds like the perfect way to celebrate the ongoing cold. Hope you have fun!
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They are a great benefit for the community. They don’t do full vet appointments but for shots and spay/neuters they are perfect. It is super helpful especially to shelters, rescues and for ferals.
It has been a rough winter this year! Just so bitterly cold. I don’t mind when we can get out easier but this cold is too much. 😦 I am hoping to get us out a bit today, the temp is supposed to be in the 20s! Practically a heat wave!
Pizza Fridays is the best!
And I am hoping we can get there! If not, we will find something else!
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I am in the minority! I am loving this winter (maybe not the cold as much), but I love being blanketed with the sparkling stuff. The cold has kept it from melting and turning into the awful grey dirty stuff. I have had museum responsibilities, but I think I will do some baking on Sunday. I don’t know what, but it will be something scrumptious (unlike my cooking)!
Tonight (Friday), the museum hosted college students in the Contemporary galleries. I was there along with three other docents. I took my granddaughter with me and lost her. I seriously panicked until she texted me that she was down with the food and talking to lots of college kids. On the way home, she told me she’d had a blast. I did, too, because I’m discovering I just love talking art!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
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I love all of this snow! This super deep freeze can take a hike though. It’s actually warmer here today, so we are going to get Wyatt out of the house a bit. I am excited to see what you bake!!
That is so cool that your granddaughter went with you! She probably loves that! What a great day for both of you!
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I am over this winter as well! We decided to get out today and go snow tubing. Might as well make the best of it! Your new kitty is adorable. We have two cats that we adore and always think we want to get another one.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
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Tubing sounds so fun! You know, I bet that would be easier for my son, and I never thought of it! He has cerebral palsy and so sitting on the sled can be tough especially when he is all bundled up. Lol.
Thank you! We adopted two kittens together, a brother and sister, and we have a senior cat as well. My senior kitty is handling it pretty well!
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I love Agatha, so that would have been a hard choice! 🙂 What a lovely friend! When one of my bestie’s went to Italy, she brought me back an Italian copy of Sense and Sensibility and it’s the most beautiful thing I cannot read and I love it. ❤
Such brave little kitties! And that’s such an awesome vet-care-access clinic/program too!
Seriously, I was telling Mr this morning, I don’t know how y’all do it. Yes, it’s cold all the time, versus it being a really weird spell for us, but oh my gosh y’all are even colder than we are! I’m all bundled in fleece-lined leggings and wool socks and my “seal suit” (one of those huge fuzzy hoodie blankets) over my sweatshirt and still feel like a little snowgirl, haha. The chickens, needless to say, are refusing to come out of their box while snow is falling! Yay snow! If it’s going to be this cold, it better snow and be pretty to make up for it 🙂
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It is awesome to have friends that know us so well! I would love that as well! And lol at ” it’s the most beautiful thing I cannot read and I love it” This would be me too.
It is so cold here Rebecca! Lol. I guess we just get used to it somehow but some winters are easier than others. This one is a rough one. It’s better when we can get out in it more. Lol. Your chickens sound pretty smart!!
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You got way more snow than we did — but just as cold! I’m hoping I get to London before the Wes Anderson closes but it might not be till October — too late. Looks like you’re living your best winter life! (And love that photo of Mouse!)
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It is so wild that we got more, since we are further south!
My friend Kelly said she was on cloud nine walking through that exhibit! I would love to see it too.
We are doing pretty good, wintering along. I hope that you are as well!
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I’m so behind again! Just wanted to say I love (and miss) Hatchards!
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I am permanently behind! LOL. She sent me so many photos, it looks amazing there!!
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