These were taken with my phone...

Somewhere under the snow is my dad's Lincoln Town Car.

What a world we live it, where you can take pictures with a phone and then send them to a computer. I almost believe we will have teleporters before I shuffle off this mortal coil. Just what is a mortal coil, by the way? I have never understood that.

Anyway, here are some shots of the eight inches of snow that fell while I was with my dad in Michigan. My sister called yesterday, and they have had an additional 12 inches bury them.

It's good to be in the South. It may be cold, but there is plenty of sunshine and a wonderful absence of the white stuff.

Speaking of which, check this out!

This is the ornamental crabapple outside my dad's front window.

Only those who have never shoveled the stuff sing "Let it Snow!"

Keep warm.

Does this make me a pusher??!!

So, I have returned from the land of ice and snow...8 inches while I was there, temps in the low 20s... and today I was walking around my yard in my shirt sleeves. What a contrast and a relief. Inspite of that, I am oddly depressed. Maybe it is because Dave isn't home yet. Maybe it was coming home to a NOT empty house. Maybe it's Mama's maniacal babbling since I stepped in the door. Apparently she has been silent for the past two weeks, saving it all up for me. I saw baby Emily yesterday and that didn't even cheer me up. I usually have problems with depression in the winter- they called it SAD, and it is- but this is different.

I had such a good time in Michigan, despite the weather. The snow was actually incredible, and that part of the state is so beautiful. It is full of gorgeous older homes, including an honest to God 114 year old Sears house (yes, the Sears catalog used to offer house kits) and spectacular views.

I had such a great time with my dad. We seem to get along better ever year. He is recovering from a broken hip and making good progress at last, graduating from a walker to a cane, and is feeling pretty good. His little house is cozy and warm, and he has his good buddy, Snoopy the cat, to keep him company. Yeah, I did a lot of cooking and cleaning while I was there, but we had a nice, low key visit and I miss my dad already.

One weekend my cousin Valarie came across state mid-blizzard and she, my sister Sue and I had a great time together. The three sisters. (Yeah, I hear you saying the three weird sisters; knock it off!) I took a lot of my scrapbooking goodies with me, and we spent a very pleasant Saturday creating pages for the scrapbooks I am making for Daddy. It took me two full days to organize the pictures, and I had finished about six pages when the gals and I sat down to work, and we would have gotten a LOT more work done if I could have spent a day just introducing them to my various cutters, scissors,punches, tools, papers, embellishments and sundries. They had to play with everything, just like kids.

Before I left, I had created the most beautiful book I have done to date covering the first 25 years of my Dad's life. I have pages of notes on his life and have identified tons of pictures with archival ink so that even those not used in scrapbooks will have relevant information on them. I also purchased scrapbooks and some papers for a scrapbook on his WWII Navy career, for at least two more on his life, one on Mom's life and one on his parents lives. I plan on going back every three months or so until I get them all finished. It's going to be so much fun!

Daddy really loved the scrapbook, which was very gratifying.

Sue, in the meantime, got the scrapbooking bug. She was completely enthralled with all my stuff and full of ideas. We went to several scrapbook and crafts stores and she was astonished at all the cool stuff that is out there. She showed the finished scrapbook to her hubby and it tickled me to hear her talk about it with such delight and enthusiasm. She was so excited about doing some scrapbooking on her own.

So, I left her a whole bunch of equipment and paper and headed for home.

I think I heard her whoop of joy from the plane.

I may have created a monster. Or a scrapbooking junkie... because scrapbooking IS ADDICTIVE! So, does this make me a pusher? A paper pusher, maybe?

Anyway, home again, home again. And feeling blue. Thanks to Dad and Sue and Andy and Val for showing me such a great time. Wish I was there, snow and all.

WINTER WONDERLAND!

You know, you go away for a lousy 27 years, and things change - including your memory. I was born and raised in the beautiful mitten state and lived there until I was 31. Of course I have returned to Michigan many times, but very seldom in winter- in fact, if I remember correctly, I have returned in winter only twice since the big move South in 1980. So this trip to visit my dear old dad has been an amazing kick-start to my memory.

I cannot remember that last time I went to bed and woke up to five inches of sparkling white snow on the ground but that is exactly what happened here. I felt like a kid again, and seriously considered plopping down to make a snow angel until I realized that I would probably not be able to get up again and Dad wouldn’t be able to help me. I can see the headlines now “Fat fool from Tennessee found spread-eagled in the snow”. News at 11.

Wish my granddaughters were here. They have never seen snow like this. All the trees are groaning under the load, and the tiny prints of birds and small animals break the pristine blanket at irregular intervals. Tuesday Dad and I went out for a drive. The sun was bright, the snow on the trees had started to melt ever so slightly but just enough to catch and fragment the sunlight until the trees looked like they were made of crystal and studded with diamonds. I had forgotten that, aside from being cold, wet, and dangerous, winter in Michigan is also breathtakingly beautiful.

We got another inch or so of the white stuff last night, just a soft dusting by Michigan standards but enough to close the schools in my little hometown in Tennessee. I am off to buy proper boots with my baby sister today. Since I seldom need them at home, I have only one pair more appropriate for rain than sleet and snow. The Michiganians have been sneering at my boots, which are heeled and will certainly kill me if I wear them outside the house. Or so they say. What I will do with those proper boots when I return to Tullahoma is beyond me. Maybe I will have them bronzed to commemorate my winter visit of 2007. Imagine the size the mantle that would be required to display those babies.

Sissie’s here, I’m off! Damn, I wish I had a sled!

Delta, feed your planes! They are WAY too small!

The little Delta connector planes were not meant to contain human beings. Sadly, I needed to use two of them to get to South Bend, Indiana, which is about 40 minutes away from my dad's house. To say I was frazzled when I deplaned would be to understate my condition big time. Still, my little sister Sue and her hubby Andy were there to pick me up and help me wrestle with the luggage, which included my overstuffed scrapbooking cart, and we got to Dad's ahead of the ice storm.

When we pulled into Daddy's driveway, he had turned on the Christmas lights! That was so cool. And when we woke up this morning to five inches of snow, it really felt like Christmas here. Not bad for the middle of January...though more snow is promised, so it may seem more like the North Pole soon. Going down to single digit temps tonight. Suddenly, I am remembering why I moved to Tennessee.

I have spent two days organizing photographs and taking notes while Dad free associates about the past. I am entering all his oral history into the computer for use in journaling. I see at least four scrapbooks in all this. I also see another trip up here in the near future- SPRING!

Daddy's cat Snoopy isn't quite sure how to take me, but he seems to love my suitcase. He has been snubbing Dad until just a minute ago, pissed off that Dad-ums would permit an interloper into their abode. He is now genially attacking Dad, so I'm not sure what that means. At least he is not attacking me. He just drinks out of my water glass every time I set it down.

Tomorrow I begin the fun part of scrapbooking, creating the pages. I am hoping for a break in the weather just long enough for us to get to the grocery store to replenish our larder before the next storm hits, and then it will be scrapbook heaven here.

Well, off to bed, me. Dad's a worse night-owl than I am, which is saying something, but he has provided me with a wonderfully comfortable bed, and unlike him, I don't catch any naps during the day, so I am pooped.

So, who in their right mind goes to Michigan in January?

Tomorrow or the next day, I must go to the credit union to pull out some travel money. My new credit union. Actually, it is my old credit union with a new name- Ascend. My daughter-in-law Becca pointed out that this is a most unfortunate name for a banking institution- "guess I better pull some money out of my Ascend". If only it were that easy!

Dave is heading for Brisbane by way of San Diego and I am headed up to western Michigan. In January. To the banks of Lake Michigan. Where it gets very cold and there is a lot of snow. Okay, it has been unseasonably warm everywhere this winter, but I guaran-damn-tee you that the minute I step on the plane Saturday, en route to visit my dear old Daddy, the weather will change. A blizzard will come off Lake Michigan to make traveling and visiting a nightmare. Bank on it.

I no longer have really warm winter clothes or coats, having lived in Tennessee for 27 years now, so I will have to pack smart. I will be traveling with a huge craft cart filled to overflowing with scrapbooking paraphernalia, all of which is pretty heavy, and none of which I would bother taking if I wasn't going to be there for at least two weeks. I can't wait to see what the little x-ray dudes at the airport think of my dozen pair of scissors and various other pointy stuff. I am checking that bag, of course- I know pinking shears are the weapons of choice of most terrorists, and I am sure both the flight from Nashville to Cincinnati and the flight from Cincinnati to South Bend will be chock-a-block with terrorists. They're everywhere. Imagine the impact on the nation if travel between Ohio and Indiana was sabotaged. The mind boggles.

I am looking forward to a break. Christmas is wonderful but exhausting. Mama had a very good Christmas and was very good company, and the glooms and dooms lifted for several weeks, so I have no complaints on that front. Actually, I have no complaints, really- I just find her little eccentricities wearing after awhile. When she found out I was leaving, I expected a daily and escalating wave of self-pity and guilt inducements, and there have been a few, but I strongly suspect she is looking forward to seeing the back of me. I have eccentricities of my own. Maybe she's weary of mine.

I bought a new microwave and it is wonderful. I picked this one out, rather than Techno-Dave, so it is efficient, simple, and easy to use. Even Mama can read the buttons on it- not that she will touch the damn thing after setting fire to the last one. Got a new toaster oven, too, but will bring in the old toaster from the garage for Mama to use while I am gone.
Friday I will fill up the larder.

Stephanie, my housekeeper/Mama-sitter/collaborator/partner-in crime/good buddy, will be coming every single day I am gone, mainly to make sure Mama is all right and well fed. This is a new arrangement for us, and will last at least until June, at which time, I am given to understand, our travel back and forth between home and San Diego every month will probably come to an end.

I have very mixed feelings about that on several fronts. First, I gave up my career to accommodate that bizarre life pattern- a tenured professorship. Granted, I had come to detest my job (except for the teaching) but I loved having some financial independence, a retirement package, a 401-K and my own medical insurance. I was in my 40s when I purchased my first car that was chosen exclusively by me, and financed based on my income. I liked the feeling of contributing, and had been working very hard to get us debt free and expense limited so that if Dave, who has been working since he was 14, ever wanted to just chuck his high-pressure job and retire, we could live on my income. Even though Dave asked me to do it, my giving up my career trapped David in his job for at least another 5 years when he can retire and collect his pension.

And I love San Diego. I have missed it this fall while I was teaching genetics as an adjunct. I love that part of California and I love our apartment there. As difficult as traveling back and forth has been, I really enjoy my space and my time there. I really don't want it to end.

And yes, it is nice to get away from Mama from time to time. And it is wonderful spending time with my daughter when I get out there. We always have a good time together. I will miss that if we stop the monthly travel.

On the other hand, poor Dave lives in airports as it is, has to look at his itinerary to know where the hell he is, and is exhausted most of the time. All the traveling is taking a toll on him. If dropping the monthly two-week stint in San Diego makes his life easier, who am I to argue?

I bought a wireless card for my new laptop- thanks, adjunct pay- so I should be able to stay in touch while in the mitten state. Speaking of mittens....

Another new year...seems like they come every 12 months or so

It is now officially 2007. I now have to retrain myself to put the correct year on my checks. It's almost as bad as turning back the clocks each fall.

I will miss 2006. It was a pretty good year. We had good weather, I got to teach for a semester, and no one was terribly sick. Emily finally bonded with Dave and I, my hand surgeries went well and we had a very prosperous year. I hope 2007 turns out as well.

We had a wonderful, plentiful Christmas with tons of quality family time. Kelly and Orrick came in the day after Christmas and we have had a terrific time with them. Orrick is such a gentle and courtly man; his only fault, that I can see, is that he is TOO quiet. I am accustomed to noisy people. Emily made more noise in 5 minutes than Orrick made the entire stay.

I am preparing to travel to Michigan to spend a couple of weeks with my Dad while Dave is in Brisbane. I have hired someone to care for Mama full time while we are gone. Next month, I will return to San Diego for the first time since last July. I am looking forward to going antiquing in La Mesa. Hope to plan a Mother's Day return trip to Disneyland as well.

In 25 days, my eldest child will be 35. MY biological clock for her has been ticking for some time but I think I am finally almost resigned to the notion that she will not have children. Come March, my eldest granddaughter will be 12. She is as tall as I am already. I find that astonishing. By the end of 2007, our granddaughters will be 12, 11, 8, and 4. Since 4 year-olds really aren't babies anymore, my life with babies in it will end this year, unless I live long enough to become a great-grandmother. It could happen.

Mama will be 79 this year and has already made it quite clear that she expects a big surprise party for her birthday in May.

Dave and I will be 58 in 2007. How in the hell did we get so old so fast?

Well, I am heading off to bed, now that the new year has begun. Here's hoping that 2007 is the best year ever- no war, no famine; no jihads or vendettas; cures for cancer, diabetes, AIDS and malaria; green fuels replacing fossil ones; absolutely NO Britney Spears news; teachers getting paid at least half of what the average athlete makes... hey, it could happen.