Updates

Greetings from Iowa!
Finally we are past the artic freeze and today it is a balmy 35 degrees! I had books due at the library so I made my list of errands and headed in to town. LaVern has been setting up the solar system in the basement. We are just waiting on another cable to be delivered and then he will be ready to make the big switch. LaVern will then be able to run his air compressor and ALL of his power tools. He is so looking forward to that! He said he is going to build a little box with a glass cover and put the "real" hammer in it and display it with a sign that says, "In case of inverter power failure, break glass." Such a funny guy.
I am hoping to head back to Greeley, CO. next week some time to see mom. The bacteria level is less. She had another MRI on Monday and should get results from that today. She just isn't gaining back her strength so the rehabilitation is going very slow.
The impact of the recession has finally touched our family. My brother lost his job after surviving many, many cutbacks the past ten years. He started when the company was Monfort and has been there close to 30 years, in programming. He saw the company change hands a number of times and currently it is called JBS, owned by a Brazilian family. I know everything will be fine and He has a plan. Still, it has to be a worry for my brother.
We are living our dream and loving it! We went snow shoeing the other day. Hiked down to the river and walked along the banks in the trees. It didn't take Owyn long to figure out that maybe it would be easier to walk behind us in the trail we were making. And I had my first experience crossing a wire fence with snow shoes on. You really want to lift your foot high and wide to get the shoe over the wire else you will crash and fall in the snow. But the positive side to that is you can lay there and make a snow angel!!
Beautiful fog in the morning that coats all the trees and buildings. No camera found yet.
I have been cooking and baking on the wood stove and having great results. My cast iron dutch oven is just like a crock pot. The legs get it just enough off the stove and heat. Tonight I am fixing meatballs and spagetti with an herb casserole bread.
We are still holding off getting the internet at home. Our options are limited. I miss blogging daily and catching up with friends and family on Facebook. The upside...........I am reading lots of books!