BRRRRR!

Baby it's COLD Outside! I mean Cold!

Last night Princess and I went out for date night with the Mocks. The car was reading 24F and then add the windchill...BRRRRRR! The temp outside right now is 10F!!!! We live in the south for cryin out loud! Seriously.

Usually in the winter, Princess sets the thermostat at 60F, just so the girls don't freeze while we're at work. So far, she's kept it at 63! I'm looking forward to next weekend when we have the Hugginses come visit us, the heater is gonna be on overtime! Of course, the ten day forecast says that we'll be in the mid 50's next week during the day and 30's for nighttime lows. Still, I'm thinking it's going to be the warmest this house has seen since August.

Today is a lazy day cause we did laundry and some cleaning. I'm going to work on my desk and the "office" and Princess is going to work on the Kitchen! I'll post before and after pictures I promise!

We're going to go see AVATAR today, wish me luck, 3D movies make me a bit nauseous. What are your plans for this fine Saturday?

Jim

Twenty Ten

Get it, 2010!

It's a brand new year, Lot's of opportunities, activities, wants, desires, wishes and yes of course there'll be challenges. Can't have life without challenges.

We had a quiet New Year's Eve celebration. Fun games and great food with the Lackmeyers and the Mocks, of course I party pooped out and we were home in bed by 10:30. I just can't make it to midnight anymore, I'm getting too old (of course, having a nap and not busting my behind all day would've been very nice too).

We're having a cold snap here, the temperature is a cold 28F with wind chills down into the 16 to 17F range. Feels like Chicago weather to me. That didn't stop Todd and I from walking around the building in a 24F wind chill during lunch time! We bundled up, gloves scarf, ear warmers, heavy coats, and hoodies. Then we walked very briskly, and boy do I mean briskly!

There was some debate in my cubicle today about how to refer to this decade. Is it "0 ten" or just "ten"? I said twenty ten or two thousand ten. What's your preference for this new decade? One thing I'm looking forward to is my birthday. The date will be 10/10/10! I'm stoked! This is going to be a great year!

Be safe and Warm out there this weekend.

Jim

Home Again

I just arrived home from a week in Chicago. Man was it cold there this week! Lot's of snow, Lot's of wind, and LOT'S of cold temperatures!

For a desert rat, having grown up in Vegas, I had seen snow in Utah, but never had I experienced waking up to 2F temperatures with a wind chill of minus 14F!

The year end meetings with my team went well. I think we got a lot accomplished.

Tonight we're heading out to see the town of Burnet, TX for some holiday sights and sounds. We've never been before and it just feels like the time to go (plus we're going with friends), so it shoudl be a fun night.

Tomorrow I'll be working to catch up on some "desk" time stuff while Princess irons my clothes for the last trip of the year next week. It will feel good to catch up.

Jim

Winter

I'm here in Chicago, Beautiful city, but it is cooollld! I mean 35 F for the high when I landed at 4:00 PM. Thanks goodness I packed my scarf, gloves, and heavier coat. It's also cold back home. I've looked forward to cooler weather, but this came fast and it seems like the cool down lasted only one day.

I've also got quite a bit on my plate. Two of my team are retiring the end of December, so more training on my part. I'm not having sour grapes, they both deserve it, almost thirty years of service each. I can see it now, it's going to be a busy 2010. Heaven help both me, Princess, and the girls - I'm going to be more of a stranger than ever.

Jim

Colder Than..

So, Sunday the temperature was 76 F for the high! In MARCH! Then Monday, the temperature was a cool 41 F for the high! Oops, did I say cool? I meant to say Freezing with the wind chill driving the temperature down into the mid 20's.


Now most sane people are at home, with heaters on, or with fires in the fireplace, but no, not us! Princess used my only scheduled day at home to go out and get her new vehicle. See, the car she has been driving was a lease, or as I like to call them a "fleece". The lease was up, and we had batted around keeping the car and paying it off. Well, mathematics took over my brain and after adding up 3 years of "fleece" payments, and then 3 years to pay off the car - I about fainted!


We were smart this time, we got pre-approved for a loan, researched the car we wanted, price, options, taxes, etc. We even tried to do an online deal through our insurance company, but they didn't have that feature here in Waco. We walked in to the dealership, got our salesman, looked at the car, then we said, here's the deal. He accepted, and in under two hours, we left with the new car, saying adios to the 2005 Murano.


AND HELLO

TO THE NEW

2009

NISSAN MURANO!!!!

Here's the exterior - this is about the color we purchased, called tinted bronze.








Here's a picture of the interior, it's black with some dark gray and it has leather seats, with the front ones heated (which came in handy yesterday)! She's happy, I'm happy, and my budget is happy too. In my book, a win win. One other thing, she better get used to this car - she'll be driving it quite a while!
Jim

Butt Freakin...

COLD!!! That is what is has been here for the past week!! Princess had late starts on Monday and Tuesday due to sleet and frozen rain (what's the difference!!) Sleet is frozen rain.

Then on Wednesday, we had over an inch of ice on our driveway, over two inches on the roof, and icicles hanging down about 10 inches off the eaves! We both were homebound then! I'm not like those other crazies, if I can't get my car out of the garage and down the driveway without control, I'm not gonna drive on it!!! Come on People! STAY HOME when it get's like this.

Made another trip to Beaumont for work - kinda like my home away from home lately! Stopped off a late Christmas present to the Joneses in Houston, and then came home.

We did some mild redecorating of the windows in our bedroom - took down the toppers that matched the old quilt and hung up some new sheers for a fresher, cleaner look. I think that we need to add more panels, but now I have to wait for Princess to decide - Isn't more always better???? You know, if chocolate makes you feel good, then more is better...AM I Right?!!

Anyhow - I seem to be ranting - could be due to hunger setting in - gotta run, get ready for Church and get out the old ironing board to get ready for the cold in NJ this week.

Later!