Baby, it's cold outside!
Apr. 22nd, 2011 11:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
psyche29Seriously, this winter has just been hanging on and hanging on. It's been Spring for a month and we've had snow several times since then.
Which, yes, I know is fairly common around here, but still. I love Winter, I love snow, I love the cold - but even I have my limits. I am ready to stop putting on socks every day, and to stop wearing a bulky coat.
Waking up to this was not what I had planned for April 20th.
That was off my balcony; this is when we stepped outside the building:
Here I am while hubby backs the car out - thank God for garages, right? It's actually snowing, you can see it on my coat:
And here's a pic from the road:
Just. Yikes. NEED SPRING, PLEASE.
I haven't posted in a while - last time, I left y'all with woe about our car. Things are better now, I'm just finally taking a moment to post.
The car was, as suspected, considered "totaled." The estimate for fixing it came in at over $4000; the estimate for how much the insurance company thought it was worth was only about $5700. But that's good, because we still owed $4483.17 on it - the insurance company paid enough to cover not only the balance owed, but also our deductible, and there was still $200 or so leftover. And even better, the other guy's insurance company deemed him fully responsible upon receipt of the police report and verification with the witnesses, so they cut us a check for $1000 (which was our deductible). On top of that, it shows on our credit report as a loan paid off in full, and early, which is only a good thing.
All that came together at the last minute, and so did our loan, so we were able to get that really decent car for that really decent price, and we'll have it paid off around November to boot.
And so we were able to go to California after all! It was whirlwind, but we loved it. I haven't put all the pics together yet - it's been a busy several weeks - but we have lots, mostly from on the road. The scenery was fabulous. We even made it down to Laguna Beach the morning we left, and managed to get our fingers in the ocean.
The car has been wonderful the whole time. We got it the Tuesday night, and took it to California the next morning. Drove beautifully, not a single hiccup, didn't burn oil, nothing. It was perfect, and continues to be so. The year of woe seems to be looking up a bit.
I've been on a recipe hunt lately, and am absolutely itching to try all sorts of things. I've been extremely fascinated with medieval recipes, and have accumulated a number of them to have a go. They sound so fabulous, and seem easy enough, although definitely time-consuming. I'll post about them as I make them, though I'm not starting this weekend, as it's Easter.
Speaking of food and Easter - ZOMG, I cannot wait to make this food. We're doing a ham, of course. Hubby will make that, but I'm making a glaze for it. Also doing roasted smashed potatoes and my yummy green beans. Parents are bringing Hawaiian bread and drinks, and I'm making Angel Lush for dessert, only I'm doing mousse to stuff inside the cake instead of the normal way. We'll have to see how it turns out, especially as I'm also frosting it with mascarpone whipped topping.
Two weeks ago, we were house-sitting at Bunny & John's, and the news was on. We were just floored by the seemingly-huge number of youth deaths (with many various causes) around the country lately, and then came another story. There was a shooting just that day at a grocery store in a town near us; two employees were shot in the break room - the girl was dead on scene, the guy died later at the hospital. The guy who shot them was also an employee there, and was tracked through his cell phone by the police, who caught up with him ten miles away, where he shot himself and fell off the bridge. Dead. He was a gone-crazy jealous ex of the girl and her newer boyfriend.
The girl was one of my baby sister's best friends. It's such a tragic thing, and so awful all around. She wasn't a bad girl or troubled, she was a great person. The new boyfriend? Recently graduated from the technical college in automotive repair, loved his mama and did everything for her, and never got in fights, never caused problems. And an ex-boyfriend was so jealous that he ended three lives, violently, suddenly.
Baby sister lives in North Carolina and spent a weekend drinking before someone surprised her with a plane ticket to come back here for the funeral. I'm really glad that happened, because going to it meant she got some much-needed closure, and was able to enjoy the rest of her visit.
Since Baby Sister is training at Aveda, she brought all her stuff and did haircuts! YAY!! This means my long-hair-is-long hair is no longer full of split ends and getting caught in my armpits and around my neck. I am pleased. I will post a picture when I take one where you can actually see my hair.
Also, Sarah recommended once - a couple years ago, I think - Aussie's deeeeeep conditioning stuff. Holy crap, best three bucks I've spent in a LONG time. I keep telling people to touch my hair. I have to stop myself from telling strangers to do it. AWESOME.
OK, I think that's it for now; I will have to come back with pictures next time from California, and of my hair. I hope y'all are having a nicer warm-up for Spring than we are (I know, Wisconsin, believe me - I know), and hopefully I will be back here more often to post. XD.
Which, yes, I know is fairly common around here, but still. I love Winter, I love snow, I love the cold - but even I have my limits. I am ready to stop putting on socks every day, and to stop wearing a bulky coat.
That was off my balcony; this is when we stepped outside the building:
Here I am while hubby backs the car out - thank God for garages, right? It's actually snowing, you can see it on my coat:
And here's a pic from the road:
Just. Yikes. NEED SPRING, PLEASE.
I haven't posted in a while - last time, I left y'all with woe about our car. Things are better now, I'm just finally taking a moment to post.
The car was, as suspected, considered "totaled." The estimate for fixing it came in at over $4000; the estimate for how much the insurance company thought it was worth was only about $5700. But that's good, because we still owed $4483.17 on it - the insurance company paid enough to cover not only the balance owed, but also our deductible, and there was still $200 or so leftover. And even better, the other guy's insurance company deemed him fully responsible upon receipt of the police report and verification with the witnesses, so they cut us a check for $1000 (which was our deductible). On top of that, it shows on our credit report as a loan paid off in full, and early, which is only a good thing.
All that came together at the last minute, and so did our loan, so we were able to get that really decent car for that really decent price, and we'll have it paid off around November to boot.
And so we were able to go to California after all! It was whirlwind, but we loved it. I haven't put all the pics together yet - it's been a busy several weeks - but we have lots, mostly from on the road. The scenery was fabulous. We even made it down to Laguna Beach the morning we left, and managed to get our fingers in the ocean.
The car has been wonderful the whole time. We got it the Tuesday night, and took it to California the next morning. Drove beautifully, not a single hiccup, didn't burn oil, nothing. It was perfect, and continues to be so. The year of woe seems to be looking up a bit.
I've been on a recipe hunt lately, and am absolutely itching to try all sorts of things. I've been extremely fascinated with medieval recipes, and have accumulated a number of them to have a go. They sound so fabulous, and seem easy enough, although definitely time-consuming. I'll post about them as I make them, though I'm not starting this weekend, as it's Easter.
Speaking of food and Easter - ZOMG, I cannot wait to make this food. We're doing a ham, of course. Hubby will make that, but I'm making a glaze for it. Also doing roasted smashed potatoes and my yummy green beans. Parents are bringing Hawaiian bread and drinks, and I'm making Angel Lush for dessert, only I'm doing mousse to stuff inside the cake instead of the normal way. We'll have to see how it turns out, especially as I'm also frosting it with mascarpone whipped topping.
Two weeks ago, we were house-sitting at Bunny & John's, and the news was on. We were just floored by the seemingly-huge number of youth deaths (with many various causes) around the country lately, and then came another story. There was a shooting just that day at a grocery store in a town near us; two employees were shot in the break room - the girl was dead on scene, the guy died later at the hospital. The guy who shot them was also an employee there, and was tracked through his cell phone by the police, who caught up with him ten miles away, where he shot himself and fell off the bridge. Dead. He was a gone-crazy jealous ex of the girl and her newer boyfriend.
The girl was one of my baby sister's best friends. It's such a tragic thing, and so awful all around. She wasn't a bad girl or troubled, she was a great person. The new boyfriend? Recently graduated from the technical college in automotive repair, loved his mama and did everything for her, and never got in fights, never caused problems. And an ex-boyfriend was so jealous that he ended three lives, violently, suddenly.
Baby sister lives in North Carolina and spent a weekend drinking before someone surprised her with a plane ticket to come back here for the funeral. I'm really glad that happened, because going to it meant she got some much-needed closure, and was able to enjoy the rest of her visit.
Since Baby Sister is training at Aveda, she brought all her stuff and did haircuts! YAY!! This means my long-hair-is-long hair is no longer full of split ends and getting caught in my armpits and around my neck. I am pleased. I will post a picture when I take one where you can actually see my hair.
Also, Sarah recommended once - a couple years ago, I think - Aussie's deeeeeep conditioning stuff. Holy crap, best three bucks I've spent in a LONG time. I keep telling people to touch my hair. I have to stop myself from telling strangers to do it. AWESOME.
OK, I think that's it for now; I will have to come back with pictures next time from California, and of my hair. I hope y'all are having a nicer warm-up for Spring than we are (I know, Wisconsin, believe me - I know), and hopefully I will be back here more often to post. XD.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-22 09:12 pm (UTC)The running (not a) joke at the moment is, "It's probably no longer going to be snowing come graduation. But maybe we should prepare our parents..."
no subject
Date: 2011-04-26 01:32 pm (UTC)We're supposed to get another couple inches of snow overnight tonight...arrrghhh. It's currently pouring rain - not that we need any more water around here - outside, and I'm just hoping it doesn't turn to snow. We'll have to see what tomorrow morning brings us.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-23 03:25 am (UTC)easter dinner sounds yummy.
you talking about your hair cut reminds me i need mine cut.
sorry to hear about your sister's friend.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-26 01:30 pm (UTC)And thanks - she'll miss her, but she's got closure, so she'll heal. :)
no subject
Date: 2011-04-26 07:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-04-26 01:28 pm (UTC)