I believe most places are going to warm up a little today! We're on the plus size this morning (+1 F. earlier +2 F. now :-) and expected to warm all the way up to +8 F. The low tonight is still supposed to be -10 F. but that's the last minus number I see in the 10 day forecast! And if that's not enough, we might even top the freezing mark on Saturday and Sunday! In the meantime, my hostas are fast asleep under 40+ inches of snow, and we have purchased a new snow blower that could easily blow snow high enough to bury our garage. This winter... I'm not sure even that can go high enough to move all the snow we might end up with into the limited areas we have to pile it, but we're going to give it a try! We move snow and spend time caring for our poor little Ginger (15 year old Pekinese mix) who is having heart problems. We took her to the vet when she developed a bad cough and then started crumpling to the ground after any (even mild) exertion. An xray confirmed an enlarged heart (Stage 3 heart disease). The vet says that currently available medications (she's now on one to strengthen her heart, one for blood pressure, and also a diuretic) can hopefully give her good quality of life for a while. I hope so. She is elderly, but we are not ready to lose her yet. Some days, my heart just breaks. In between, we watch movies, read, play games on our kindles.... had to give up baking after the holidays, due to bad side effects (holiday weight gain). And, we wait for spring.

gobruno! i decided i would change my mind on the (not very inexpensive) sofas i was about to order ...when i was on the phone with the salesperson! there i was, notes in hand looking at my fabric and layout and WHAM! all of a sudden i heard myself say, "let me call you back!" and i was back online looking at more sofas. and then i did it again ...changed my mind on the banquettes for the breakfast room AND THEN i moved on to my BED! it's a really good thing those are the only pieces i'm getting right now otherwise i'd be nowhere. i'm sure i am settled on the furniture for now and will order NEXT WEEK. ...i think. and i was just thinking this past week i should learn to sew! i'm not convinced i'll be good enough to want to sew my own curtains (always had them made and professionally hung) but then i tell myself "i'm not stupid. surely i can operate a little machine with a foot petal" ...but i have no patience which could impede my ability to take my time and do a good job. at least this was my experience when i had "home ec" in the seventh grade. we made gingham book bags and embroidered our initials on them. THAT is the extent of my experience with a sewing machine. old dog, new tricks? i dunno... how's the sewing going for you???

Sanity is in the eye of the beholder and the patient.

We're going on ten years this summer, so I don't know if I qualify to answer, but I'll do it anyway. :) One, make sure you cultivate at least one major interest that you can share and participate in frequently. Besides raising the kids, that is. Two, cultivate friendships with people in similar situations, and share friendships with those who aren't. What I mean is, it's wonderful for us to spend time with other couples with kids similar in age to ours, because we're dealing with the same issues, our kids can play together, and we encourage each other. DH has single guy friends too, but I consider them just as much my friends as his. So their issues are mine too and it's never them vs. me. Three, don't fall into the trap of believing that sex "isn't that important." Of course it is. Sex is never just a physical thing, after all. It's tied up with ego, self-esteem, emotional intimacy, and is a great indicator of how things are going otherwise. Four, don't get caught up in dramatics. Always think of the outcome before the process. If you're angry, think first of the result you want before reacting. Five, and perhaps the most important - remember that your spouse is not psychic, and that he/she may forget things. If you want jewelry for your birthday, tell him. If you want him to put the kids to bed when you're tired, tell him. Don't expect him to "just know" that you wanted jewelry because you saw an ad and said "that's pretty", and don't expect him to "just know" you're too tired to tackle bedtime and be generous enough to volunteer. Don't be resentful when he doesn't pick up your cues. Yes, he may be ignoring them on purpose, but so what? Make demands. Six: Pick your battles. Sure, it may bother you to no end that he won't put his underwear in the laundry hamper twelve inches away from where he drops them, but is it really that important in the long run? Hm...that's a good question ;-)