Our Friday Wine Tasting at the TMA is picking up momentum. Last night was Winter Reds. Here is Matt, Kellie, Ann and Mike sipping and watching the Glass Blowing. Here is also a picture from Adam---not to be outdone, he conducted his own wine tasting with Jonelle in the comfort of their apartment and kept us updated with picture messages.

More snow last nite and today----on top of a lot of snow already on the ground. Not good if you are a dog with stubby little legs. Dan used the snowblower to make a little path---and not just a path but one with a turn around so he doesn't have to back up-kind of a cul de sac. The snow is over his little head but he seems to love it!

Okay--I stand corrected. It is Chain O'Lakes Indiana and NOT Land O Lakes Wisconsin. Sorry to offend any Hoosiers in the audience(esp those in Warsaw Indiana). Did I hear we were getting more snow tonite?

No, I don't have Cabin Fever

It's January in Ohio and we have record amounts of snow cover. Some people experience cabin fever around this time of year. But not me, oh no. I have my magnet collection to amuse me. And not just any magnet collection on my Whirlpool. This collection has been given to me, piece by piece byAdam. Some sons give their Mom's jewelry but not Adam. It is magnets from far and wide. Chicago, St Louis and even Land O Lakes Wisconsin.And let's not forget the Hockey Hall of Fame. Wonderful son, that Adam. Wonderful time of year, here in Ohio. I'm not experiencing cabin fever---I am really OK.

People In Glass Houses

Because it was so interesting the first time. Because it is January in Toledo. Because it was Friday nite. We went back to the Glass Pavillion at the Toledo Museum of Art for the Friday Night Wine Tasting. And this time we took Carole and John Burnworth with us. It was a lot more attended this time around and they stopped selling tickets around 7:30 so if you go, get there early if you want to taste the wine. But even without the wine----there is still this wonderful glass blowing demo. I wish my pictures could capture the beauty of the Pavillion---you can get a taste of it by seeing the light reflected in the glass walls. Actually, I was a little hesitant to take pictures---it being a museum and all----but after 4 samplings of the wine---I stood up and snapped away.

Petoskey State Park in Winter

For the longest time, I have wanted to visit Petoskey State Park beach in the winter to see what it is like----but it is closed to traffic and unplowed. Well----you can get in with snow shoes and that is what we did. Here is Dan standing at the edge of the frozen water. But I learned something very interesting. The water was frozen------and strong enough to hold ice shanties----but you could hear the muffled wave action beneath the ice. And it was a ghostly, mystical sound. The water had crashed over the rocks and then froze creating a crystal looking landscape and then that eerie muffled wave sound made for a very interesting experience.

It is so revitalizing to get away for a weekend. Especially when the weekend is spent with loved ones doing things we love. Some of us skiied, some of us snowshoed, and some of us relaxed and read. Some of us came from Ohio, some from Texas and some from Indiana. Our ages ranged from 60 to 6 months and everywhere in between. All of us did a lot of laughing and having fun. So, now we are back home and a little tired but we are still laughing at the fun we shared. Such as------during Catchphrase, our nephew David had the word "thong" and gave the clue "what some women wear to work" We will be laughing at that for a long time.

We are back home after our annual Martin Luther King ski trip to Harbor Springs Michigan. I am pleased to announce the 2009 winners of the Catchphrase competition pictured here. Yes---it was the ladies. The men are out of the picture whining. This picture will be proudly displayed on the Wheaties box until next year!

Did I say minus 10 yesterday? Well it was minus 14 when I got out of bed at 6 and is dropping and now -15.2. Cold but a nice dry non windy kind with a beautiful frozen landscape sunrise.

Greetings from the Arctic tundra of NW Ohio. Low of -10 tonite. Luckily I am inside looking out. How do you convince a Bassett Hound to go outside to do his "business" when his little feet get so cold? That is my question of the day!

Here is the Maytag Repair Dog with his assistant repairing the dishwasher. Thanks to Magglio's expertise, the dishwasher is now fixed. What did Dan and I ever do without this little guy.

This is out of sequence but I wanted to give it more than a blurb. Last Friday, Dan and I had made a 'date" to go to the Toledo Museum of Art and the Glass Pavilion for---a variety of reasons. We started out with the Winslow Homer exhibit--Homer for the Holidays(outstanding) and then went across the street to the Glass Pavilion for a wine tasting. If you live near the Toledo area, you really need to take advantage of this Friday nite event. We sampled 4 different wines AND-----watched a glass blowing demonstration AND-------strolled through a new exhibit of a stunning array of jewelry from the collection of Nancy and Gilbert Levine. This collection is a promised gift to our Toledo Museum of Art and it is spectacular. I encourage anyone living close by to check out one(or all) or these events.

Just thought I would close this great weekend with 2 more pics of playing in the snow. Mags loved the cold stuff--even though it was chest deep for him. He bounded through it like a rabbit. And I love my new snowshoes. Went this afternoon with my sister in law Cindy and my niece, Christina and Dan to Maumee Bay State Park. Christina gave us a great work out and prevented us from getting lost!!

It's been snowing and it's the big powdery kind that turns everything magical. No, I haven't watched any of my movies or read any of my books yet. Instead we have been playing in the snow. We packed a lunch and went to the park with our snow dog and our snow shoes. The best part was when a herd of 7-8 deer silently crossed our path. I held the dog(who was oblivious and chest deep in the snow) while Dan was able to get relatively close. Hope your weekend is as fun as ours.

It's the Big One!

A weekend snowstorm is here and before it is over by Sat evening, we should have anywhere from 6-12 inches of snow(depending on which weatherman(oops, I mean meteorologist) you listen to. But just to be safe, I gathered supplies after work and I think I am ready. DVD's, books, a cool game called Bananagram and Pinot Noir. And if we run out---my trusty snowshoes are at the ready.

There is nothing like a new pair of shoes to perk up a girls's spirits, and I am no exception. I can't wait to try them out----there is more snow in the forecast this weekend.

I love Christmas-I really do. But when it is over, I also love the return to "a simpler life". And for awhile, I don't want to see the colors red and green together. I don't want to eat anything rich or caloric and mostly I want to curl up and take naps as often as possible. These are some of my sea glass collection. I pick these up whenever I visit the seashore and also friends bring me back pieces from vacation(my last piece came from Tortoga). They seem to represent how I want to feel now. Serene, relaxing blue. Simple and relaxing.

1. O-H!!!! This is a test. If you are a true Buckeye Fan, you will know what the proper reply is. And although you can't see the side of Dan's hat---it is a knit OSU helmet complete with Buckeye sticker awards knitted in the design.

It was quiet at work so I thought I would leave early---envisioning walks in the park. I don't know who was more surprised. Me or the boys on the couch. Men! It doesn't matter what species they are, they are all alike. And they continued to snore while I snapped away with my camera.

Here's to 2009

We wish each and every one of you a Blessed 2009 loaded with Health, Wealth and Happiness. Our New Year started with the Happiness part. We were dinner guests in our own house! Matt and Kellie cooked a DELICIOUS dinner for us---Homemade Lasagne! If that was an indication of the year to come---it will be wonderful! Happy New Year Everyone!