Oh my, it's been awhile

Shame on me...

not one post since 

October 23rd!!

I guess we're due for some 

serious blog "down time"

Grab a cup of tea and let's catch up...

My sister's almost converted me to a tea drinker...

she lost her husband to sudden heart failure

shortly before Christmas,

so I try to drop in on her as much as I can.

She always puts a kettle of water on the stove

and shares her tea with me.

We try to laugh and get her to think positive...

someone to talk to is a good thing

when you are all alone!

I've decided I better stock up on

tea bags, just in case she ever decides

to leave that lonely farm and come visit me!

It took awhile to get the Christmas decorations put away,

but I finally managed it...

the kitchen hutch has a new January look,

Grandma's old silver came out of the box

to share the shelf with my favorite picture of 

the original settler's of the farm we live on.

She would just love to see it and be able to tell

me how she's directly related to the family in that picture!

Winter....Tiede....Sall....

"THINGS" are just "things"

until you can put a face and a name to it 

then they become MEMORIES,

then they become HISTORY,

then they are ME.

So, as you may guess, Christmas was over-shadowed

with loss and grief this year.

Thank Heaven for grand-children,

especially our two goof ball

grand-daughters!

Their sweet faces always

bring a smile to our hearts...

Here they are so proud of how well

they set the table...

Unfortunately, a winter storm was heading 

toward the Dakotas and they had to leave 

on Christmas day to beat the storm!

Good thing Santa got here when he did!

Coming from Kansas City, the girls

wanted 3 feet of snow to play in!

Too bad the 10 inches we got didn't 

come earlier...Grandpa piled it up

with the tractor and thought of them!

the snow brought cold temperatures

and it's been frigid and icy ever since...

Traveling back and forth to the new store hasn't been fun!

The fairies from our fairy garden 

changed their address and packed up,

residing in Florida by now I'm sure!

Oh the joy of living a South Dakota winter!

That's why we are tough as nails up here...

This weekend the temp is supposed to drop

to 20 below...

we're making a big pot of

chicken noodle soup

with home made noodles!

Put on your long johns and come join us!

We'll visit about new year resolutions...

happier times to come,

the memories we've made...

and how next Christmas we 

can all meet in 

Mexico!

"Feline Navidad!"

Lisa