In the meantime, the snow is melting, the birds are singing ... it's still cold out, but the weatherman is "promising" us several days of nice weather. Several days in a row!!!
Bill and I attended Word of Life's Law Enforcement Conference last weekend and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was lead by Robin Oake, retired Chief of Police from the Isle of Man,
Great Britain. A wonderful Christian man, with good spritual and practical advice for police officers and their families. Having "lost" a son (police officer) in the line of duty, he spoke as a father as well as an officer. He and his wife, Chris were a delight.
We also attended a luncheon honoring Bill's (and others') years of service to NYS Dept. of
Environmental Conservation. This was very nice and each honoree was presented with a plaque and a gift. Bill will be retiring soon, so this was a nice gesture on DEC's part.
We managed to go cross country skiing at Cascades in Lake Placid, NY. Though we love to do it, we never seem to make the time for it, and the weather this year just did not lend itself to skiing after work, though our friend's Christmas tree farm bordering our property is perfect for it. Lets not forget a knee injury two years ago and the fact that we had to move to Northville for several months last winter because of our house flooding, so after a 3 year hiatus, we took to the trails.
Neither one of us fell, not even once, though our skis were so sticky in the fresh, falling snow, that we were afraid we were going to go head first down the hills instead of our "usual" side/bottom first that we fear .... fear, because we are older, now and may break easily! We trudged our way back to the lodge where Bill bought some wax for waxless skis and then we were able to glide our way to success. I wouldn't let him put a lot on mine, for fear of gliding out of control ... with bad results. We had a lot of fun and after a couple of hours, called it quits so we would not have aching legs for the rest of the weekend. Besides, the "snow showers" that were predicted were gathering rather heavily on my fleece jacket, hat and exposed hair. I think they ended up with 7 inches of snow showers that day.
With warmer weather coming, our thoughts remain on the outdoors and my garden! I should say "our" garden, because if Bill did not plow and cultivate it, there wouldn't be one! I have work to do to get it ready. Little metal fasteners to pull out of the black plastic ... plastic because I was too lazy to weed every day .... and may do it again this year, too! I'm a little skiddish of taking it up, since I KNOW there are critters that made tunnels out there. I saw the black paper sort of wiggling/flapping one day when the wind was not blowing ... it "wiggled/flapped" one way .... and then back again. I love the country, born and raised in it with all kinds of gardens and a woods to play in .. but I do NOT like critters smaller than a chipmunk. We have moles, voles, shrew and mice. They may be God's critters, but he better find a safer place than my back yard for them!
My flower garden is calling me, too .... it needs some TLC and then should be lovely and ready for a garden party this summer for some little/big girls and their mommies.
By the way, thank you for your nice comments and your emails! I know many of you don't blog, but a quick email to me to say hi was just what I needed to get me through these muddy days of March and April! I have a feeling when it really does get warmer ... and they say it will ... that I won't be blogging! Once or twice a month might be all we do this summer, but we'll have to post some pictures of Grandview Mini-Golf that Julie and Bill run. They work hard to make it pretty and it shows!
OK ... now for some picture posting .... Here's a look back about 22 years ago ... most of you will remember:
