February 3rd 2009

We did eat at "Carlos O'Kelly's" this year and the food was excellent. When it said it was hot it was really really hot. Made Mark's eyes water and that is how he likes it...and yes, there is a Carlos O"Kelly.

This is Ken and Joan, he is 70 and she is 60 and they won the dance contest two years in a row. They are such a joy to watch together, they are so cute! We had a wonderful time at the 50th anniversary of the Winter Dance Party, our favorite act for the three days was John Mueller's Winter Dance Party...they were so good! We think we might go to Green Bay next year which is a weekend earlier but closer and shorter. Would like to see Clear Lake/Mason City in the summer!

Found the best quilt shop, Country Threads in Garner, they were the very first shop on the cover of the Quilt Sampler Magazine in 1995, kool huh. Was really a great place and they have quilt camp in the winter time.

Need to get into the sewing room tomorrow. It has taken me two days to get the laundry done and put away and just resting after the grueling weekend.

Sunday, January 25th, 2009

Not much going on...stayed home this weekend to get some things done before we go off to Iowa next week. Its the 50th anniversary Winter Dance Party...50 years since Buddy Holly died. Me and Mark have so much fun on our road trips and he is hoping to be layed off when we return. He will collect unemployment and do projects around here...like a complete kitchen remodel with travel sprinkled in there. We are going to be going to Austin to see Bernie and Mary and then up or over to Salt Lake City to see my beautiful Max and Aimee. If I see Elton, I will see him but I am not sure if I will seek him out. I dont want any trauma on my trip. It is still pretty darn cold. -10 all day long but at least the sun was out today and made it more bearable. The birds are very active eating up all the black seed in the feeders. Hope to post more later in the week.

jan 17....birdies....

It is really snowing this morning and the purple house finches and golden finches are hitting the feeder heavily. This one used to have just bird seed but it just rotted with no takers. We cleaned it out and filled with oily black sun flower seed and these little guys will have this feeder empty by tomorrow. We are going to a Tech hockey game for my birthday. We could by Keweena Bay and stop by Portage quilt shop, where there is a sale OR go thru the village of South Range where they have this really awesome shop, etc. etc..... we are going thru South Range. Its my birthday and we are going to have a great time snow or no snow! Hope everyone has a greatweekend.

Friday January 16th

Mark sees Tori trying to hand feed the birds one last time, it is like she doesn't want to leave.

She would announce, "we're in the village of Alpha boyzzzzzzz". Don't know why, but it sounded so cute. We would go to the Alpha General Store to buy our milk, I have a milk card and they stamp it every time you buy a 1/2 gallon or more and after 10 you get one free! It is a really pretty drive between my house and Alpha. We would drive it everyday hoping to see deer or birds or turkeys or fox.

Here we are at the air port...Tori is the only one truly happy. This gets her one week closer to going home to daddy! We had so much fun and are really hoping we get her for two weeks this summer. She wants to come in th summer time, she could see the possibilities. She will have so much fun! I miss my Tori so much!

jan 8

I did it! I made Tori her wizard robe from a crummy little sketch in her wizard book. It is made of two layers...the first a filmy forresty fabric and the slip is a dark forrest green taffeta type satin stuff. I sewed them as one...rightsides together...nightmare...struggle...gasp...but I got it done and she absolutely loves it. The best thing she has gotten since she came to the UP she says. She only has on her wizard robe and socks and is running up and down this long path laughing with her hair flowing in the wind. I couldn't get her to come in. She said the magic in the robe was keeping her warm...I finally got her in the house. I had to draw up a facing for around the neck. I will sketch out a pattern tomattow. I want to make her a soft linen type one I can embroider on with possibly a large hood or a cape with a hood to go along with it. I am so happy I got it done, such little things make her so happy. We leave for Chicago tomattow morning......

January 7th Our trip to Marquette on Jan 2nd

We are at da Tourist Trap in Ishpaming, it was early yet and the wind was brisk and it was cold, hence the look. But BigGus does run...kool huh?

Later in the day, sun was out and was georgeous. They didnt plow or clear the walk way to or in this little playground but that didn't stop Tori. It was at Cinder Cove Marina in Marquette. She really had a good time. I cannot believe how much she loves the snow!

Sitting on a log at the beach of Lake Superior, she kept calling it the ocean. Couldn't grasp the idea of a lake this big. You can see the storm gathering out on the lake. This was at the beginning of Presq Isle Park. I cannot believe they dont plow the roads thru that park, would have been a very lovely drive. Oh well....

I cannot believe we leave for Chicago early Friday morning. We will stay in a hotel in Kenosha at the border of Wisconcin and Illinois. Less of a drive for her Saturday and she has a 4.5 hour plane ride to Los Angeles and then a 2 hour drive to San Diego. I am really gonna miss my bunnyduck. I started to cry today and am gettng a little bit depressed. I will hang in there and keep it together until after she leaves and then I am gonna have me a good cry. We have had a really good time thou and so thankful for this time together.

Marquette with Tori

My beautiful Victoria...she has been running around in the snow and she has color in her cheeks. We had a fun day but all three of us are totally pooped out. We were going to go to the "bridge" tomarrow but there is a severe storm watch until Sunday night starting tomarrow evening. We would of probably got caught in some nasty weather on our way back. We will save it for a summer adventure with her on her next visit. Isn't she beautiful?

She kept calling this the ocean and Mark would get all snappy and say, it is Lake Superior, it has nothing to do with the ocean. She was impressed, the wind is blowing and it is very cold at the moment this picture was taken.

This is the largest running chain saw in the world. It was even colder at this moment. But she was a champ and slogged through the snow so Mark could get her picture. I stayed on the plowed area. He took this for her dad, Mikko. We are going to Iron Mountain in the morning to pick up stuff for Mark to put new vanity in bathroom with shelves on both sides.