Snow - Wonderful Snow!

It may be March, but north Texas got a load of snow yesterday that was GORGEOUS! I don't want to hear any whining from my friends up north who contend with this phenomena on a daily basis 3-6 months out of the year (or longer) and I promise not to gritch about the heat and humidity come July either. It is such a rare thing that we delight in it when we ever get any. And get it we did. From about 2p.m. till 5:30 or 6p.m. it fell in huge, fat, wet flakes that made for great snowman construction (and I hope Jen will post a photo of the fantabulous snowman they made with Ben last night). Ben was one frozen Popsicle when he came in - his little hands were red and cold even with the mittens. So I put warm water in the sink and he put his hands in, chattering away about the snowman and the snow - it was so cute. Then I frothed some of his chocolate milk with the expresso machine steamer and he drank it out of the same Bunnykins two handled mug Jenny, Tim and Chris used when they were growing up. It was one of those "full circle" kind of feelings and really took me back - it was a sweet moment for me.

Shelby had seen snow before - we had it some when we lived in London. But this was a first for Izzie who didn't quite know what to make of it. For a dog who usually dashes off when the front door or garage is open, giving the neighbors entertainment as I first yell my head off in typical "irritated mother" style then giving chase (yes, I can run...it's not pretty), she was strangely hesitant to even walk on it. Call of nature finally won out (thank goodness - for my carpet's sake) and she did go out and walk on it, but she was clearly perplexed initially. I put their winter coats on - I'm not a "dog dresser" typically, but hey, if it's snowing, and you have these adorable Burbury coats you bought for a song in the U.K. several years ago, you can handle being accused of spoiling your dogs for a day. You'd be cold too without a coat in 29F weather! :) And they were so cute.

So I put a fire in the fireplace (which means I lit the pilot light - really tough...), nestled down in front of the TV and caught up on some of my TiVo'd shows (yes, I admit I watch American Idol - that 17 year old guy is really someone to watch out for - and the gal from Ireland, well, I'm ready to buy her album!) and enjoyed the beauty of the day.

Other nice things from yesterday - I went to see a cardiologist at Baylor Grapevine - figured I needed one in both Katy and here since my time is divided between the two locales - and he took me OFF the Coumadin - yea!! That means I'm not on any of the meds anymore that I was put on following my 12 hour a-fib episode. And I had my first cup of caffeinated coffee this morning (probably explains the verbal deluge you are being subjected to via blogging) as caffeine had been verboten for the past few weeks. So I feel like I've been given a warning and need to take advantage of my second chance and get moving, lose some weight and try to improve my health so I'm not "ripe" for such things to occur. They say it was probably a side effect of the albuterol, but why chance it. Just don't expect to see me jogging or joining Tim in marathons. But you might see me at the mall with Marilyn and Carleeta doing "the rounds". Don't worry, I won't be in white tennis shoes, wearing Koret City Blues and a white jacket - I'm not THAT old yet! :)

Mike called me last evening from Saudi - it was morning for him - and as I answered, he said, "Just a minute, Cheri - May I have an Americano, please?" I asked him where he was and he said he was between rigs and they'd stopped at a Starbucks! Man, they're everywhere I guess! I remember the days when he'd be out on rigs in Brazoria county and there wasn't even a Dairy Queen in sight, let alone someplace like Starbucks. And I would have thought that in the Middle East, an Americano would be called something else given we aren't the most popular folks in the world over there. But I guess no one would go in and say, "Yes, I'll take a Venti Infidel, please" - just doesn't have the same ring I guess.

That's it until my second cup of coffee I guess. Which may be tomorrow - better take it slow or you may indeed see me jogging!