Six more weeks of winter?

So, I heard something about PETA wanting to replace Punxsutawney Phil with a robot for Groundhog Day – amazing.

We’ve had snow on the ground all winter, but it doesn’t seem to be as overwhelming as it was last year. Maybe it’s just that the sun has been out a lot more, but I seem to be surviving so far. Only 6 more weeks of winter – Yea!

Randy got all the tests back that the specialist had done to find out what’s going on with his kidneys. Diagnosis – everything looks OK, but he should see the specialist a couple of times a year just to be sure!! What??!! So, he still doesn’t know why his feet and hands tingle and feel like pins and needles are poking him, but this doctor still wants to see him, just to be sure. Ugh.

Jesse has a new job at a Ramada Inn in downtown Topeka. He’s working the graveyard shift a couple of nights a week. He’s at the front desk running reports as the night auditor. Tyler has started a new semester of school working towards his graphic art degree. His work is the same, and I imagine installing satellite dishes for internet connection is pretty cold this time of year. Heidi has also started a new semester towards her 2^nd degree – this one a Bachelor’s in Exercise Science. This semester she is working the swing shift at the U of U. Dylan just dropped his Badmitten class at SLCC today. There weren’t very many people in the class, and no one near his expertise level, so he wasn’t learning anything and certainly wasn’t being challenged at all. His permanent retainer is giving him some trouble, so he has to see the orthodontist this week.

Ingrid and Jeff just refinanced their duplex in Florida, so they will have much smaller payments and will be able to save a lot of money. Heavenly Father always blesses us when we are doing our best - their interest rate is lower than when they started this long process! We got to visit them last month and it was wonderful. Randy had some safety meetings in Denver, so I went along.

Once we got out of Salt Lake, we left the yucky inversion that was making the valley really smoggy and the view of the mountains was great.

We spent a couple of nights with them at their place and attended their church meetings.

Then we also spent a couple of nights in a downtown hotel, since Randy’s work was paying for it.

It had a great view, except for all the buildings that were in the way!

We spent a lot of time getting to know their dog, Ginger – she’s real cute. OK - she looks like Jar-Jar Binks to me... but cuter.

Their Durango wouldn’t start one day, so Jeff had to take it apart. It started right up when he was finished.

I attended an ICS (Incident Command Sytem) meeting a week ago and there will be one this month, also. These are in preparation for an earthquake disaster drill in March for the City of Herriman (our neighborhood is involved in this even though the city limit is 2 blocks from us). A representative from Utah Task Force One will be coordinating it.

I finally got around to doing something with our bathroom that is on the main floor. I wallpapered the walls and put a border at the top.

Randy put a new towel rack and tp holder on the walls. I hope to replace the faucet sometime in the future. I’m still looking for a picture for one wall, but my Book of Mormon Timeline is there for now. People can read it if they have to spend a long time in there!

I took the Blazer into the shop this morning (Monday). It was squeaking so loud in the front end that people could hear me coming from a block away! They were able to fix it by the time I picked Connie up. I guess they had to replace a ball joint. I’ve had to have a few things fixed lately, but I’m amazed at how well it runs even with all the mileage I put on it.

Lastly - CSU has finally received my college transcripts and graduation information, so I can start graduate classes as soon as I secure a school loan and send them the money! I'm excited.

I guess that’s it for this month. I hope all the sweeties have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!