Getting back in the swing of things

I'm back!  Not that I actually went anywhere, but I have finally started starting my mornings in the usual routine once again, almost.  #1 doesn't return to school until Wednesday, so I wasn't up at half past ridiculous, but otherwise, I am back to my morning tea, email and blogs, and a little writing of my own.

The boys have been staying up way too late.  Actually, a couple of them have been staying up all night long.  Getting them back onto a reasonable schedule will be quite the endeavor this week.

The boys' computer crashed on Christmas eve.  Again.  Kind of funny, really.  Not funny ha ha, but funny peculiar.  The years we bought super nintendo and wii- the computers were fine.  The years that the big gifts were computer software, their computer kicks the bucket.  Go figure.  #3 and #4 started pulling all nighters so they could get their computer fixes through the night.  And I have to admit, I preferred them sleeping all day to whining over my shoulder about lack of computer time.  It has been replaced now, so hopefully getting them back on schedule won't be a total nightmare.

We have one more Christmas dinner/party to go to, today.  Then it's all done for another year.  This is with hubby's family, so it will be totally weird.  Because it's the first.  After years of being told I was going to hell and taking my children with me, and they couldn't visit us in December, because my totally non religious celebration offended them, and year's of stupidity about eating a meal together- my no longer pretending to be jehovah's witnesses relatives have decided to celebrate an old fashioned home made christmas.  Or at least that was the original plan.  Now it's just a meal, no gifts.  Funny.  I was panicky and resentful about having to make home made gifts- did I mention I'm not crafty?- and then last week they decided that they weren't doing gifts.  Ha. 

Christmas at home was good, and Christmas with my parents was great.  Dad got me a new pocket knife-the last of it's kind.  Better not break this one.  The laws have been changed, so now the locks are different, very annoying, and in my not so humble opinion, not as safe.  I broke the last one last summer, snapped the blade while trying to pop a lid off a hard plastic bucket.  And I cried.  It's nearly impossible to find a pocket knife not made in China around here, even when you go to the sporting goods store.  Dad picked mine up in the US.  At the moment, they're still manufactured there.  It's important not to buy knives made in China, if you can.  All steel is not created equal, and Chinese steel sucks.  Buy German, Canadian or Japanese steel for best quality.  Anywhere other than China for better quality.  Your knife will hold a sharper edge longer.  And mom got me a new cast iron frying pan.  Awesome.  I seasoned it yesterday, with bacon grease.  Aren't I easy to please?  I'm a very happy girl.

My brother and sil were up after Christmas to do some sledding.  The weather was not particularly cooperative.  We had about 3 feet of snow...

Ebony and Waldo

and lovely, cool, sunny, weather

until they arrived, and it rained for three days.  Rain, in December!?  Who would have thought.  We're down to about half a foot now, which is really more ice than snow.  The temperature has dropped again now, and there were a few snow flakes floating around this morning.  Winter is still far from over.

All of our puppies are gone now.  The last one, Ruckus, left Saturday night.  He was the hardest.  One of Ebony's and twelve weeks old to the day.  We were getting awfully attached.

Ruckus and Wonder

I miss watching him play with his dad the most.  They were two peas in a pod.

All of these pics were taken with my new camera...  an early birthday present from hubby, since we weren't supposed to be getting each other Christmas presents.  I now have a flash!  No more squinting at the screen trying to figure out what that is in the picture!!  Will wonders never cease?  He forgot to get me a memory card, which turned out pretty cool.  My last real camera died a couple of years ago, and I've been using my camera phone ever since.  Well, I took the memory card from it and popped it in the new camera.  Surprise, surprise, there were still pictures on it!

Including this lovely head shot of Rita mowing the lawn.

I thought it would be hard to remember to carry a camera again, but so far, so good.  I've already snapped more pics with it than I have in the past couple of months.

The days are beginning to get noticeably longer again.  Well, I noticed on New Year's Day, anyway.  It was still day light at 5:15pm.  Very cool.  Life returns.  Soon #1 will be able to do chores after school again.  He doesn't get home til nearly 5, so #2 has been helping him out before dark.

#1 and #2 found themselves working down the road through the holidays.  Our neighbour broke her leg, so she hired the boys to clean out stalls for her.  She's happy with their work ethic, and has offered them ongoing work.  Yay for everyone!  She gets help, boys get money, mom doesn't have to drive them anywhere!

So, I think that's it.  Back in the swing.  Ready for new adventure.