March 12, 2014

We have been patiently waiting for the subzero weather and snow to stop so we could make it up to Port Wing…and it is finally here.

Steve packed most of the stuff in the Van the night before…so in the morning it was just the perishables and our suitcases to load up.

Steve spent most of January and Feb. working on all the stuff for his retirement.  Unlike me who does things with a lick and a prayer he really goes over every option to make sure to get the best options and the most money possible.  He would not commit to retirement until he was totally satisfied with his decision. 

It is so nice for him to be retired.  A new stage in our lives.  So far so good!  I really like that we can go anytime to PW… not working around his work schedule.

It was sunny out but only 16 when we left…it wasn’t going to get much warmer…but the sun is so hot this time of year it doesn’t feel that cold

Beth told me that there was a huge pile of snow in front of our driveway from the snowplow…so I called Carl to see if he could just clear that so we could at least get the van off the road.  I called and talked to Patty earlier in the week and she said Carl was working and his tractor was taken apart …eh was waiting on a part.

So we will have to shovel.. wish I would have thought of the driveway sooner.

We got to Casey’s in Foley..Steve let Murphy out and I went in first.  AS I was leaving I saw a scratch off right by the door.  I picked it up…I couldn’t tell if it was a winner so asked the clerk, Tonya her name tag said,  she said “let’s check”… and it was a $2 winner…I told her to keep it in case the person who dropped it came back for it…she said I should take it…so I decided too but got 2 $1 scratch offs and gave her one and kept one in case the owner came back I told her to give it to  the person who dropped it , but if they didn’t come back that day that she should just take it.

I went to the car and scratched it off while Steve went inside…. And thought it was a winner…I didn’t match 3 #’s but did have one # match the # in the box so I went back in and told her I thought it was a winner…she said she hoped so because I was so sweet… wow, that made my day hearing that,  she checked and I won $12… yea!

I had yarn spun for an order for a hat and fingerless gloves from my Etsy shop… things are slow there but I am not out much money having the shop …

I started the gloves ….listened to my Audio book… John Stanford… Buried Prey…

We stopped in Hinckley …got there at 11… wasn’t that hungry so just had a Blt…Steve had a burger.

I found a knitting magazine I used some of my winnings on… had a couple cute patterns I wouldn’t mind making… add to the list!

We got to PW… saw Carl on the the road walking…he apologized for not being able to get our driveway cleared… he said if he would have had more notice he could have gotten a friend to blow it out.. such is life!

I had my new Steger Mukluks on …also my cuddle duds….Steve tried shoveling but it was just too heavy.

So I grabbed the key and couple lighter things and headed for the trailer… the first 50ft I walked on top of the snow…then I started going through…I was up to my knees at times… I could hardly pull my leg out…I hadn’t tightened up the top of the mukluks so the snow was falling inside them… a couple times I had to have Murphy help pull me out…I hadn’t taught him the “walk up” command that I did the Border Collies… oh how that came in handy going up steep hills with Casey…what a great dog.

I finally made it up to the trailer…. Steve was right behind me… I got the door open and he smashed the snow out of the way so we could open the door.  Unfortunately we hadn’t put the sled inside the trailer…like Steve had suggested.. there were banks around the trailer but there was space to see underneath… Steve found it somehow…and back we went to grab more stuff.. it was easier going that time…. Steve decided to go look for Carl and talk to him to see if his friend could come and blow us out.

He wasn’t home .. so we drove on to town… didn’t see him…. I got something to drink.   We went back drove up Morrison, didn’t see him….then went around to  Arney and there he and Rex were…they walked around the section.. he would try and see if he could get the guy..Steve asked if he couldn’t get him to do it..if we could park  the van at his place…which was fine with him.

We brought another load back…I started unpacking and cleaning up a few mouse droppings…. I don’t think it stayed long..didn’t have any food for it to eat…Steve waited an hour or so but decided to move the Van to Carl’s and dragged back another load of stuff…

Beth was going to come after her shift at the Village Inn…she has been helping out there while the influx of visitors this winter to the Ice Caves…. She was going to stop before she went to bring my snow shoes and the camera…I told her to wait until she was done work…. Wish I hadn’t …those snow shoes would have come in handy.

My new phone gets a little better service..but still spotty…I did get a call in to her telling her that we parked the Van at Patty and Carls so we were there even if the Van wasn't.

I got the heated mattress pad turned on…. That sure will feel good.. Beth didn’t show up … we went to bed after 8… we were tired from our exercise… I had on a sweatshirt and my socks.. wasn’t long and I took off the sweatshirt and socks…Steve slept in his skivvies..burr…… it reminds me of being a kid sleeping in Janet and my unheated bedroom upstairs…. Warm under the covers but you peak your head out and it is freezing!