Safely in Ontario tonight...waiting on my brothers to arrive back at Dad's. Boys are downstairs in our room hopefully asleep. We are up here just for the weekend to see Mom who has been in hospital since Jan 4. This weekend all the sibs are here together for a few hours. More another time...wanted to do a very quick note. Will hopefully be back commenting soon.

On a snow day today...school canceled due to freezing rain. There is nothing here yet but apparently on the main east/west highway south of here it is lightly raining and freezing on contact. I am rather glad I don't have to try to drive the bus in this...even though on my route it isn't likely to be too bad yet. It's the southern routes in the district that are bad.

Updates...Not really sure where to start so this will likely be rambling. Mom is still in the hospital...she has been diagnosed with Primary Lymphoma of the brain. Basically it started in the brain and as of now has not spread outside the brain. Chemo is hopefully going to be started yet this week...

Squirrel is doing pretty much the same with his hearing. The ENT had lots of tests done right there in the office - that was nice. At one point Squirrel looked at me and said "I think I failed Mom" - which pretty much was true as far as hearing stuff went. ENT said that he didn't have much hearing at all in that ear and wanted to try a course of steroids. If they helped then it would probably come back...if they didn't it likely would not. So...we have done the steroids and are scheduled to go back for more testing on the 26th and will get results the same day. I am not expecting any new news...and he is compensating very well.

B and Dipstick's passports arrived yesterday in the mail. So now if a trip north needs to be made that involves all of us it can be done.

Better scoot for now and try to get some stuff around the house done...Will try to do a sooner update - especially since I've taken some fun pictures recently.

Today was beautiful...cold, slightly, occasionally sunny...the trees were beautiful with their coating of "white ice". It wasn't the crystal clear ice I've seen in the past but ice mixed with snow. It's been kind of neat to hear the tinkling in the trees as the ice-coated branches rub against each other. It is still cold and we are under a winter storm advisory from the wee morning hours tomorrow until Friday afternoon.

Today overall has been a fairly productive day. I was able to get Squirrel an appointment with an ENT for tomorrow morning...I was surprised to get in so quickly but also thankful. That is one thing off my mind because at least we will hopefully find out if it's a temporary condition or a permanent one. I was also able to find the paperwork needed to apply for passports for B and Dipstick. I have some clothes laid out in case of needing to make a quick trip north.

Mom has been in the hospital since Monday. Right now my sister, brother and sister-in-law are there supporting Dad and Mom and I'm in a holding pattern. Doctors are not sure what the exact problem is.

I've got some stuff to finish before bed so had better go for now...have been waiting on a phone call and think I'm going to try calling for an update myself.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! May 2010 be a year of growth and blessing to all.

This morning we have snow coming down...counties directly west and north of us are expected to have 8-12 inches last I checked so we will certainly get some. I confess I am rather hoping for more than less...my theory is that if it's going to be cold there ought to be snow on the ground.

The plan for this afternoon is to go pick up the first parts of the Hot Rod to be. We are starting with the body - a 38 Chevy pick-up. I have no good idea of what it will look like when we are finished but am thinking the process will be fun. I know that I always enjoy looking at finished ones more when there are pictures of where and what it came from so pictures there will be and maybe eventually an album with the pictures in them.

Dipstick today is picking up marshmallows from the marshmallow wars that were had here last night...Stretch got to enjoy playing games with the adults. Squirrel wasn't feeling overly well so he spent the evening in bed sleeping...he's likely in the best shape today as far as sleep is concerned. We had friends over...Suz, C and their 4 kids as well as another family with a couple of boys. I got to hold a 3 week old baby for much of the evening...and Stretch got diaper changing experience. Overall we had a good evening. It was close to 2:00 am before B and I got to bed though.

Squirrel and Stretch are both looking forward to going back to school next week. There will continue to be adjustments for Squirrel as he will still have some doctors appointments to face and learning to watch people when they talk. He is still having issues with no hearing in his left ear...we are hoping that it will eventually return but don't know at all. Dipstick is not looking forward to returning to school quite as much...he would usually rather be out working in the shop than in class.

Speaking of working in the shop...B is now officially self-employed. He was called back to do 5 engines at his old place of employment with no guarantees as to how long he would be there before being laid off again. So he said thanks but no thanks. I am confident that his place here is the best for him but it's still scary at times. We will definitely be learning new things and relearning others...trusting God to provide.

On that note...I'm stopping for now...trying to get pictures to load onto the computer and will post goals for 2010 another time.