It's the title to an old song, but it's also a true statement. When I awoke this morning, it was minus 14 degrees with a wind-chill factor of minus 31. It's warmed up to minus 3. The high tomorrow is supposed to be zero. They're forecasting this same type weather for us for the next five or six days.
What does one do about it? Well, one could stay indoors until it warms up, or cover up the extremities and buck up.
Last night I was invited to an Anne of Green Gables party at the home of my co-worker, Jenny and her sister, Jill. Two other friends were also invited. Jenny and Jill had a delicious smorgasbord for our supper, and while eating, we watched the entire 199 minute movie. This is one of my favorites (yes, I have many, many favorite films), so of course I enjoyed it immensely. The other guests had never seen it, so it was fun to watch their reactions during Anne's dramatic scenes. If you haven't seen this film, I would certainly recommend it. When it was time to go home, I was happy to stand in their living room and start my car -- thanks to the remote car starter I got for Christmas a year ago from Heidi and Chad. It's part of my survival kit!!
*****
This morning I got to babysit Aurelia for the first time. What a sweetheart she is!! She was so good. We sat a little ways from Peppi and he sang us a little concert. She looked all around. We listened to some children's songs on my piano, played with a stuffed cow that plays Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. And then I rocked her in my Amish rocking chair as she drifted off for a little nap. She slept on my bed for about half an hour, and then we played with some toys until Peder came to get her. It was really an enjoyable time. I hope she liked it enough to want to come back often.
*****
Also today I talked to Hans, Rachel, Josiah and Annika. They are all doing well. Josiah and Annika really like preschool. Josiah's teacher is Mr. David. Mr. David is very impressed that Josiah (3 1/2) already knows his alphabet and can spell some words. Annika (not yet two) visited Josiah's classroom on Thursday. While there, Mr. David heard her reciting the alphabet too. He was so surprised. Today they both spoke to me, Josiah told me his teacher's name. Annika said "danke" (German for thank-you), broccoli, and bye-bye. This was so much fun!
Hans told me that the power supply for his Wii arrived and fixed the problem. You see, when they got to Germany, they stayed in a hotel for the first few weeks until permanent housing became available on the base. Well, not thinking, Hans plugged their newly purchased Wii unit into the hotel outlet and the 220 voltage burned out the power supply. It was a few days before Christmas, and he was unable to get a replacement part, either locally or on the Internet. I happened to be talking to him when he told me about it. He sounded so down. I asked him if he wanted me to try to get one for him state-side and ship it to him, and that sounded good. Long story short - the units are too new for the power supply to be sold separately in stores yet, so Best Buy gave me a Nintendo 800 number to call. On the 23rd of December, I phoned the number and a nice gentleman answered. I explained the situation, and he asked me to hold while he did some checking. When he came back on the line, he asked for Hans' shipping address. I was ready to give him my credit card number, when he told me there would be no charge. I asked him if he was sure, and this was his reply, "We've got to do something good for our guys in the service as a thanks for what they're doing for us. Tell him 'Merry Christmas.'" That was a very nice gesture from Nintendo.
*****
Next Heidi called. She and Brian were on a long walk. She told me what they have been doing and that Chad is starting his training on the long stair climb. He'll be running up the stairway at her tower later today - many times over. [Heidi, help me out here, how many flights is the stairway? When is the big climb? Is it a fund-raiser?]
I so enjoy these visits with my kids. Though 2 out of the 3 live far, far away, it makes them seem so close. Thank you for your calls and for making this cold, cold winter day so cheery.
What does one do about it? Well, one could stay indoors until it warms up, or cover up the extremities and buck up.
Last night I was invited to an Anne of Green Gables party at the home of my co-worker, Jenny and her sister, Jill. Two other friends were also invited. Jenny and Jill had a delicious smorgasbord for our supper, and while eating, we watched the entire 199 minute movie. This is one of my favorites (yes, I have many, many favorite films), so of course I enjoyed it immensely. The other guests had never seen it, so it was fun to watch their reactions during Anne's dramatic scenes. If you haven't seen this film, I would certainly recommend it. When it was time to go home, I was happy to stand in their living room and start my car -- thanks to the remote car starter I got for Christmas a year ago from Heidi and Chad. It's part of my survival kit!!
*****
This morning I got to babysit Aurelia for the first time. What a sweetheart she is!! She was so good. We sat a little ways from Peppi and he sang us a little concert. She looked all around. We listened to some children's songs on my piano, played with a stuffed cow that plays Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. And then I rocked her in my Amish rocking chair as she drifted off for a little nap. She slept on my bed for about half an hour, and then we played with some toys until Peder came to get her. It was really an enjoyable time. I hope she liked it enough to want to come back often.
*****
Also today I talked to Hans, Rachel, Josiah and Annika. They are all doing well. Josiah and Annika really like preschool. Josiah's teacher is Mr. David. Mr. David is very impressed that Josiah (3 1/2) already knows his alphabet and can spell some words. Annika (not yet two) visited Josiah's classroom on Thursday. While there, Mr. David heard her reciting the alphabet too. He was so surprised. Today they both spoke to me, Josiah told me his teacher's name. Annika said "danke" (German for thank-you), broccoli, and bye-bye. This was so much fun!
Hans told me that the power supply for his Wii arrived and fixed the problem. You see, when they got to Germany, they stayed in a hotel for the first few weeks until permanent housing became available on the base. Well, not thinking, Hans plugged their newly purchased Wii unit into the hotel outlet and the 220 voltage burned out the power supply. It was a few days before Christmas, and he was unable to get a replacement part, either locally or on the Internet. I happened to be talking to him when he told me about it. He sounded so down. I asked him if he wanted me to try to get one for him state-side and ship it to him, and that sounded good. Long story short - the units are too new for the power supply to be sold separately in stores yet, so Best Buy gave me a Nintendo 800 number to call. On the 23rd of December, I phoned the number and a nice gentleman answered. I explained the situation, and he asked me to hold while he did some checking. When he came back on the line, he asked for Hans' shipping address. I was ready to give him my credit card number, when he told me there would be no charge. I asked him if he was sure, and this was his reply, "We've got to do something good for our guys in the service as a thanks for what they're doing for us. Tell him 'Merry Christmas.'" That was a very nice gesture from Nintendo.
*****
Next Heidi called. She and Brian were on a long walk. She told me what they have been doing and that Chad is starting his training on the long stair climb. He'll be running up the stairway at her tower later today - many times over. [Heidi, help me out here, how many flights is the stairway? When is the big climb? Is it a fund-raiser?]
I so enjoy these visits with my kids. Though 2 out of the 3 live far, far away, it makes them seem so close. Thank you for your calls and for making this cold, cold winter day so cheery.
1 comment:
"When it rains, it pours"? I'm glad you were able to talk to all of us, even though Hans wasn't too chatty. Who, Hans? Thanks for sharing some pictures of your day indoors. She and Peder don't look TOO green around the gills! Actually, they both look pretty adorable.
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