Frigid, frosty February 2014

Short month, many snows

Chocolate Valentines for the sweet R-s

 Snow and cold, cold and snow---February 2014 was challenging for everyone.  Mark was out plowing and shoveling almost every day---especially when the snow piled up on both sides of the back cellar door and refilled with snow over and over.  He got lots of fresh (frigid) air and exercise this month!  This winter is one for the record books, unfortunately, both for sub-zero days and for precipitation.  However, the entertainment of the Winter Olympics made the month go by quickly.

The most exciting news of the month was John and Evie buying a house in Palatine.  Mark and Hilde were able to go down and see the place before the deal became final—it is open and airy with a deck which will emerge from heaps of snow and be a great place to sit out, with a fenced  yard for Genghis. They will be moving next month.  The parental visit included John and Evie taking Mark and Hilde out for dinner on their 42nd wedding anniversary (first one celebrated in Illinois) and very special to be together.

During the month, three friends lost their brothers, and along with sympathy, Mark and Hilde were able to help one of them by covering the UWSP taekwondo classes for her (Hilde five days and Mark one when the roads were exceptionally bad!).  Teaching taekwondo to college students is a lot of fun, and much different from working with 8 and 9 year olds!

Hilde’s father went a little downhill during the month.  He fell from his wheelchair and broke his hip, needing surgery to place a rod in the femur.  His patience and sweet temper are both still there, but his memory is clouding further.  It is a blessing that five of Hilde’s siblings are fairly close by, with Terri and Laure visiting very often.  Jim and Kayme’s Toyota had the transmission die, so they got a Nissan Rogue, between bouts of snow and bugs.  Their girls’ will surely be healthy in the future, after this winter of bugs for them.  They got chocolate valentines from their grandparents, who hope to see them soon.

Even with another 4 inches of snow to end February, Mark and Hilde are looking forward to thawing and the reappearance of the driveway, to sap cooking and tree cutting, to playing with Rhiannon and Rowan and helping John and Evie move---looking forward most of all to spring.

Shadows and snow drifts

Deck of John n Evie's new place