January 2018

Frosty start to the year

January 2018 was not a bad month, considering it started with Mark and Hilde still recovering from something nasty and the fact that the Packers season was ignominiously over.   

The month included an assortment of very cold snaps, short thaws and ice ponding in yards and ditches, and some really brilliant sunshine days.  It was pleasant enough at times for some outings to the woods, some not-too-perilous walks and even  some clean up in the yard. It was notably short on snow in Rudolph, however.

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January also marked the beginning of Mark and Hilde running Stevens Taekwondo Academy, and arranging additional insurance, bank account and a credit card plus many phone calls and other decisions.  Hilde designed a letterhead and cards, but mostly they are enjoying the teaching, as always.

Hilde is winding down county board activities, and as there are others retiring from elected and director positions, she is saying lots of good-byes, with recognitions for someone every few weeks.  She got a lot of crafting done in January, and figures the winter Olympics will provide time for more knitting, crocheting and cross stitch.

After 29 years here in Rudolph house, Mark suddenly decided to build the shoe and boot storage for the bottom of the stairs and in one weekend got  all the pieces cut and assembled, so Hilde can stain them.  Not having a total tangle of footwear will tidy things up there and may be the start of a general home improvement year, since the exteriors and roofs were the focus last year.

Jim, Kayme, and kids met cousin Alana up in Rudolph for a brief visit and musical practice for the ladies.  After all the preparation and brush-cutting on the hill, there was not enough snow for the grandkids to sled, but every visit from them is a happy time.  

At the end of the month, the weather blocked viewing of the blue moon-super moon, but the effect of the full super moon filtered through overcast was magical---like a stage set effect making the sky an opalescent bowl. The end of January is always encouraging…the winter is at least half over!