FRIGID

One word that describes Upstate New York right now...

FRIGID!!!

Today of all days I was planning a mother and son outing to Greek Peak. The hubby is in a soccer clinic ALL weekend long so we (G and I) were going to be spending the day learning how to snowboard. I heard that it was suppose to be a little chilly today, but this is ridiculous!!! When I woke up early, I checked the outdoor temp and to my amazement it was -1 degrees. What??? Then I checked the website for the weather up north and it told me that it was -4 degrees. Double WHAT????

Needless to say, I am on my second cup of coffee, bundled up in a warm blanket...blogging. We are going to try and hit the slopes at 12 but I'm not even sure about that.

Even poor Stitchie is chilly...

he hasn't moved from his favorite spot in the kitchen which happens to be right on the heater vent...

Onto other news...this week has been a little hectic with my great aunt coming home. She ended up having a pacemaker put in a week ago last Friday and made out really well. Funny thing is, is that she was suppose to come home on Saturday and while I was at my husbands soccer game on Friday night, I got talking to the person who runs the soccer dome and he ended up being in the operating room with her. Not only does he run the dome, he also is an electrical engineer who tests out the pace makers before they insert them into the patient. Who knew???? Anywho...his brother was my aunts doctor and after me telling the engineer about my concerns with her coming home, he was nice enough to call his brother and make it so she stayed an extra 2 days in the hospital. Whew...good news!
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So she came home on Monday and I stayed with her all day on Monday and Tuesday. By Wednesday she had other help and here it is Saturday and she is doing great! I guess her heart needed that little boost to make her feel better. The thing with a pacemaker is, is that it keeps your heart beat and a normal 60 beats a minute. That was her problem all along...between the congestive heart failure and pneumonia she was not good at all.
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So the beginning of the week was all that along with work...the middle of the week...work and the end of the week, stuff around the house. I have been trying to get my pottery studio (If you want to call it that) cleaned and organized. We start classes this week and I want to be all set for work! My studio right now is in my basement...a very small space. Between all the house stuff...furnace, water heater and etc., there is my pottery wheel and several shelving units, tables and other. It is hard to work down there for a long period of time...kind of gloomy and you can't stand up straight but even though I sound like I am complaining, I really am not. I am happy to have the ability to work on my pottery at home!! My thought was to paint the walls but I really don't think that would help. If anyone has any suggestions on how to brighten it up...leave me a message!!
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What's with the buttons and stuffed thing you might ask. Well between everything
this week, I started sewing a little. I found this really cute pattern and have been trying it out. It is a little tedious but it has turned out soooo cute. Stay tuned for pics regarding this...I can't post it right now because they are still in the works and I am giving them to a couple of people and I know they read this blog....so there!!
The pancakes above were so delicious.
I made them following a recipe that was on my friend Ashley's website. You can find it here
They are wheat oatmeal pancakes and I made them on Sunday morning. It was just the boost I needed to head out on a 4.5 mile run. Normally I do not eat such a big breakfast before I go for a run but that particular morning I was waiting for the weather to warm up to a nice balmy 45 degrees. The pancakes were just what I needed to sustain myself for a run and they gave me tons of energy. I felt great on the run and was impressed because after all it had been since Christmas that I had run outside.
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Since that run, I have had a run outside again but this time it was 24 degrees and quite the difference in my running. It was a little bit of a struggle as the cold air makes my heart race even more than it does, even with a scarf around my mouth and nose. I guess maybe my running temp can't be any lower than 35 degrees. Come on spring!!! I need to start my training now!!! I signed up for a 1/2 marathon in March and the "dreadmill" is really not my friend!!
So with that I leave you with one thing...
Think Spring