live from Memphis

Last Friday we were driving with a couple (friends from our bike club) to a party. We were talking about New Years Eve, and the guy mentioned that he thought it'd be fun to go to Beale Street. As in Memphis, Tennesee. It's kinda like Bourbon Street in New Orleans, or the old downtown part of Nashville. He just said it casually, not really thinking about going. Well, Greg started egging him on and getting him excited. Then we saw another couple (bike club friends) at the party and Greg started talking about Beale Street with them. Within a couple hours, the guys were looking online at hotels. Sunday morning at 8am we left to drive on down to Memphis!

Monday we went to Graceland - I'm not a huge Elvis fan, but it was definitely cool, definitely the thing to do while we're here. Today we went to a famous store here on Beale Street, A Schwab. Then we girls went to an Underground Railroad museum - actually a house that was a major stop on the route. That was really neat, it was a guided tour, very informational. Did you know that the different quilt patterns had specific meanings to slaves who wanted to run away? Did you know that "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" was a song in code for slaves?

Our hotel is one block from Beale Street, so we walk over for meals at various hotspots. The "fun" part of Beale is only two blocks long, but it's packed with fun. They have the road closed to vehicle traffic all evening/night. There are lots of bars and restaurants and great blues music everywhere. We had deep fried burgers for dinner last night... today for lunch four of us shared a FOUR pound cheeseburger! So oops, the diet is really not happening on this trip. LOL

No pictures this time. We didn't bring any way to download from the camera to the PC. So photos have to wait until we get home. :-(

Happy New Year to all!! I hope everyone has a wonderful New Years Eve.

Spread Joy

I saw that phrase on Kal Barteski's blog and thought it was great. Not holiday or even season specific. Very appropriate all the time. :-)

So Spread Joy!

the boys

I was telling someone a while back how much my boys had grown, and she was asking about comparison pictures. Well, I finally have something that shows how much these guys have grown since we got them - they're laying on the same kitty bed in both pics. Well, ok maybe "on" is not the correct word anymore... Over? Near? LOL

February 2006

December 2008

With latest snow, this has been second-snowiest December

By Mike Johnson of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Dec. 21, 2008 12:20 p.m. (edited and abbreviated)

This December is already the second snowiest on record in Milwaukee, the National Weather Service said today. So far, 30.1 inches of snow have fallen at Mitchell International Airport, but that is still well off the record 49.5 inches that fell in December 2000.

Three snowstorms are heading Milwaukee's way this week, but it's still too early to know whether they will produce enough accumulation to break the record. The forecast calls for 2 to 4 inches on Tuesday, 1 to 3 inches on Tuesday night and 4 to 8 inches on Wednesday. McMahon said a snowstorm also could hit the area on Friday, but it's too soon to tell how much might hit Milwaukee.

Here are the top three snowiest Decembers, compiled by the National Weather Service:
• 2000, 49.5 inches.
• 2008, 30.1 inches.
• 2007, 29.5 inches.

for some odd reason

I really don't like to post here unless I have pictures. I guess I feel pics are more entertaining than just my blah blah chat. ;-) I do have pictures this time, but first...

It's been a wild December!

Snow, snow and more snow. As of this morning, this month ranks as the fourth snowiest December on record in Milwaukee!! omg, kinda crazy, isn't it? - the month is only 2/3 over. The rain and somewhat warmer weather this past week had melted just about all of it, and then BAM, Fri we got pelted with another foot. We're supposed to get 4 - 7 inches more tonight, and then the temps are going brutal, with wind chills to 30 below. What's up? Like last winter wasn't bad enough?? Ok, enough bad news...

Events and parties seem to be at an all-time high this year. We've been going just about every Fri and Sat night since Thanksgiving. Definitely lots of fun. One fun event was the Trans-Siberian Orchestra last Sunday - they rocked the house - and best light show I think I've ever seen at a concert!

Ok, ok, already. You want pictures? Here's some pictures... well, first the story. Greg shouted from the downstairs to come down. I got halfway down the stairs, and he said "stop." I'm wondering what he's up to, and then I see a deer out the side window. And Greg's still saying "in front of you, look forward." Well there was another deer right by our patio. So we watched them for a while, I grabbed the camera and we took some pictures. They were chomping on the rose bush leaves, which was ok since I'll be hacking them back in spring anyway. One of the guys had his nose almost touching the house at one point. The deer were absolutely beautiful. Enjoy!

started a new scrapbook! :-)

This album will be fun!! It will be all about the "new thing(s)" I do every year. I am including all the "new things" that I've highlighted in our holiday newsletters over the year. I am also including other "new things" that didn't make the newsletter. So basically, I'm going through the old dusty memory banks (yes, my brain) and photos to find activities that I did for the first (and frequently only) time. It's been hard for me, deciding what is interesting enough to make the album. Hopefully since it's a mini, only 8.5 x 8.5, it'll go quick. I have three LOs done and 2 in progress. No photos to post tonight - I'll try to do that soon.

Now I'm off to bed - sweet dreams!