Cccccold!

Goodness, it’s cold outside! Do you want to see what the temperature is right now? This is a screenshot of my phone’s weather app right now. Do you see the “feels like” temperature is -24F. And it’s just supposed to get colder and colder through Wednesday night. Then we will have a nice warm-up for a few days. Winter really just started about two weeks ago here but I’m already done with it. 😂

I took this photo of our balcony this morning. I’m sorry it’s through the screen, but I wasn’t about to go outside in my PJs in the cold. It snowed for 24 hours straight beginning before midnight Sunday night. There wasn’t a huge accumulation, but this doesn’t accurately reflect how much we actually got since a lot of it blew off of the balcony. Since the wind was blowing, it’s hard to get an accurate picture of how much snow fell.

Dennis and Curt went to the church and did a little bit of maintenance work in the bathrooms yesterday and while they were gone, Barb texted me and asked if we wanted to come over and have some chili with them for dinner. Since they only live about two blocks away, of course we said yes. If it had been much more of a drive, I think we would’ve opted to stay home as the roads were getting pretty slick last night. The church is about a 20 minute drive on the interstate from here and they said the visibility was pretty low and the roads weren’t great. That doesn’t seem to bother the guys much though. It’s like it’s something for them to conquer! What is it about men?

The guys are off together again this morning to volunteer at the Open Door Mission and after that they’re going to a young man’s house from church to help him build a table. Those two always find something to get up to! I do hope the roads are improving a bit though, since he lives clear on the other end of town closer to the Air Force Base.

I’m happily staying at home with Zoey and knitting on more mittens…

And showing off the baby blanket I just finished for the mission.  She turned her head, just as I snapped the picture as you can tell by the blur. She doesn’t hold still for very long, but she does like to show off my knitting and crocheting.

This is another blanket using the “Grace” pattern, which is free on Ravelry. I used Caron yarn in the Carrera Marble

Colorway. Using an “I” hook, it ends up measuring about 36 inches square.

Yesterday we were discussing when we might be going to London again to see our kids there. I decided to check plane tickets for March since that’s when “baby J” will have her third birthday. We’ve missed her first two. Lo and behold, the tickets were very reasonably priced so we immediately booked them. We’ll be going during the last couple of weeks of March and we’ll get to spend her birthday with her! We also had to apply for the ETA, the new visa that’s required for Americans to go to the UK. It wasn’t too difficult and it lasts for two years, so I think we’re all set. As much as I dread the plane trip because of the tight quarters, (my long legs just don’t like those tight spaces,) we’re excited to see our kids again.

They’ve been traveling for a long weekend and headed home to London yesterday. We were able to FaceTime with them for an hour or so while they were waiting to board the train. “Baby J” said she wanted us to come for her birthday. Well, that’s all it took! 🥰 As soon as we hung up, I got online. How do you say no to such a cute Granddaughter!!!? As much as I hate flying these days, especially with all of the plane crashes lately, it will be worth it to see her. So, we’re off again. Please pray for me that I don’t get sick. The last two times we’ve flown over the Pond, I’ve managed to sit next to a very sick person on the plane and I ended up sick the entire time we were there.

In other news, all of the test results came back from the endocrinologist, and although a few things were a bit low, she said it would be OK for another year, when I’ll need to repeat the CT scan with contrast and 11 vials of blood again! My next doctor appointment is next week with the neurosurgeon. We’ll see what they have to say. Getting old isn’t for sissies.

Meanwhile, except to take Zoey outside to go potty, I’m planning on staying home and out of the cold. Dennis can go gallivanting around town with his cousin Curt, volunteering at the Mission, helping fix things for other people, etc. I’ll be happily at home in front of the fire with my crochet hook or knitting needles in hand, watching movies and snuggling with my puppy. I hope you are all warm, safe and dry. Spring will come eventually.

Blessings and love, 

Betsy

No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus

Text & Music- Charles F. Weigle

I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus,
Since I found in Him a friend so strong and true.
I would tell you how He changed my life completely;
He did something no other friend could do.

Chorus
No one ever cared for me like Jesus;
There's no other friend so kind as He.
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me;
O how much He cared for me.

All my life was full of sin when Jesus found me;
All my heart was full of misery and woe,
Jesus placed His strong arms about me
And He led me in the way I ought to go.

Chorus

Every day He comes to me with new assurance;
More and more I understand His word of love.
But I'll never know just why He came to save me,
Till someday I see His blessed face above.