Oh the weather outside is frightful...

Well, with the holidays and traveling, I haven't been able to post much. I was very lucky this week in that I hadn't planned to return to NY until Tuesday, so I missed the blizzard. However, less you think I was spared the joy that is snow in NY...

Tuesday evening, I was dropped off at the house and waded through knee deep snow carrying a suitcase to get into the house. I was supposed to leave this morning for VA to spend NY with the boyfriend, however the wall of snow between me and my car had other plans. Throughout the day I managed to clear the walkway (now I can get mail!), the driveway and the mountain at the end of the driveway caused by snowplows. However, my darling neighbors had been kind enough to snowblow the sidewalk for me so that I didn't have to do that as well. My back is killing me, but at least I worked off any calories from the last day or so. I'll drive down to VA tomorrow.

Christmas was fun. I saw a lot of family, some of whom it had been a very long time since I last saw. Got to spend a lot of time with my parents and sister. Kellie and I always find a way to connect every visit and reaffirm our very special relationship. Personal favorite though was seeing my beautiful godchildren, who are growing like weeds. The eldest in 9 and brilliant. Her parents and I were commiserating on how her being 9 makes us all feel old. I realized she'll be 16 by the time I am done having children. The other is 5 and the sweetest child who ever walked the planet. During Gulliver's Travels (which was actually really funny), he cuddled under my arm and apparently cried when I left.

Last year I decided to write letters more often and have established a wonderful pen pal relationship with my paternal grandmother. Since I rarely see her (she lives in Cali), it's been a great way for our relationship to be stronger. This year, in addition to that, I want to start writing the kids. The boy won't be able to write his own letters back yet, but his parents will help I'm sure. And then they can have something tangible from me (other than books - they get a lot of books).

A funny note to end on. When my sister told her husband (who is in Iraq) about meeting my boyfriend at Thanksgiving, he grew suspicious and protective. Of me! He has 3 sisters, so he's used to worrying after them, but he had decided to expand that to include me. Of course, once he meets the bf, he'll fall in love with him like everyone else, but in the mean time, he's suspicious. It's adorable. Pretty sure I'm not supposed to call him adorable, but if he gets to be a protective brother, I get to be a doting sister.