Good Day so far

It's a good day here - it's sunny and warming up nicely (from 5 - 12 so far) so it can snow later, 3 loads of laundry are done, gifts are on the living room floor ready to be wrapped, the windows were delivered, the guys have half the garage covered and lunch is in the oven! Bill and Tim have 2 different dealers figuring out their best price for that new combine. :)


The blog is about to have its 1000 visit since I started Nov. 1! I didn't know if I'd like doing it, but it's been fun and makes it seem like you all aren't so far away. I'm thankful for e mail and blogs! Kind of fun for many of you to "discover Iowa" along with me and glad you can see the house go up.

After living here almost a year and a half, I've now heard of most of the towns around us and know if they're north, south, east or west of us and can drive to many of them without the Garmin now! When I look at the weather map during the news, I know where we are. When we drive by houses, I know who lives in some of them. I've found out who all the Pampered Chef and other vendor ladies are and how to get a hold of them if I need to. I've been taken to some fun places like tea rooms, a carousel and an Amish area. I've been to the apple orchard several times. I know where to get the couple of Merle Norman cosmetics I use and what grocery stores have what. It was a really strange feeling after knowing where almost everything was in Indiana to move here and not know where anything is. I have been saying that it still feels like I'm just visiting here, but it's starting to feel like I really do live here!

Progress Before the Storm

Conditions were a little better today. ?? It was - 6 when we got up and still less than 10 all day but sunny and no wind. Mark and 2 other guys have worked all day getting the gable above the garage up and here at the end of the day are finishing putting Tyvek all around which is a welcome sight to us! Bill and I swept snow out of the house today and Bill shoveled it out of the garage (no roof over it yet). With this Tyvek covering the window openings that will keep most of the snow out of the house at least. Starting tomorrow evening we're supposed to get up to 8" of snow but we're right on the line between heavy snow and lots of ice. We hope they can maybe at least get plywood over the garage tomorrow and maybe get the garage door openings boarded up.

Pocahontas' New Scarf

Glenn and family moved from Rolfe to Pocahontas last Fall. It is the next town west of us and about 20 min. away. There is a huge "statue"(?) of Pocahontas on the east edge of town. Legend has it that the princess guards the community and keeps it safe. There used to be a teepee by her but it was torn down. This Fall, the owner of Ewe Phoria Yarns, the yarn shop in town, solicited online help in keeping Pocahontas warm this winter. People from 21 U.S. states as well as 5 foreign countries made knitted swatches that were put together to make a 30 foot scarf for her. I think the scarf could've been wider really. She's going to need the scarf with the weather forecast for today: 1-3" of snow and it's 1 degree this morning, high to be 7.

VERY COLD

There's not much to talk about today because it's soooo cold. It was
- 6 this morning. Our school did not even have a delay - some did. At noon now it's still only 0 with a Wind Chill Advisory, and that's at - 24, until midnight tonight. At least it is sunny and at least Pro Coop got out here to fill our propane tank since the furnace is running non-stop. You can see your breath in our office. It's the front porch and has no insulation or heat. Tomorrow we're supposed to get 2-4" of snow and up to about 10 degrees.

We just need a few decent weather days to get the rest of the roof done, the house wrapped, windows in and siding on. They are not working today due to the weather.

Bill and Tim have gone south of Ft. Dodge to look at combines. I'm cleaning up dust, dirt (we had mud on Sat. with the warm temps.) dead flies, and washing back door rugs. With all the mud around the new house, it's easy to track it in. Good news is the flies are almost gone with these temps!! Hooray!! Also hoping to finish Christmas cards today.

Christmas at Faith Lutheran

I really miss my church in Carmel but so glad to have found this church here. The outside looks very similar to Central Christian where I went. This is not a traditional Lutheran Church - more like an independent church. I think the way that they decorate the sanctuary is really pretty. When I was taking these pictures someone suggested it would be a really pretty backdrop for people to take nice family photos in front of.


Our workers showed up by 7:30 this morning but the temp. has already dropped 10 degrees, it's very windy and misting. They've got the rest of the black paper on the roof. Bill just came in at 9:15 and tells me they're quitting for the day - too slick and nasty out.

Roof!

Yesterday Bill had a 2nd fire run. A utility co. worker was electrocuted - mostly his hands. The dispatch was that it was someone out in the middle of a field east of Rolfe and 5 miles north. That was about where Tim was working on cutting down some trees so I was worried until we finally got him on his cell phone (he didn't answer the first time).

The temp. got up to about 41 today so the guys have been working like crazy to get the plywood roof over our house. We're supposed to get freezing something tomorrow and there's chance of snow about every other day next week. Looks like they're going to get everything but the garage covered by dark tonight. We gave a few tours today - Glenn & the boys (they were out delivering FFA fruit orders), Peggy, Tim & Bette Jo.

Brother-in-law Dave is here deer hunting today.
Front of the house.
Back with guest room on the left, screened porch sticking out, kitchen is in the middle and master bedroom on the right. Bill sure likes this piece of equipment they're using to haul and lift with. I don't know what it's called.
South end which is the office in the front, guest bathroom window in the middle and guest room on the back. The sky sure was a pretty color today!