Happy New Year

 I would love to dress up and do this, like the jazzy couple above and paint the town. It was a quiet night at home that actually included almost every member of the family alternating taking cat naps under cozy warm quilts and blankets near the roaring fireplace.

Although we had a very unusual weather day last Saturday that rose to 62 degrees, our Ohio Decembers are usually a safe bet to stay between ten below zero and about 30 degrees. The day before the heat wave we had ice covering everything, the next day grass and sun. But alas, the winds blew in (about 50mph gusts) and brought back the cold. I enjoy winter but more for the snow than the cold. If it is going to be cold you may as well have flakes, right. It makes everything seem less frigid with a nice white blanket across the neighborhood. My ideal favorite weather temperatures are between 20 and 60. Any time the thermometer stays below 20 for a period of time I even admit it is too cold. I would never do well living in a climate that is always warm. I enjoy the extreme change of seasons that northern Ohio has always provided me.

Needless to say, due to the one warm day our ice rink I had built for the kids is a bust. We often had a rink when I was growing up. I have always wanted the kids to have one. I knew the gauge of plastic we used for the lining was not correct and sure enough it became brittle and split when stepped on when the first of many thin layers of ice was frozen. We only came to discover this when it was 60 degrees and the melting ice all went bye-bye through the splits. Back to the drawing board and to better construction from scratch and then to add more water and refreeze again. That, and the hope that we will not have many more freak 60 degree days this winter.

So here's to a happy new year for us all... With health and happiness and friends and family and a frozen ice rink, too! I dreamed that some second hand skates (enough pairs for friends who stop by too!), some ice and plenty of hot chocolate would equal a very economical way for the kids and their friends to have fun at home and make lots of memories!!!
Happy New Year!