Wisconsin Sunset

Wisconsin Sunset
God is painting again...

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Dog Days of Winter

So even the dog has started to acclimate to the snow... Last year, we learned that she originally had a family in the mountains, so it explained why the snow didn't seem to faze her. Both this year and last, however, she got a little confused with the first snowfall of the season. See, she normally does her business on the grass. The grass is covered up, so she searches in vain to find one patch of green. Upon not finding any, she realizes she can't hold it forever, and goes. After a couple more snows, she still searches for a patch of grass, and is occasionally rewarded by a small patch uncovered by the snow blower. The patch can be 1 foot by 1 foot, and on an incline, but by golly, she can hit the mark! After a few more snows, and the grass is nowhere to be seen, she paces. And paces. And paces. She's looking now for the perfect patch of SNOW to use! It can't be too fluffy, or too hard. It can't be too deep or too shallow. She refuses to use the concrete... It's got to be PERFECT. And when it is... we have meltdown!! Jonathan has actually catered to her on this, shoveling out a run along the driveway that is just right for her - and perfect for us, because we don't have to run her all over the neighborhood to read everyone's pee-mail about the perfect pee spot.

I'm realizing that as much as I try to resist, I am growing acclimated as well. Last week were some of the coldest days "on record" according to the news (of course, why should this year be any different?) Thursday and Friday were something like -15 (yes, minus) before wind chill. Not comfortable. Today, as I left work at 5:00, I didn't bother buttoning my long winter coat, putting on my mittens, or even wear a scarf, because it was warm... it was freakin' 32! Goodness help me now, because I'm becoming one of them!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Say What?!

I have determined Wisconsin is a study in contrasts. Last night, it was snowing outside. We were eating in the distinctly more tropical and warm island-themed "Cheeseburger in Paradise". With an Asian man singing "Billie Jean is not my Lover". While accompanied by a bongo player. Uh huh. Today it is 24 degrees, very bright and sunny, with something that looks like sparkly fairy dust falling from the sky. Tuesday is supposed to have a high below zero. God has got a warped sense of humor.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Time?! We don't keep no stinkin' time!!

Evidently, time has a whole different concept here. Nothing is when I think it's supposed to be. Take TV for instance - we're central time. You know, as in "8/7 central"? Well, "central" means that anything I've been used to being at a particular time for my whole entire life, is generally a whole hour earlier here. Sometimes that's really cool - I get to see Leno and Letterman before bed. Sometimes, it's just really annoying, because I might really want to watch a show - normally a 9:00 show - you know, they're different than 8:00 shows. If I turn on the TV at 9:00, it's already over. Stinks. The dumbest thing, though, is New Year's Eve. Everyone watches the ball drop at midnight, right? Wrong. Not if you're central time. Here, you get to watch it at 11:00. Period.

TV's not the only thing, either. Evidently, even Denny's determines things should be different here in the Midwest. On Christmas Eve, we had three services, 4:00, 7:00 and 9:00. By the time things wrap up at the 9:00 service and you close down the church (such is the life of a church leadership family), it's almost 11:00. You are tired. You are hungry. You want food. Food for 24 hours a day? Denny's, of course. Nope. Lights are out, not a soul in sight - except other hungry people driving into the parking lot. I didn't even know Denny's had a light switch.