-49 wind chill and cabin fever!

Pat and I were sharing cold weather war stories.  I reminded him of Feb 3, 1989 - the day I was to go in to be induced to have our 5th child.  It was about 2-3 weeks early and I was on bedrest due to increasing blood pressure.  That morning it was record cold and the silage unloader was frozen, so we were late getting in there to start the IV.  I remember Dr LaPorte coming in about 5p and speeding things along by rupturing my membranes - and soon our first son surprised us!  We thought that we were having our 5th girl, so it was a very big surprise!  The reason this came up was Pat talking about how silage freezes in the wagon, and so it makes sense with 50 below wind chill that the silo unloader  would freeze solid.

Nancy was born on April 2, 1982.  That morning it was hot - people were wearing shorts and t-shirts!  By that night a horrible wind came up from the north that dropped the temps so cold that the pipes froze in the barn!  It probably was a temperature change of 70-80 degrees in a 24 hour period!  More crazy yet was the wind blowing so hard that it blew the windshield wipers off people's cars while they were driving!  April 2 has fallen on Good Friday a couple times in Nancy's 31 years, but never Easter!  It also was the day in 2007 that my Holy Papa - Pope John Paul II died!   Soon to be Saint!

How I love him and knew that as soon as he died that I would start praying to him.  We were given some relics of his robes!  I think you can tell that I have been cooped up here with no company but a husband on the other end of the house watching football and everything else I don't care about.  As I sit on the other end of the house desperately trying to pray some, and watch It's a Wonderful LIFE, as well as shows that are now less than interesting.  The TV is off on my end, and I plan to do some reading and early to bed.  It seems to be a long winter already and we are sitting around remembering winter war stories when we meet in the middle for a shared meal for a few minutes. 

To go from this a couple weeks ago - which I admit did get kind of over the top at times with the noise and activity.  But it made me happier and feeling better about myself at the end of the day to have my family here.  It was sensory overload that now carries me though the setting in of cabin fever with the elements frigid and not good for man nor beast out there.  Pat keeps saying that at least there isn't a blizzard with tons of snow out of the air making it that much more worse!  Yes, that is really helping with all the snow that Pat has to move after days of blowing! 

Soon time to put away the tree... Somehow it should just be here to make the snow and cold seem more festive!  Maybe I will leave the lights out front on to help with the cold darkness.  Jesus, keep us on the right path and filling our hearts, minds and souls with all that is good and uplifting as the hours inside become long and hard.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

Two weeks ago...it was a beautiful day to enjoy the snow - the dog had just scared poor little Patrick and spoiled his fun...