Blizzard, Zoo and the Crazies that love it

 Yep, you guessed it I drove over 40 miles to get my family to the zoo! It wasn't to bad going down. The roads were a little rough but still drivable.

 While we were there the weather really took a turn for the worse. I had to use my scarf to cover the camera so it didn't get all messed up.

 Everyone was very happy that we really know how to dress for winter weather. We were all so warm. Unfortunately, others were not so lucky.... I just don't understand what people are thinking sometimes.

 We got to see a sleeping polar bear & 2 timber wolves. The rest of the animals were off doing animal things!

 I managed to slip off one of the pathways and twist my already screwed up ankle. I struggled through..... My family comes first (I'm accepting votes for my martyrdom......LOL!)

 We all got our hot chocolate. The best part is that we got the souvenir cups so when we go back this winter we will be able to get the cheap refills. They will last us for years. I just tossed out the last of the old ones not to long ago. We had them for over 6 years. Now even the monsters have one of there own! No more sharing..... YEAH!

 By this point we all had a layer of snow on us that would not blow off..... wet snow.... ;( This is the first time we have been there while it was snowing.

 The lights were just fantastic though. Every year they get better and better. They have switched out almost all of the old light to LED. So it makes it not so much of a guilty pleasure anymore.

 I didn't get pictures this time, but the zoo added a ton of solar panels in the parking lot. They are to help power all the lights in the parking areas. There are also solar panels on the entrance buildings. As they remodel the bathrooms they are switching over to low flush and 1/2 button on the toilets.

I love the zoo!

We had a great time. It is one of the favorite family holiday traditions. The snow even though at times it was blinding, made for a unique experience!

Gotta Run,

Yart

A new day

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for your kind words yesterday. They helped with a bad day. But as with everything this too shall pass, as if I could do anything about it anyways.... :O)

Well, let me tell you all a little story. When my dad was in the hospital the last weekend, we didn't know he was dieing. They didn't tell us until they thought he only had hours left. So Grim had wanted to go hunting deer. This was his first opportunity to go hunting in like 100 years. I told him to go as I thought everything would be fine. Grim and a neighbor go out and he gets a deer. The only problem is that he shot the things front leg clean off. Fast forward a couple of days and we are at my dad's wake. My mom's sister goes out and buys my Grim a beanie baby deer and taped its leg up. So that he would always have a souvenir of the day. It made a hard day bearable. And we were able to laugh for the first time in days.

Now fast forward again to last Friday night. I stay in the car as Grim and Band monster go into get the other two monsters from grandma's. Picky monster had to come down as the buzzer thing didn't work. So Band monster goes in one elevator and Grim and Picky go into the other. Meanwhile, I'm sitting in the car waiting. My phone rings, Grim says I'm stuck in the elevator......what?......I'm stuck in the elevator with Picky, get me out of here..... (Grim is claustrophobic). So into the building I go. We go to where the elevator is showing on the second floor I can here them and he pushes the call button. The woman on the other end wants to know where he is and what the problem is. She asks if he is near Chicago.... To this he replys "I'm going to die"......LOL! Mind you this is a senior complex. One of the ladies calls 911. So now we have 2 ems and 1 firetruck there to try and get them out. 2 1/2 hours later it is discovered that it was just a blown fuse. They made it out safe and sound. Thank God, that Picky was in there with him as he would have paniced.

Now on to Saturday, it is deceided that since it is such a beautiful day that Grim & the monsters would set up the Christmas lights.... (to many years out there in the freezing cold). A couple of years ago I got an inflateable snow globe with penguins in it. Grim had to carry it up the stairs as the box gave out. He got tangled up in the stabilzing cords and tripped. He put his elbow through the glass in the back door. So off to urgent care we go. Luckily, they just butterflied it up, no stiches. But I did get a new window out of the deal and it is plexi-glass! The lights went up and all is now good in the house.

Today is just a lazy day. We didn't do anything but play on the puters. I am making Italian Chicken for dinner. Then we are going to hang out and watch some of our missed tv shows.

Gotta Run,
Yart