Snow Day

We had some snow today mixed with a lot of sleet and freezing rain. That's par here in North Carolina. Rarely do we see just snow. Also around here, when we see a few flakes the cameras come out and everyone has to announce "Its snowing" with pictures as proof. When we get the first sign there might be snow, all the schools and businesses close down. Crazy isn't it? I bet you Northerners think we are hilarious at this point.

I work with a small business that is run from fleet vehicles and we do not attempt to put them on the road when its bad. Its got to be pretty bad thought. We service everywhere from Lancaster SC to Boone and Asheville NC and everywhere in between.

Let me start with saying I do not get up even on a work day until 7:00 or 7:30. Pretty much depends when the sun comes through the window. Well, I get a text this morning at 5:00! It was one of our managers. "Don't bother coming in today, we will not be working therefore we are not opening the office. Sleep in". Um...Its 5:00 in the morning!!! Its snowing outside and the sleet is slapping the bedroom window. I hardly think I can "sleep in".  My husband is sound asleep. I managed to doze off a while longer until my fitbit vibrated to let me know its time to wake up. Im up!

This is really nice. Its so peaceful outside as the world around me has turned white. The snow is falling and the trees are doing all they can to hold the weight of the snow and ice covered limbs. It has done this all day long. I was able to enjoy my coffee and breakfast without rushing to work. It was too cold and the sleet was to hard to take a walk. Me and my husband actually walked laps inside the house. Yep, circles around the living room, through the den and back around. We did this for an hour. That equaled 3 miles for me. It was better than a treadmill and funnier too. My husband walks five miles every morning around the neighborhood, but not today.

I was able to catch up on some house work.[ husband inserts laugh here]. I crafted a little, crocheted some and wrote this post. I did attempt to go outside a while. Its not as fun since my daughter has moved out. She is lucky to get to work from her home today and will stay in until the roads let up which will probably not be until Sunday. Anyway, I layered some clothes and ventured into the yard. Man was it cold. 28 degrees cold with the sleet stinging my face as I tried to take a few photos.

Looks like the dogwood buds were fooled by the recent warmer temperatures.

Big bird, little squirrel. Squirrel wins.

This little fella let me walk right up to him for his photo shoot.

Later I enjoyed some fresh soup my husband made. It was an experiment. It got two thumbs up as it was full of flavor and loaded with healthy greens. 

We named it SOS soup. Because it consist of mostly Squash, Onion and Spinach. No relation to the SOS you put over toast or rice. [wink]. Other ingredients include, zucchini, vegetable broth and a pinch of garlic. This recipe is healthy, bursting in flavor and very low calories. One cup only has approximately 50 calories.

Hopefully tomorrow will be another great day and keeping our fingers crossed we don't loose power.
Maybe we can even do a real walk around the neighborhood.

That Dreaded Visit

That dreaded visit to the Dentist"

I'm writing this post in a series of two days. Hoping it may help me cope with my anxiety. I'm a big baby when it comes to dentistry. I am so afraid to go even though they have never hurt me besides that two foot long needle they use for numbing. Believe it or not I do have a big pain tolerance. I just don't know what it is about the Dentist. I'm embarrassed to admit, my teeth are not in really good shape due to this phobia, not to mention the lack of money and no dental insurance. Even as a child, we never went to the dentist unless we were in pain. But with four kids, I can see how my parents could have never afforded preventive care. However, with my own daughter, I kept her checkups up to date until she turned..., well, until she moved out on her own.

Day One: After several weeks of an agonizing tooth ache. I finally put on my big girl pants and called the dentist. I'll admit, I was hoping the nerve would just die. Well, it didn't and the tooth wins once again. I made an appointment for tomorrow to have it extracted. Yes yanked out because I refuse to get a root canal that I cant afford and besides, the tooth that hurts has already been filled like twice.
As soon as I put the phone down, my heart started racing and the anxiety started. About 30 minutes later the dentist assistant calls, "Lisa? we are going to call you in a prescription for a nerve pill to take one hour before you come". Bingo! Now not only will I be scared, I'll also be a noodle so I can't fight back. Speaking of fighting back, I have been known to get to the chair, then sneak out when the Dentist left the room. Really. So now, my husband takes me and makes sure all the doors and windows are barricaded. ha. I know, I sound ridiculous, huh. Well sorry, but I'm really that afraid of the dentist. I'd rather give birth.

Day Two: I've worked half the day and now I've taken a Valium and sitting patiently in the waiting room of the torture chamber (Id rather be working).  As I listen to drilling down the hallway, It sounds like a tire changing station. My heart is racing but i'm keeping my cool. I look tough but inside i'm wanting my mommy.
[Gulp!].  Here she comes....."Hi Lisa come on back".
I'm putting my phone away now and putting my life in the hands of a dentist...................................
....
Ok the phone is back out. I'm all numbed up and waiting. The sign on the wall says "turn off cell phones". Well, I'm a blogger therefore there has to be pictures involved. so hears a quick shot of the place setting before he digs in.........

It still baffles me that with all the new technology now days, the Dentist still use drills and pliers.
....
45 minutes later, I'm done. It wasn't so bad. The numbing needle didn't even hurt this time. I think the ole dentist is getting better at it.  Of course, he tried to talk me into having it crowned but I said no and stuck to my plan to have it taken out. After he extracted the tooth he examined it and found two cracks. It even fell apart as he was showing it to me. I think my choice was the right one now. Even he admitted it would have been too weak for a crown.
Its later now and the numbness is gone. I have not had to take any pain medicine besides Tylenol, no bleeding and no swelling. Glad its all over with and can continue as normal.