This morning when Kent and I went to do chores I found out that Boon is a snuggler. He came up to be petted and rubbed his head on my leg. It's pretty cute now and I hope he stays calm. Having a cuddly longhorn bull with a 35 inch horn spread rubbing your leg could be terrifying if he doesn't!

Today I was supposed to deal in the Relay for Life Poker Tournament but ended up playing since they were short players. There were 40 players all whom play all the time both in person and online. I made it to 26th or 27th - I think that's pretty good. Especially since I haven't played with a large group for over two years or so. I even had some people compliment me on my play...and the club manager had a side bet that I would outlast the other women at my table...I didn't but it was still cool that he bet on me! I stayed in active play for SEVEN hours! I know that poker isn't considered an athletic endeavor but let me tell you it is physically and mentally demanding. I feel like I just ran a 5K.

It was -2 when I got up this morning but we are supposed to hit mid 20's by the middle of the week....lets hope!

UPs and DOWNs

The last few days have been filled with ups and downs. As you know my car went kaputz...added to this my computer fried on Thursday and on Monday I was in a car accident with Kent's loaner (not my fault). Needless to say I have been a little harried.

Silver linings exist however. I got my computer back, tax money went into my account on Monday, my grandma comes home tonight and the musical is going well. We also had our second baby today. It is a pretty little bull calf (see below) whom we will call Boon.


And finally here is a little wisdom for the day. "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Proverbs 17:22 - May your heart be cheerful and your spirit never crushed!

I took my concealed weapons test on Monday night and PASSED!

Today I took my pictures and tomorrow I will send my application in...then just a mere 30-60 days and I will be like Cagney and Lacy before me...a pretty lady packing heat!

I had a 7 am practice this morning and Lover-Dover, Snookem-Pie made me breakfast before I left. Usually I warm up leftovers but this morning I had home cooked breakfast sausage and coffee- Yummmmeeeee!

Since it was such and early morning I think I might head to bed....even if it is only 6:13.....the sun is almost set so I should be okay!

Tonight for the Auxiliary Meeting we had a Go Red Party. This is part of the American Heart Association Go Red campaign.

We watched a video on women's risk of heart disease and had a guest speaker who talked about ways to adapt our recipes to make them heart friendly.

Some of her ideas were:
Replacing oil with half applesauce.
Using liquid oils is better for you then solid oils (crisco)
Reducing the meat in dishes and adding beans or other legumes
Using half and half instead of cream
Flax seed can be blended with water (2 Tb. and 1/2 a cup I think...you may want to check this on some web source like Google) and can replace eggs in baking
Pretty much anytime oil is required it can be replace with flax seed.
Bread recipes that call for 3 T oil can be replaced with 1 T walnuts and 2 T flax
Switch to lowfat milk
Get lots of vegies and fruits in your diet
2-3 eggs per week are okay

I can't think of many more just off the bat except for this little tidbit....

1 SERVING of cream of mushroom soup contains more cholestoral, saturated fats, and transfats than a double cheeseburger! Are you reading this Kent??????? That's one serving NOT a can!!!!!

So it was a lot of good information...hopefully I can take part of it to heart.

You should go to the American Heart Association website or gored.org and get more information on women's health. I'm glad I did.

For Valentine's Day Kent and I decided to have a special dinner at home. I made:
Lemon "E" Chicken
Heart-shaped citrus roasted potatoes
Candied carrots
Garlic sauteed mushrooms.
We even had Cold Duck...nothing but the best for my sweetheart.

Here's a picture of the fabulous dinner.

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."

Helen Keller

Good News/Bad News

I had my taxes done today and Hooray!!!! I get a refund.

I also got to spend time with David Lee - he pastors a church in Minot and is a very dear...ahem...old friend. Kent and I had lunch with him before getting our taxes done.


Bad news....I like this last - it seems less difficult to handle.

The car is still "broken" and will need a part from Milwaukee.


Pictures of the baby should be up tomorrow and I promise by then we will have a name!

I drove Kent's Taurus today and thank God it ran like a champ. I even took it all the way to Rugby!!!!

When I got home Kent had spent the day cleaning the basement. For those of you who know...that is a HUGE deal. He says it looks worse now then before but there is progress!

We hot-tubbed and "farmed" on Facebook and got our taxes ready for tomorrow.

We are going to get them done in Minot tomorrow.

Well the car saga....it is not a good thing...we can replace the belt but most likely there is too much damage to the engine. Art is willing to fix it but it may mean replacing the whole upper motor...whatever that means.

So I may start looking for something else...or I may trust Art and let him work on it. I think Art would rather I get something else.

Still no pictures of the little one...still nameless....hopefully this weekend.

BTW - Welcome Carrie to the world of blogging!

No news on the car yet. Looks like I will be driving Kent's Taurus for a couple days. This just in...as of 7:24 (24 minutes after I started this blog)...it appears to be a broken timing belt which may or may not have caused internal motor damage and may or may not be a simple matter of replacing a belt.

Today Kent took me to work and picked me up. I was glad he was driving since the roads were icy. It was kind of nice to be chauffeured by someone so handsome too. Thank you dear.

When we got home my payment was to help clean out the hottub. So I donned my "Kiss Me I'm Irish" hooded sweatshirt, my brown stocking cap and my heart designed barn boots and climbed in sans pants. I'm sure it was quite a look and that Kent is even more unable to resist me than before...yep I knew it even now he is trying to canoodle on the couch.

I better go...I'm trying to teach Kent Texas Hold'em....

So the "STORM" didn't really hit today. It rained all night and this morning but around 4 (I think) it started to drop in temp and get snowy.

It has been snowing now for about two hours. Big, fluffy flakes....oh and there is wind.

We had another baby today. This time from one of our cows - 19. She had an absolutely gorgeous bull calf - yet unnamed. (pictures are forthcoming)

I had a major car malfunction today. While driving it just died. No warning - no gauges firing up - just died. Now the nice thing is it was in a fairly safe place and hopefully (OJALA) Kent's brother-in-law, Art, the mechanic, will be able to find out what is wrong with it and get it fixed soon. Art has been a God-send this winter. Thanks to Rodney too for letting Kent borrow his car trailer.

Well so far no horrible storm.....it rained last night and all afternoon but we have held at 33 degrees since I left for work this morning.

Our lights have flickered a few times but so far they've managed to come back on.

Some of the schools in our unit were closed today and many events were cancelled but so far the white stuff hasn't hit. Everything is just so packed with snow that the slightest melt makes for a sloppy mess.

Snow day projects include: Cleaning house, organizing the basement, washing clothes, reading and maybe a little blogging!

What a busy day we had. They are predicting a huge ice storm tonight which could potentially knock out power for a while so we started the day by prepping everything on the farm.

We fed hay to everything and hauled grain up for the young horses and pigs.

We dug out the generator. The main farm can be run by a generator so the houses and barns would have power and with rural water up and running we should be okay with water for the houses. We may run into trouble with water for the animals if it freezes but we can always carry water if worse comes to worse. In 97 Kent and his wife had to stay with his parents for a few days when they lost power and had no heat. According to weather predictions this could be a repeat performance.

We headed to town and stocked up on some staples just in case.

We then spent the remainder of a BEAUTIFUL afternoon working on the calf barn. Aaron and Rodney (Kent's brothers) and Art (brother-in-law) and Dale (dad)spent the morning working. We got over just about lunch time and Kent helped finish shoveling off the remaining snow. I climbed up and tried to help with the shoveling and actually did do a little but I was saved by the bell...dinner bell. Shirley had us all come down for dinner and although the getting down was difficult(emotionally)...it isn't the hard landing at the bottom that bothers me or the fall...it's the idea of breaking or tearing something corporeally that worries me most.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The rest of the time I spent safely on the ground. I was the chief tin stacker. While this doesn't sound strenuous - my body is telling me otherwise. I am whooped. An 8:00 bedtime is not out of the question.

Today was the Eagle's anniversary. The ladies host whatever out of town ladies we have in a social which includes goodies and White Elephant Bingo.

We didn't have any outside people but enjoyed a nice afternoon with our locals. I won a four pack of coffee samplers - love them - can't wait to try each of them.

Tonight Kent and I hot-tubbed and then settled in for a movie. I just love Netflix. Without it and no satellite or cable or local channels we just might go crazy - although I do love to read - and get a lot of time for that too so I can't complain.

Today I was blessed with conversations from friends and family. I am so glad to have people in my life with whom I can share small moments.

Angel

It was 32 degrees today and its still 25!

The sun is coming up earlier and earlier...

We might just survive!

The ground hog saw his shadow 6 weeks we must wait...

At the first sign of grass

We'll all CELEBRATE!

Old McOpdahl Had a Farm

Here are some farm pictures - Kent and I each took some this week. Hope you enjoy!

Make a Smilebox photobook

We had Auxiliary tonight and had a Private Quarters representative in to talk about the luxurious world of bedding n things. The throws really were quite soft and comfy.

Carrie came over and - lucky duck - won both $25 at Auxiliary and the door prize from the consultant. Last week it was Shirley. That's okay because I'm going to win the Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes at the end of February (7000 per week for life) so I'd rather they have the luck now and I get my week then!

Tomorrow is audition day for 7 Brides - I can't wait to talk about the ideas I have for sets - I hope Heidi likes them.

Still haven't had time to upload the calf pictures from Sunday...maybe tomorrow.

Up to 8 degrees from -19 this morning. Our warming trend is beginning.

Go Steelers!

Okay so if the Cardinals would have won I would have said the same. I rooted for the Cardinals throughout the game but was torn since I love the Steelers too.

I guess I just like the background stories of the Cardinals this year.

Kent and I did farm chores today. I took some pictures of the newly tagged calves but didn't get a chance to upload them...maybe tomorrow.

I also reaad through 7 Brides again to make sure I have it down for auditions this week. It is such a good show! I hope we do it justice.

9 degrees tonight - that's a pretty drastic change from the 30 some yesterday!