When Disaster Strikes...

It really started when we had a horrible snowstorm last Thursday. Schools were closed and many offices in town were closed. My university was the only institution of higher education open so I had to go to work although we were delayed an hour and a half. I dug my car and later my Expedition out of a total of three snow drifts in order to get out of my driveway but I made it to work on-time and picked up a Caramel Macchiato at Starbucks on the way. What was drifting snow quickly turned into subzero temperatures.

My washer and dryer are currently located in my Art Studio so it isn't always that warm out there as it is in another building next to our house. It was actually our woodshed that my husband rebuilt for me. The washer often freezes up during very low temperatures if we don't use it regularly so I did three loads of laundry Thursday to try to keep the water from freezing, but by Friday morning we were frozen and all I could do was wait for my husband to thaw it out. Seriously, I could have done it, but it makes a good excuse not to do laundry. Plus I had to work and get my daughter to the mountain. He had been out of town all week and wasn't going to be home until Saturday and our youngest had a commitment to coach for the ski race team on Saturday so we headed to the cabin.

My husband came home Saturday night and early Sunday morning he got to work on the water and some carpet cleaning. He thawed the pipes, started a load of laundry and when back to cleaning. He went back out to change the clothes and found the place flooded with five or so gallons of water. He'd forgotten to put the drain hose back in place.

I came home thinking that I might make some cards. I didn't feel well, but I was in a bit of a crafty mood. He told me that I should probably go out and see what the damage was to my scrapbooking paper before I got too excited. Sure enough, I had been stupid enough to leave some paper out on the floor when my daughter and I were getting ready to go to the cabin. We were going through paper to take some up there. Well, the damage included about half of my paper. I was able to salvage some of it as in many cases it hadn't reached the whole 12 x 12 piece of paper. I took out my trusty giant Fiskars paper cutter from Costco and began cutting the wet pieces away from the dry parts often leaving me with a 12x6 piece of paper. Unfortunately, a lot of my ski and winter paper was a total loss, but I was able to keep some of my Stampin' Up cardstock. Well, lesson learned. Put your stuff away. Isn't that what I tell the kids. Things don't get ruined if you put them away. Had I taken the time to put my paper back in the cabinet, it would still be here and I would have had some time to make cards on Sunday. Crafting will have to wait for another weekend.

Feb 16th/218

Although, I wasn't happy that it snowed, our barn was beautiful the next day. The beautiful dusting of snow covered up all of the icky mud and dirt.

Feb 15th/219

Just when I thought it was over, it snowed again!

Feb 11th/223

This guy sits on top of our pool house. Yes it is a Christmas Bear Skiing and yes it is February, but it is still ski season so I would say it is okay. My youngest daughter told us that he looks a little like her dad- A slow skiier with a belly. Silly girl.

Jan 22nd/343

Here is a picture of what I call "My Ski Chalet on Wheels." In the fall, it magically transforms into a hunting shack and in the summer it is our lake cabin, but on this day it has become our ski chalet for a very long three day weekend. My daughter, my husband and I have loaded the Nomad up with Race timing equipment, junk food and of course the necessities for any good ski family: Ski equipment, beer and wine. It is small at 23 feet, but it is ours and it's portable. We have been known to have had five people staying it at a time during ski trips. My youngest daughter calls it the pup tent next to the huge 5th wheels and motorhomes at the mountain. At least we don't have much space we have to heat!

Pentax Optio10, automatic

Jan 8th 2009 Photo/357

Jan 8th led us to "The Great Thaw". Water was everywhere. We were fortunate as we haven't experienced any real flooding from the creek, but Western Washington is under water. I chose this photo in contrast to a week ago when we were buried with snow. Easy come-Easy go!

I wish I would have played with my light meter a bit more as this was on my way to the work and the white balance is a bit off in the foreground. Oh well.

Canon Rebel EOS XT, auto

Jan 6th Photo/359

Jan 6th was a real challenge to photograph. I was really getting tired of snow and ice so I looked a Becky Higgin's suggestions and still couldn't decide. Finally, as I was reading my email I decided to photograph the email from the school district, once again telling me that my daughter was on extended vacation due to snow. At that rate, I thought she might graduate from the 6th grade when she was 18.

Canon Rebel EOS XT, auto

Jan 1st 2009 Photos (Happy New Year!)/364

Even though we had a record snowfall in Spokane during the month of December 2008, it continued to snow into January so we welcomed 2009 with additional snow and with the snow the need for snow removal on our farm. Currently, I have chosen three photos for January 1st's entry. I cannot decide which photo to use in my album. One is my husband digging out snow for drainage and to provide space for future snow removal and one is of our house covered in snow. Currently, I am favoring the picture of our house or Larry removing snow. I may wait to decide as we get more snow although today it looks like spring has come.

Canon Rebel EOS XT, auto