Wait and See

Yesterday was a baby shower for our up and coming grandchild, yet to arrive the first of May. Danielle was looking lovely, but most certainly pregnant. Mistress Mercedes Anna received a crib full of beautiful clothes and a lifetime supply of onsies, in every color imaginable. She can wear the white ones on boring days.





Yesterday Dani did talk of big puffy ankles. She had a doctor's appointment tomorrow and would probably get some support hose for work.

Today she was diagnosed with preeclampsia. Nothing to fool around with. Her blood pressure was 180/100. She is now safely tucked in the hospital and could stay until the baby comes. That could be anywhere from today until her due date, depending on the situation at hand. As of this evening her BP is down (diastolic 80) but she is puffed up from head to toe. Billy is with her, after they finally got a hold of him at work.

If an extra prayer slips into your thoughts, we'd be most appreciative.

Lady Antebellum with Jim Brickman

By the Grace of God and about 70,000 strong hearts and hands, Fargo just may make it.

(Click on the underlined to view)

Garrison Keillor opens his weekly saga on Prairie Home Companion by telling us, "It has been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon." I wish I could say the same. Many events have taken place this week.

And now this morning Fargo is to have an even higher crest than ever before. Unprecedented flooding is occurring and the city is threatened. This early a.m. the Lindenwood park area is in jeopardy. That is part of my old neighborhood, so defined by the elementary school district. Mom and Dad's house (which is almost empty but not sold!) is not in immediate danger but the city is going into uncharted waters. OOO, bad pun. So who knows what could happen. Don, the angel unaware, who looks after their house is not too worried, but that was from our conversation on Tuesday.

Say some extra prayers for these superheros who are working endless hours to save a great little hamlet on the raging Red River.

Mother Nature

We awoke to the howl of winter back biting at our heels. We made a gain of about 8 inches. (Grand totals should be around about 90 inches this season) It is always so hard to decide which stack of white is to be the measuring amount. I favor the grill lid, it is exposed enough to get snowed on but sheltered from wind.

Yesterday the deck was bare of snow as were the sidewalks and driveway. Not the case today. Ron took me to work in the pickup, which was the only guaranteed mode of transport. Underneath the heavy snow was a fine sheeting of ice. Windows with northern exposures had top to bottom marbleizing, a little splash of nature's artwork before the precipt turned to snow.

Most of the day it snowed and carved out more winter. Schools were cancelled and no travel in the area. At the nursing home it was a skeleton crew. Even our state surveyors, who arrived unannounced yesterday, (Monday) remained stranded in Minot. Better there than in Velva!

My mother used to say, "Tomorrow is another day." Yes, she is right and we will have to see what excitement it will bring. Today maxed itself out.




P.S. The photos don't really bring out the full brunt of the weather. One of those "had to be there" events.

Back to the Ark...

In my excitement over the link event I rather abruptly ended any details of the conditions at hand. The radio has been reiterating the road conditions around the state. So far in this neighborhood we are okay.

Fargo is headed for a hallmark flood, especially if the predicted weather arrives. The roaring Red which divides North Dakota and Minnesota and runs between Fargo Moorhead is due to crest Friday am at a new high of 41 ft. This is higher than the '97 debacle. The 1997 was a horrendous flood for the city. It also forced the evacuation of Grand Forks, ND

On Public Radio volunteers who were sandbagging were being interviewed by radio commentators; what a tremendous outpouring of community spirit. The radio crews were camped out on a Fargoan's deck in the Woodcrest Drive area of north FGO. In the 1969 flood I helped sandbag in that area at the Tom Pile home. Yikes, that was 40 years ago.

So much of the immediate complications are ice damns on rivers, creeks and streams -creating back up water situations, known as overland flooding. Overland flooding can be quick but just as devastating. Wet is wet!

We have a nice cozy dike around Velva, which is situated in the Mouse River valley. But the dike has sat idle for many years. Closures will be needed and if we have rapid snow melt after this intended blizzard, will they be sealed off in time?

I am no expert on floods, but I have lived through enough of them to know: the water usually wins. Ron and I have opted for flood insurance, purchased before the cruise so we are covered if it floods. But it has to flood, no seepage is allowed. Many other incidentals are excluded as well. But given the biggy, we will have our furnace, washer, dryer and freezer covered. Much more expensive than the $307.00 premium.

I hope the money went for naught!

Time to Build the Ark?

Take a closer look at the great state of North Dakota. It is a brilliant green, and sad to say, it is not because spring is here and things are greening up nicely. It is under a flood warning, the entire state. The price we pay for having a horrendous winter with buckets upon buckets of snow.




Today's weather is set for rain and then snow. We could receive up to 11 inches. Uff Da!

Milestone moment: I figured out how to do the click to the web site deal. I wonder if I could do it again. It took me about 5 months to figure this out. Could have been less if I would have read directions.

One Down, One to Go

The grand march of the Minot High Prom. There were lots of beautiful dresses on lots of beautiful girls. But this one was the prettiest, as far a Lacy and I were concerned!



Karlie and Tyrell.







This is a salon doo? I am sure I could have done better for free. Even her girlfriends where a little stunned at the finished product. Don't misunderstand me, it was a classy coif, but Karlie could have done that herself



Karlie and her girlfriends




Just us girls





Hmmm, a few more years for this one. But already plotting for the big event.

Frustration

I am experiencing some technical difficulties with some facet of the computing world. It seems to be with the provider because our desktop is running poorly as well. So today I will dial them up and see what they can do. Has anyone had their Ethernet crap out on them? That is my suspicion. If we unplug both Ethernet and Lyncsys and plug them back in about 10 seconds later, it will do better. Maybe we are just deep into ritual and think it works.

A Friend is a Friend, is a Friend but...

...who are you???

MapLoco is rather interesting at times. My step daughter Nicole gave me the site address from her blog. www.bugandbeau.blogspot.com I look at MapLoco now and then and wonder where all these "ferners" are coming from. Australia, Indonesia, Singapore? Those are really outlandish although I kind of like the sound of Velikie Luki, Russia. But realistically even Mustang OK or Alabama puzzle me and they are in the US.

Does anyone have an answer(s)? The only thing I can think of is someone in Singapore clicked on the the button "next blog." I have done that and landed on a blog from China.

Check out some of these locals. It keeps changing, just click on the views of MapLoco to see the new visitors.

Minot, ND, United States Fri, 13 Mar 2009 07:38:02 -0500
Chandler, AZ, United States Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:35:41 -0500
Minot, ND, United States Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:53:48 -0500
Midland, MI, United States Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:37:07 -0500
Minot, ND, United States Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:03:37 -0500
Sydney, Australia Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:55:26 -0500
Birmingham, AL, United States Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:54:51 -0500
Jakarta, Indonesia Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:54:49 -0500
Singapore, Singapore Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:54:45 -0500
Murfreesboro, TN, United States Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:54:15 -0500
Mustang, OK, United States Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:53:14 -0500
, Brazil Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:53:05 -0500
Córdoba, Argentina Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:52:01 -0500
Mariana, Brazil Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:51:36 -0500
Santiago, Chile Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:51:16 -0500
Velikie Luki, Russian Federation Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:50:52 -0500
, Thailand Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:50:15 -0500
Quito, Ecuador Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:50:10 -0500
Minot, ND, United States Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:32:22 -0500
New Baltimore, MI, United States Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:13:17 -0500
Minot, ND, United States Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:44:02 -0500
Minot, ND, United States Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:35:55 -0500
Seattle, WA, United States Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:39:37 -0500
Minot, ND, United States Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:06:48 -0500
Minot, ND, United States Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:19:23 -0500

Anyway, it makes me feel like I am a well explored blog.

Various Photos

More cruise photos with no real story to go with them. I have over 700 so I could really bore you. I have been printing out the ones I like. It is getting to be quite a pile.

Somebody Has a Birthday

Barbie is 50 today! Wow, it was just yesterday my mother brought home, after her stay at Mayo Clinic for back troubles, my first Barbie doll. I was secretly irritated as I want a Revlon doll like the girl across the street.

Little did she know what she was bringing home, long before the craze took off. Not to mention Barbie, Susan and I were a solid three some all through the 60's. I just can't believe that she has hit the big 5-0. But then I had trouble digesting it when Susan and I did a few moons ago.

CBS Sunday Morning had a blurb on the coming event. It seems Barbie had 110 different career events in her life. She should be in therapy from all that career hopping. The first doll was a mere $3.00, which could be why mom got the Barbie - the Revlons were probably $4.00. And my kids think I invented thrift!

Happy Birthday to you old girl. You have endured. Except how come you don't have sagging and wrinkles like the rest of us?

The Nikon

I have noticed on many of the bright sunshiny photos a rather irritating parenthesis around the edge of many shots. Hmmm, since that lens went from 18mm to 55mm I should have had the sun visor attachment on. Hopefully there will be another excursion in my future to use it. Live and learn.

Random Photos in St. Maarten

Wow, I just figured out how to upload pics in a much easier manner.

 

 



 
 
 



 

Out of Order

I had started the reception entry prior to the Bob Marley stuff. So the reception dropped down after the dress. It gets tiring adding pictures, so I parked it for a few days. I do not see any way to change the date to bring it into the forefront of postings.


My bugeater pal, Leland, my daughter in law's, brother in law, told me how to fix it. Thanks Leland. Soon I will hit you up on how to post a site in the blog. That is a great mystery to me. ML

Wedding Reception

After the wedding a lovely reception was held in the Lindy Hop bar. A buffet fit for a king was served to us.










Erik giving his toast to the couple.


Mom and Ron



Tasty snack



The flowers



The rings



Their cabin door was decorated; passersby would leave good wishes.



After the reception we had a family dinner at Scarlett's. This restaurant was outside of the cruise format, all inclusive. Scarlett's was ultra fine dining, which took about two hours. It was so stunning of an atmosphere I really didn't use the Nikon much. I referred to this as the rehearsal/groom's dinner, after the wedding. Go figure.

The Dress

Missy's dress fit like a glove and couldn't have been more complimentary to her lithe, slender figure.





The back was closed so gracefully with self fabric lacing. It is the seam of the drop waist and a shadow from my flash that lends itself to a dreaded pantie line look.



And she was married barefoot. How unique!