Can I think of Spring yet?

Cute little owl DIL gave me: measuring cups inside

I know it's been almost a week since I've blogged... forgive me, but I'm beginning to think Texas is the "Flu Capital" of the world.  We get nightly posts on the news that the number of people who have died from the flu has gone up (19 in Dallas last I heard).  It's certainly caused those who didn't get the flu vaccine earlier to go out and get it.

And it's caused some of us (at least those of us who are retired) to avoid crowds and stick pretty close to home.  DH and I were sick right after Christmas (cough and fever -  yes, we got the vac in Oct) and were never tested for the flu... but son, grandson, and ex-DIL were tested, had it, and took that Tamaflu.  Other DIL was sick this past week, but symptoms were more like a stomach flu and seemed to end in 48 hours. 3 friends were down with 'something'...

I just wish whatever it was would go away. And this weird weather probably doesn't help... 70 degrees one day and below freezing the next. Today it's beautiful out... sun shining... DH and I took a walk around the neighborhood after lunch. Good to be out in the fresh air. We've curtailed even our 'walks inside the mall' since everywhere you go, people are coughing.

Anyway, now that I've ranted, I will say that since Christmas we have had a lot of rest time. I chalked it up to getting our strength back and healing, but enough is enough, yes?  I did crochet a bit... working on a large afghan for daughter and a smaller mat for the cats. And we did resurrect the tread mill (or at least I did)!

Our cats spend their days cuddled up by the Aga, curled up on the sofa on comfy afghans, or all together in a sunspot on our bed. You'd think it was cold inside the house (which it isn't... we keep it at 68) the way they huddle. Actually I'm always cold inside too, but I'm cold-natured and don't have a natural fur coat as they do.

Molly in her spot on the sofa

The outside cats do fine.  They either sleep under the heat lamps on the back porch at night or curl up on the many blankets in the garage. But even when the weather is cold and dreary, they play and chase each other around the yard... climb trees, etc. and don't seem to notice the cold. Guess they are a hardier breed.

Well, it's only January and we've got a bit of time before we can think of Spring... but you know what, I think I'm going to start thinking about it NOW.  We've probably lost some of our potted plants due to the weather... so we'll have to get some new cuttings. We were careful about covering them in the early days of the Arctic Blast, but as the cold continued and we weren't feeling well, we got lax, and have probably lost them now. But we'll replant...

And we really want to paint our bedroom blue... a light grey blue to match the wonderful quilt my friend made for my birthday last year.  Hopefully we will be able to get to that in the next month or so.

new quilt

We were watching Nick Stellino (Italian cook) on Public Television the other day. He was making Pork Chops with a Whiskey Apple Sauce... and then a Pineapple Upside Down cake.  Both looked very good, so we are giving it a try today.  Will let you know how it turns out. If you are interested, you can go to his site and look up the Pork Chops with Whiskey Apple Sauce under recipes.  There's even the same video to watch...