Whew.... no snow here, that's a good thing.

We managed to get less than a dusting. I think they had sparse 'wintery precip' as the weather man said, to the North and South of the Dallas area. It's still sleeting a bit to the East of us this morning as the front moves on. The wind it still very gusty so the temps are bitter out there. No recess! :)

This will teach me, I can't believe I piddled around all summer and didn't knit a couple of warm sweaters. What was I thinking? I must have been in denial that it would get cold.... it gets cold every winter, not Minnesota cold but, cold enough for a sweater or two. I was looking in the closet last night and I think I only have 3 of my sweaters left. I wonder what I've done with them? Nita was here about a year ago and she counted something like 20 or so... She lives in Houston.... what would she need with sweaters? I know I gave her a shaw and one sweater that she gave back... oh well I need to get busy with that. I think maybe I'm heavy on summer sweaters.... cotton tank tops.

I had neglected to post on how Jody is doing with his radiation. Yesterday marked 5 days, he was relieved to have the weekend off. He seems to be doing pretty well. He gets tired and a bit chilled at the oddest times. He'll be in mid statement and have the biggest yawn, like he's boring himself with his conversation. This is so surprising to him and to me... makes me laugh. Try it... I bet the urge to yawn doesn't come over you at anytime during a conversation. It's got to be the radiation.

He's keeping himself busy building another strummer. This will be the 4th, and looks to be the prettiest of them all. If you didn't already know, Jody is possibly the only person in the world who builds strummers. He is definitely the only person who has built 4. The strummers are used to help speed up the the amount of time it takes for an acoustical guitar or mandolin to "come into" it's sound. Mandolins and acoustical guitars will sound better the more they are played. This is why old guitars are so expensive when you go to buy one. That is if it's really been played by someone. This is also why older musicians like Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash play or played the same guitar for years.

It's an amazing and proven process. His strummer #3 is currently loaned out to his mandolin instructor. Not many people want this 3ft x 3ft, 7 ft high wood monstrosity in their house, constantly strumming a guitar or mandlin 24 hours a day, day in and day out. Just imagine if you drug a pick across a guitar back and forth over and over and over all day long. No cords.... just the brinnnng, brinnnng, brinnnng. Some people actually call and want to borrow this thing! I'm hoping he's renting it out. No we don't want to take in strumming for other people. I don't want us to be responsible for their expensive instruments! Jody's instructor has a mandolin worth $22,000! We have kids.....

I'm glad Jody has something to keep him busy, even if it means we'll soon be hearing the lovely strumming of something soon. Jolea said last night when her fears were confirmed as it started taking shape.... "I'm glad I'm outta here on Saturday."

In case you don't keep up with her blog.... she's leaving for Ft. Lauderdale this Saturday. She's been told by several crew agencies that she will up the odds of getting back on a boat if she's there in person. Her experience, references and contacts are all excellent, the only hang up is.... they want you to be there to talk to you in person. Maybe this is their way of cutting back, they forgo the flight to and from the boat. We'll see, she's got a place to stay and she's not afraid to bar tend if need be until she gets on a boat. She may even free-lance for awhile and just do charters.

We'll miss her.... I'll have to start emptying the dishwasher (grrrrrrr)......