October Snow

We were fortunate to miss the worst part of Hurricane Sandy/Superstorm Sandy/Frankenstorm but we still had a significant snowfall. I don't ever remember this much snow this early. I remember the kids trick or treating in the snow once but that's it. It started snowing and sticking before we went to bed Monday night. I checked a couple of times during the night and it was piling up and this is what we woke up to.

 

I'm guessing eight or so inches. We didn't measure it and actually I took most of these pictures through my windows.

 

 It was a heavy wet snow that stuck to the trees but luckily it fell or melted off so we didn't have any tree damage. Thank goodness no power outages either!! At least not in Pound. It went off a couple of times at 6:30 a.m. but came back on and stayed on.

 

 

Tim didn't make it to work. They were still predicting more snow so he was concerned about getting back home. He did start out to work around noon but the traffic was backed up from Jenkins Mountain and it took him an hour to get over and saw other vehicles off the road so he decided to turn around and come back home. We were right outside the area of highest snowfall prediction. Even though Pound only got about 8-10 inches depending on where you lived Wise got a foot and High Knob got two feet!

 

So, we just stayed in and stayed warm. I made cavatini and homemade rustic Italian bread for dinner.

I saw the recipe on the back of the bread flour bag. It was easy to make and really good. We'll eat it again tonight with leftovers.

Thank goodness we didn't get anymore snow last night and it even melted a tremendous amount by this morning. Yea for melting snow!! It's supposed to be up in the 60's by the weekend.

The best part of Frankenstorm...the annoying political calls stopped!! I guess they were all from the areas hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy!! Thank goodness. I hope they don't get phone service until after next Tuesday!!

Frankenstorm

Hurricane Sandy is moving her way up the eastern seaboard and due to her outer rain bands and a cold front this is what our weather forecast is:

... WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ... BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 AM EDT WEDNESDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MORRISTOWN HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 AM EDT WEDNESDAY.
* EVENT... SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 20 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE BY WEDNESDAY MORNING... MAINLY ACROSS ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2500 FEET. NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS EVENING... WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH. BLOWING SNOW WILL LOWER VISIBILITIES TO A QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES.
* TIMING... SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT... WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED TONIGHT.
* IMPACTS... THE WEIGHT FROM THIS SNOWFALL MAY DOWN SOME TREES AND POWER LINES... CAUSING POWER OUTAGES. DRIVING WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS DUE TO THE SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROADWAYS. STRONG WINDS WITH HEAVY SNOW MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED BLIZZARD CONDITIONS OVER THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS AT TIMES.

I have vegetable beef soup cooking for this evening. We just bought a new space heater. Looking forward to a cozy night in tonight. Hope the power doesn't go off but just in case we already have batteries in our flashlights and our candles gathered because our electricity randomly went off yesterday evening. It only took the repairman five minutes to fix the melted fuse on our pole after he drove an hour and half from Grundy to fix it. Last week it was in the high 70's everyday. How quickly the weather can change.

All Good Things Must End

We had such a good visit with Sarah and Dan, but it had to come to an end. I had to get home to my babies!! Thank goodness for Seth staying here while we were gone to take care of Riley and Gabby.

Sarah had to go to her office Monday morning so she was out of her house by 9:15 but we waited a little longer to leave to let the morning traffic clear out. We were out the door by ten hoping for clear roads. They were still backed up quite a bit but just a few miles down the road they cleared out and we didn't have any trouble.

Awwww, driving back to the mountains.

 

Beautiful fall colors and warm temperature. We have had some glorious October weather this year. That is why October is my favorite month.

 

As we do so many times coming down I81 we had to make a stop on Exit 101. It's a tradition now since the days when Sarah was in college and we traveled up and down I81 so much.

Ice cream at the Dairy Queen. :)

 

Since it is an election year we saw lots of political sign all the way from Wise County to NoVa. I was surprised by which signs we saw even closer to NoVa. If Virginia (which is a huge swing state this year) is any indication I predict a win by:

Should be interesting. I'm ignoring my phone this week and avoiding all television ads. The political calls are driving me crazy!! The ads too!

 

 



Eastern Market

When I went to Sarah's two years ago to wedding dress shop we went to Eastern Market in D.C. I loved it then and knew I wanted to go back. Luckily, Dan and Sarah live right next to a golf course so when Tim and Dan played Sarah and I headed to the city. We parked at the metro and rode in. It was a glorious October day. Love this view of the Capitol as we crossed from the metro toward Eastern Market.

 

On weekends there is a flea market and a good amount of outdoor vendors set up.

 

 

I had to get a picture of these metal pink flamingos because Jen bought Sarah a couple of plastic ones for her wedding shower last year. These metal ones are a huge improvement!!

 

 Something for everyone...even Tim.

 

We walked around the outside area and just browsed. I didn't see too much that really caught my eye except a $35 yellow painted night stand. I couldn't get over the cheap price. We saw several more for $100 each. If we had a vehicle it would have been worth buying but not to haul on the metro. I did pick up a couple of old cookie cutters because I liked them and mom has some like them. We grew up making cookies and now I have followed suit and bake sugar cookies. I bought them (well, actually Sarah paid for them because I didn't have any small bills...I owe you Sarah. ;)) and walked away, then I thought, "hmph, if I asked mom for her cookie cutters she would probably give them to me." I don't know why I had never thought of it.

 

 

 Then we went inside. I love the inside market. I love looking at the baked goods, pastas and even the meats. Sarah did buy two steaks for Tim and Dan's dinner. We checked the seafood but prices were a bit higher so we bought scallops at Harris Teeter later. I loved all the fresh flowers too!! How beautiful.

 

For lunch Sarah had the crab cake sandwich just like last time we went and I picked the oyster sandwich. They were on a fresh homemade bun and were delicious!! We each shared a couple of bites of each other's sandwiches.

 

Then before we left we headed to the bakery for a little sweet. We were going to share a cupcake but I spotted a cannoli which I had never eaten before. It was good but next time I think I would pick the cupcake.

We walked back to the metro as we finished off our cannoli.  We stopped by Harris Teeter to pick up a couple of things and then back home to relax.

Barn Sales

Back in the summer the Hogan's invited us to visit when Sarah and Dan were there in August. With Tim's new job the timing just wasn't ideal so we didn't go. Well, of course Sarah was all sad and played the "but when will I get to see you again?" card. ;) So, we told her we would come up to visit in the fall since she wouldn't be in until Christmas. We planned to leave Thursday morning and drive back Sunday but Tim found out a couple of days before he had three meetings Friday morning he couldn't miss. So, we changed our plans and left Friday afternoon and came back Monday. I am so glad I have learned to be more flexible and just go with the flow. We didn't end up leaving until about two thirty because his meetings ran long. No big deal though.

We had an uneventful trip and arrived in Falls Church 9ish. We watched the rest of the baseball game...yes, still watching and waiting for the Cardinals to lose!! Thank goodness they were finally eliminated so I can get on with my life now. ;) Haha. I kid...kinda. =/

Saturday morning we got up and showered and headed to Frederick, Maryland to two barn sales!! Yes...barn sales!! Sarah had seen a story in The Washington Post a few weeks ago and suggested we go because of course she knew I would love it! Instead of playing golf Tim came along with us (not to worry he played golf the next day.) After all, he is my spotter! First stop was to the Stylish Patina's barn sale. There was a lot of good stuff. We bought a small ironstone platter, a silver candle snuffer and old pair of binoculars.
 

 

 

Then on to Chartreuse & co. It had several buildings to go through, including a large barn and old farm house. It also had some great stuff. I loved all the industrial pieces and lights. We ended up buying a metronome (we thought it was a radio until we got it home) made by Seth Thomas. I was sold when I saw that it said Seth Thomas because when I was a teenager I had a dream I had a baby and named him Seth Thomas. Obviously, that is where I go Seth's name. My parent's sold that brand clock in their jewelry store at one time. We also bought a clock that I loved too. I love old clocks but hadn't ever bought one. I loved the shape and color. It was different than any I had seen before.

 

I left there happy with our purchases! The area where the barn sales were was so beautiful. It was all farmland and farms everywhere. We also drove through a couple of little communities called Buckeystown and Adamstown which were so quaint with beautiful old homes. We passed several pumpkin patches too.

 

 

 

Since we were out that way we also stopped at Lucketts which I have wanted to go to for over two years. It was a great place to browse through but we were hungry for lunch and I had spent over my self imposed spending limit so we walked through a little quicker than I normally would have.

I definitely would like to go back to all three places sometime while Sarah still lives in NoVa. We stopped in Leesburg and ate a late lunch at a little pizza place. Then Sarah drove us around the Dulles Toll Road so we could see her Deltek office in Herndon. We listened to the end of the Virginia football game as we drove back to Sarah's. Whew, wish we hadn't. Virginia is having a ROUGH year! Such is the life of a Virginia fan. At least Tech lost too. Dan didn't have anything on us. ;)

 

We went back to Sarah's and just relaxed. We cooked dinner later and of course watched the baseball game.

 

Here are my barn sale finds in place at home.

 

Next up: Eastern Market.

Fall Beauty

 

This week is probably peak season for the leaves here. It is so beautiful!!

24 Hours Later

Yesterday the Reds lost the NLDS after being up two games with three games to play at home. They were swept at home by the Giants.

 

Yesterday, I turned off the tv. I didn't want to watch baseball. Or read about baseball. I didn't want to watch the MLB channel, or read the Reds website or Redleg Nation. I thought I would just take a break for awhile.

 

It's hard to put so much mental energy into something and spend so much time watching a team to have them collapse. Unless you are a sports fan especially a baseball fan, you will not understand this. Nor do I understand other's obsessions.

 

I did end up watching some baseball yesterday though. I did read Redleg Nation and I have been around the blogophere today reading about the Reds. Just 24 hours later I have the tv on getting ready to watch the Orioles vs. Yankees and then the Nats vs. Cardinals later. I'm just sad that my Reds are out of the race and I'm sad I won't get to watch them every day. I will miss them. But I am okay.

 

Until April.....

 

 

I may just lose it though if the Cardinals keep winning. ;)

Game 3

Going to a playoff game was all I expected it would be and more. I told Seth that I would much prefer coming to a Reds game in October than a fall foliage trip. That's only partly true. ;)

 

We left Pound around 10;30 a.m. and arrived in Cincinnati with plenty of time to park and walk to Great American Ball Park. We waited in line just for a few minutes before the gates opened.

 

I think I take a picture of this bridge every time I go to Cincinnati.

 

 

We found our seats and went down to watch the San Fransisco players warm up. We happened to be where the pitchers were throwing.

 

 

Tim Lincecum

Madison Bumgarner

Matt Cain

Sergio Romo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The stage was set. It was less than a minute away from the first pitch. Then some idiot ran out onto the field. The funny thing is that I mentioned to Seth before the game about someone possibly doing that very thing.

 

 

First pitch from Homer. I was so glad we got to see Homer pitch.

 

 

It started well. It was actually a great game. Tied 1-1.

 

 

 

 

 

After the first inning I put my camera away so I could enjoy the game. When I took it out in the bottom of the ninth inning (hoping for a walk off win) I had left it on and the battery was dead. No harm though because the Giants ended up winning in the tenth inning. Boo!!

 

Homer was great. We have seen him turn every corner in his career this year. I'll just link this article about his pitching performance.

 

We left disappointed the Reds hadn't won but knowing they had two more games to try to win the series. It took us for ev er to get out of the parking lot and to the interstate (since our exit was closed and there were no detour signs...thanks a lot!) but after an hour we finally got on the road and arrived back home at 3:00 a.m. Long day but oh so worth it!!!