♫My New Year's Resolution....♫

...is to keep up on my blog, here it is New Year's Day and I've not touched it for over a week. My excuse was that with the cold snap we are in, our computer room is C-O-L-D and I can't type with mittens on. In winters previous, we moved the big computer into the living room when it got cold in there but the weather has been so moderate this year that I didn't think about it. I decided today was the day but then I was subjected to much wailing and gnashing of his teeth as Bruce was watching the pathetic performance by the amazing Iowa Hawkeyes in the Rose Bowl. I retreated back into the kitchen where I continued watching the Hallmark marathon. 'Signed, Sealed and Delivered' where everyone lives happily ever after.

We spent a quiet Christmas Day, just the two of us, but we each managed to surprise the other with an unexpected gift under the little trees, it's a Christmas Miracle! Mine was a much coveted MMC Championship Football sweatshirt and Bruce was so sneaky about it.

He always regretted not buying sweatshirts in 2012, their first state title and he was not going to make that mistake this time. He went to the local business right after the Eagles were victorious and asked about sweatshirts but was told that no decisions had been made yet and to check back later.

I never gave it a thought until right before Christmas when Bruce took the car to Marcus to have the oil changed, when he got home I asked if he ever got the sweatshirts ordered and he said by the time he checked back, it was too late. I was disappointed but didn't think much about it so was completely surprised when Bruce pulled a rather large package out from under the tree Christmas morning.

I always see our neighbor, Jon, wearing headphones while driving the tractor so before Thanksgiving, I quizzed him about how well they work, I was considering getting a pair for Bruce. He said he bought them at Bomgaars and they work great, good reception and they block outside noise. Black Friday is always the 20% off sale at Bomgaars so while Bruce was distracted with his own purchases, I found the headphones and squirreled them away in the car, out of sight. I hid them in the sewing room but I probably could have hid them in plain sight because Bruce isn't a snooper. Christmas Eve, I wrapped and tucked them under the little trees, not noticing the rather large package at the back, guess I'm not the only one who isn't nosy because Bruce said it was under there for a few days.

When Bruce unwrapped them, I was tickled to hear him say, "WOW! These are just like Grassy's! I was thinking of getting a pair!"

So after church on Sunday, while we were still cleaned up, I wanted some pictures of our gifts and no, that is not an angel flying out of Bruce's ear! Note to self, check the background before taking the picture.

We had hamburgers, fries and champagne for dinner, then settled in front of our respective TV's for the afternoon, I believe there was also some napping going on.

The rest of the week was spent battling snow and rats. I thought I'd won the war on rats until I found one was trying to chew his way into the chicken house through the chicken doors that I shut up tight at night. I put the game camera out in the scratch yard to see where it was coming from and caught him red-handed, crawling out through a hole under the coop right by this door.

Busted!

The movie Charlotte's Web made the rat, Templeton, so cute and cuddly, well, they aren't! They are scurvy creatures that sneak in at night and steal baby chicks and they must be eradicated! I stuffed 3 packets of rat bait down his hole, then, just to make life miserable, I took a grease gun from the farm and pumped a bunch of sticky grease on top of the bait and finished it off with a rock pounded into the hole entrance.

Further surveillance has not produced any further evidence of rats so for now I'm declaring victory.

We had two snowfalls in two days but the weatherman was wrong when he predicted the wind would blow and make blizzard conditions, thank heavens. I'm still not able to get in and out of a skid loader so that would have left Bruce all alone clean up. It was pretty and brought birds flocking to the bird feeders.

Mollie and Murphy were anxiously awaiting the new snow and one last chance to wear their Christmas finery.

I'm already falling behind in my NY resolution as it is Jan 2, Bruce is snoring in his chair while another ball game is on TV. The kitchen stove is purring away and Zoe rolled up the rug to make a pillow for her afternoon nap.

Clyde had a frightening experience, he crawled inside an empty dog food sack that was lying on the floor, then scared the daylights out of himself and barely got out with his life. He's now asleep in my chair, trying to forget the entire traumatic experience, he will now give sacks a wide berth, they aren't nearly as innocent as they appear.

The sun is shining brightly, warming the cows and horses who are out soaking it up but the chickens are not going to be tricked into stepping out into the snow so they gather on the edge of the coop and keep watch. I was checking for eggs and there was a hen sitting in the nest, I slid my hand under her and found an egg, to let her know I was grateful I said, "Thank you." Quietly she replied, "Bwak, bwak, bwak." I took that to mean, "You're welcome."

Wishing you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year from Julie, Bruce and all the two and four legged critters.