HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 And, another year of building begins!  I really thought this past year was going to be the last building year, but I am looking forward to amazing things happening this year!

Well, Bryce Woodlands has been landblasted with snow the last couple of weeks.  This picture was taken from our door camera a week or so... And, the pile of snow is just getting taller and taller.  We had a picture of "something" falling off the roof in sheets and I was worried that it was the roofing materials.. BUT, it was sheets of snow... lots of it, falling off.. I don't think we are going to be getting u to the cabin any time soon,

After receiving an amazing piece of rock for my outside shower, I felt I needed to start to look for other pieces to complete the project before spring came and I really needed them.  So, I went on the hunt, and found a gentleman in Salt Lake that had pallets of flagstone - exactly what I wanted.  So, we bought a couple of pallets to be picked up in a couple of months when we can get into the property.  If we picked them up now, they would be sitting on our lawn for a couple of months.  No Bueno.

Here's my Christmas rock again... I think it will fit in perfectly with the other rocks!

The gentleman that we found all these flagstones from was really quite interesting.  His name is John and he has been in several types of businesses over the years.  As we were walking around his lot, he noticed that I was wearing my Canadian crocs... actually, they're just white crocs with red maple leafs on the toes and he asked me if I was Canadian.  He said his wife was from Canada, from a place called St. Catherine's.  This is about an hour from where I grew up.  Her family left Canada when she was just 5 so we wouldn't know any people in common, but it was a fun conversation.  

And, I found a guy in Lehi, Utah (Jim) who was actually a rock hound - he collected more smaller pieces of rock than flagstone.  And, I want the smaller rocks to fill in the spaces between the bigger rocks.  He really had some beautiful rocks.  It was pouring rain the day we went to see his assortment.  Before we went to Lehi, he said that it was really muddy, so we needed to wear boots...  I didn't have any boots and Jim's skidoo boots are at the cabin, so we made a quick trip to Deseret Industries (D.I.)  I immediately found Jim a pair of boots and then found a pair for myself...  Did we ever look like rednecks...  it was almost embarrassing... But, when we got to Jim's place, was there ever mud and water to the point my boots were sticking in the mud.  We couldn't pick up the rocks because the gentleman is going to cut the rocks thinner so they will be easier to place on the wall... and, that will take some time.  With his place flooding, we are having to wait to pick them up.

And, I found this gem a couple of months ago.  This little hedgehog is molded with cement and tons of pebbles in him.. But, I want to put him at the bottom of the outside shower.  I think he will be a cute addition...

I was totally amused by this picture... This is my cousin's great granddaughter from Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada.  I believe she is 2 years old - starting on skates!!! I sent this picture to Brianne and Brad and asked them if this looked familiar... and, of course, they remember this same situation with Mahayla, Brea, Coy and Ben!!  It's in our blood!

Here's our Mahayla (wearing Jim's hockey jersey from way back when....) getting a little help...She is almost 12 years old now... So cute!  It must be a law or something... Daddies have to help their little girls.... I remember, Mahayla had a Barbie helmet! And, little pink skates!

...must be a law...

My son Brad sent me this picture and I think it's amazing.  This is his backyard with his winter visitors!  He knows how much I love moose... I think this would be amazing to look out the back window and just stare. We don't have mooses at our cabin - at least I haven't seen any...... seems like we have everything else, but no moose...

Wasilla, Alaska

...gettin' kinda close to the neighbours here...

And, this is our beautiful Bryce Woodlands... slammed with snow... Have I mentioned how much I hate the snow?... 

And, here's our Ice Mice from Wasilla, AK.  Our Ben is on the front row left, blue jersey, looking to the back....  They're all so freakin' cute.

We're at the hibernation stage of cabin building right now....  Every once in a while we find something interesting, but, for the most part, we're playing like bears, or skunks... I just learned that chipmunks hibernate... thank goodness... I just hope they are not hibernating in my cabin loveseat...  

Until something exciting happens - and, we have an amazing adventure to report.....

Love, Jim and Cheri

Christmas with the Streeters

 As you probably know, I love mooses (moosi?) ... I mean, I really love mooses.. I don't care if they smell bad, or are mean or are destructive - I think they are amazing.  This year, about a month before  Christmas, I received the cutest Nativity Scene ever...  Thanks to good friends who understand my obsession with mosses, and the pathway to my heart.  Thank you, Lynn... You rock!

I

The week before Christmas, Jim wasn't feeling particularly well, and spent most of his time just trying to keep anything on his stomach and staying hydrated.  On Thursday afternoon, he finally felt bad enough to agree to go to the emergency room.  His blood pressure was 83/52.  After 6 hours and 4 liters of saline solution, they still didn't really know exactly what was wrong with him, but suggested we make an appointment with his cardiologist.  We called his cardiologist and found out their office is closed for a couple of weeks, so, we wait.  I'll keep you updated.

Christmas Eve, Jim's big job is to wrap Christmas presents... The reason behind this is because there are some things I just can't accomplish with any degree of success...  making pancakes is one of them, decorating the Christmas tree is another, organizing ANYTHING is one of my biggest failures, and right in there is wrapping presents.  So, Jim sat at the kitchen island and it was a couple of hours wrapping.  I truly appreciate it.

And, I love the shirt he is wearing.... "The Slaughtered Lamb".  Do you remember in the movie back in the 70's called "American Werewolf in London"?  It was one of my favourites... The Slaughtered Lamb was a pub in the movie where all the problems started. When we were in England a couple of years ago, we found the pub and had dinner there.  I did a little research on the place, and this is what I found.... "The pub shown in the film known as the Slaughtered Lamb was actually a cottage located in Crickadarn, and the interior scenes were filmed in the Black Swan, Old Lane, Martyrs Green in Surrey."  But, when we got home, I just had to get a Slaughtered Lamb shirt for Jim and this is what he chose to wear on Christmas Eve... Giggle.  

Because we are still stocking the kitchen essentials (bowls, pots and pans etc) at the cabin, there are still some things we don't have - and a set of cutlery was one of them.  Much to Brianne's chagrin, we have been using plastic knives, forks and spoons.  Jim, bless his heart, bought me cutlery for 16... I am absolutely stoked.  Now, along with the china, we have real cutlery. Each piece has a little tree stamped into the bottom of them...  I love it!

One of the things I asked for from Santa, was a flagstone rock. Sounds weird, but I actually asked for a large rock...  I am starting to collect the rocks for the walls on the outside shower, and Jim found me a beauty. You can purchase a pallet of flagstone rock at Home Depot, but, they aren't really pretty and a lot of them are just cement.  I want actual real rocks..  I put the two dollar bill on the corner of my gift so you can see how big the rock actually is.  It was a little difficult to pick up, but I think it's going to be beautiful.  We haven't quite figured out how we are going to build the walls of the shower, ( think we're going to be watching a lot of You Tube videos) but, we're collecting the rocks none the less.

And, I got a couple of dutch ovens that I wanted...  Several years ago, Jim bought me a first edition Julia Child "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", and, I'm one of these nutcases that has it in my mind to cook every recipe in the book.  And, I needed these pots.  I am excited to start cooking! (And, yes, I collect cookbooks... lots of them..."

I am always nervous at night at the cabin... I don't know why exactly - we have lots of security lights and cameras, but being in the middle of nowhere just really makes me feel uneasy.  This year, I bought Jim a quick release holster and belt for his 9mm.  Whatever your stance on guns is, I am hoping this makes me feel a little safer.  I also bought him the pocket knife he wanted...

And, our sweet little Brea is still playing hockey and had her team and individual photos taken this past week.  She is such a happy kid, and loves playing hockey.  We are thrilled she is so engaged in it.  (Have you ever met someone where their countenance reflects their heart?  This is our Brea...  She has such a sweet and kind heart, always quick with a smile, and a kind word and that beautiful smile shines through... She's a gem and we couldn't be prouder.)

As this holiday season comes to an end, and this year ends... we wish everyone health, happiness and good fortune - sounds kind of like a Chinese fortune cookie.. We have welcomed unexpected change, and pull together as a family when needs be. Brianne and Lowell are a strong team that amazingly works together, Coy is sharp as a whip, and we welcome Chance into our fold with open arms... what a good kid!  Brad and Melody are settling well into their jobs in Alaska, and Mahayla is growing tall and more beautiful all the time. Brea is a beauty.  Ben is a little chatterbox, with quite a sense of humour. Jim and I keep moving forward anticipating big changes this year..   As for our cabin building adventure, we are hoping for another year of major progress, and safety for all who help.

Welcome to 2023!

The adventure continues... Love,

Jim and Cheri