Deja Vu

Contrary to what you may be thinking, I am not recycling pictures that I already posted about a month ago.  We here in the Pedersen house -- and in the state of Virginia -- are currently experiencing a bit of Deja Vu.  For the second time in just about a month, we were slammed with a huge snow storm (huge by Virginia standards) this past weekend.  And, just like last time, the storm came over a weekend and snowed us in!!!  By Saturday evening, we had 14 inches in our yard.  If you were to combine the snowfall amounts from the storm last March, the one in December, and this past weekend, Dave and I have seen more snow in the past 9 months than in the past 7 years combined!!!  Not since our years in Flagstaff have we had such wintry displays!

Moving inside, we are still experiencing deja vu -- and of the most severe kind!!!  The picture below is not one that I forgot to post back in December....but I wish it were an illusion.  Yes, we still have Christmas at the Pedersen house.  I cannot tell you how eager I am to move forward but I am facing some fierce opposition.  Officially, the Christmas season is not over until February 2nd but Dave has made some mention about this tree becoming a "Lent Tree" and then an "Easter Tree".  If this comes to pass, you may be having to rescue me from certain insanity!  :-)  See -- the tree is still drinking.  AND, it is actually budding new growth.  Inconceivable but there it is!

Now that I am depressed, I think we'll return to the outdoors so I am not reminded of the seasonal whirpool my house is stuck in at present.  The winter storm swept out to sea Saturday night and Sunday was a brilliant and beautiful winter day!

Notice the cleared bit of sidewalk in the picture below!  We finally acquired a snow shovel!!!  Not the easiest thing to do in Richmond with a storm approaching.  We would find out that Ace or Home Depot had snow shovels only to find that they had sold out of them within 15 minutes.  I was calling Home Depot on Friday every hour to find out if their anticipated shipment of snow shovels had arrived yet.  Dave got one of the last ones -- and I don't think a purchase has ever been so appreciated.  Compared to the garden shovel we used in December, the snow shovel was heavenly!!!

We had some play time in the snow on Sunday.  Even Rusty joined in with enthusiasm!!

Hilde adores the snow.  She really can't get enough of it.  She bounds like a rabbit, making little highways for herself in the snow and then for the rest of the week, will wisely only travel in these highways (less exertion needed).  Here she is playing fetch with the red ball.

And here is my Russell Clifford Pedersen.  What a love!  I can hear my mom, dad and sister already "ooo"ing and "awww"ing.  :-)

Like I said earlier, Rusty had quite a bit of fun in the snow this time!!!  He was chasing me through the back yard and, as seen in the picture below, decided to make the dog version of a Snow Angel!  See mom, I've passed our tradition down!

Here are brother and sister!  Rusty is laying in his Snow Angel.  Hilde looked quite interested -- and perplexed -- as the usually sedate Rusty rolled back and forth in the snow.

It is confirmed.  The Pedersens (human and furry) love snow!!!!

Bring on the next winter storm!  With our firewood, snow shovel, and Irish Whiskey (which is drunk every time we come back inside -- it helps warm the body :-) ), we're ready!!!