Happy 50th

Happy 50th Anniversary

to my wonderful parents!

What a blessing you have been to our lives!

Liz

Home Sweet Home

We are finally home!

Boy oh boy does it feel good too!

I would have to say this was one of the most challenging pipeline

trips we have made to date.

Mainly because we had the little

pipeliner for the whole trip.

I think he will be a future operator!

We started out with lots and lots of snow on the ground,

plus a few days of below zero temps!

A move from one hotel floor to another, 

and then a move to another hotel all together a few miles away.

We went from winter coats, boots and gloves;

to warmer temps with lots of melting snow

The last week of our trip was the week of mud!

Grandma knows you can't keep a little boy and

his cars out of the mud!

Lets just say it was days filled with getting our clothes

changed a few times,

and lots of baths!

But we all survived!

I wonder if little man will even remember the months

spent out of town with grandma and gramps?

When we left home the ground was covered in snow.

Upon returning everything has melted

leaving behind piles of rocks deposited by the snowplow.

The dirt from new water line that we ran late last fall has settled.

Plenty of bare spots where the sod was scraped off for the

new shed in need of grass seeding.

Plenty of spring projects for sure!

But this morning all the reminders of work were covered in

white again.

For now, I think I will just sit back, relax and watch the snow melt

while enjoying my

HOME SWEET HOME!

Liz

Still on the job

I am still on the road with the pipeliner

in Eastern Michigan.

The grandson is also still with us.

It is not always easy keeping him entertained in 

a hotel room.

We spend a lot of time building great castles.

The weekend his mommy came for a visit

we decided it was time for a haircut!

Lets just say it was quite the battle!

Not the best haircut,

but grandma still thinks he is cute!

The big excitement was changing rooms.

We moved from a chilly first floor room,

to a sun filled second floor.

I put little man in his buggy, then on the cart,

Everything got packed around him.

We made 4 or 5 trips up and down the elevator,

but we got it all moved.

He thought it was quite the adventure!

We did make a quick trip home over the past weekend.

It was nice just to sit,

look out the window and enjoy the country views.

The pipeliner says its nice to go home

and realize what you are working so hard for!

When we got back to Michigan we changed hotels.

This time I had the pipeliner to help!

The little man just takes everything in stride.

As long as he has his fire trucks 

he is happy!

I brought back my quilting supplies.

I am still working on my flower garden quilt.

I am hoping to be back home for good by the end of the month.

 It sure is hard to be gone so long this time!

One strange thing I have found in north east Michigan

that makes me really happy,

a never, ending supply of sushi!

Who would have thought?

I guess I will spend the next couple of weeks thumbing
through my gardening catalogs.
There are so many new things I want to plant!

Spring is only a couple of weeks away!
Well at least thats what the calendar says!

Stay warm friends!

Liz

A Cold Pipeline Journey

Our pipeline adventure 

has not been very adventurous!

The temperatures here have just been frigid!

We have even experienced more snow.

Little man likes collecting snowflakes.

There are so many exciting stores within walking distance,

but its just to dang cold out to walk there!

We did manage to have a night out.

The pipeliner, little man and I had dinner with 

a fellow blogger and his lovely wife.

We have been blogging friends for over 9 years

on another site.

That was so much fun!

But the remaining time has been spent

playing with little man in our hotel room.

I am so glad he is such a happy little guy!

He loves listening to his nursery rhymes.

This is my kitchen space.

The cupboards held a frying pan, a sauce pan and 

a pot just a little bit bigger.

Oh and a cookie sheet pan.

I promptly went out and bought a small crock pot!

It has taken a little imagination,

but dinners have been good.

Little mans mommy is flying in to see him for the weekend.

Happy Day

my mommys coming to stay!

We will just stay nice and cozy in our warm

little room until the weather breaks!

In the meantime I have been finding more new recipes

to try.

More fun and interesting blogs to read.

And lots of cuddle and singing time

with little man!

Stay warm!

Liz

Off on a Pipeline Adventure

Sunday morning we packed up the truck 

for the next pipelining adventure.

This little guy got to come too!

The drive wasn't to long,

just over 5 hours,

and 2 states away.

Novi, Michigan

We live 60 miles SW of Chicago

This is our happy home for the next month or so.

It is at an extended stay hotel.

Almost like a small 2 bedroom apartment.

Here is little man "helping" gramps unpack.

I think he is trying to explain to Shaggy the rules of being on the furniture!

And what a good helper he is while taking

Shaggy out to do her business.

I asked the pipeliner why they never have any pipeline jobs

where its warm?

Cause it has been frigid here!

Wind chills -25 last night!

I can see a lot of traveling in our future this coming year.

We were so lucky last year to have the pipeliner

working within 30 miles of home most of the summer.

That NEVER happens!

I am just hoping the weather warms up soon

so we can go home to get the camper.

That makes it feel more like home away from home.

I think somebody already misses her home.

But this is the motto I try to hold in my heart,

Have a great weekend

and

Liz

Our Trip

The pipeliner and I just returned from a wonderful vacation!

I had been saving for this trip since October of 2013!

Two weeks or rest and relaxation in the Florida Keys!

The weather was a little chilly,

but with views like this who cares!

(Mallory Square Key West)

We flew in to Miami then rented a car to drive down the Keys.

Our first stop was in Islamorada.

about in the middle of the Keys.

I found the perfect little resort to 

"Drop Anchor"

How is this for a view out your window everyday?

What a little piece of paradise!

This had to be one of the cleanest places I have ever stayed!

We left here after 4 days, 

then headed to our final destination,

Key West!

Again, another little piece of paradise.

We had great plans of snorkeling up and down the Keys

but sadly the weather was just to chilly and windy.

Our biggest form of entertainment was watching the

cruise ships come into and leave port.

Man oh man are those things massive!

If you ever go to Key West be prepared for these!

Roosters and hens roam the streets.

They sure made us laugh,

 all of the crowing going on night and day.

We spent a lot of time down by the docks.

There is nothing better then eating fresh oysters every single day!

It sure was hard leaving the sun and sand to come home to this!

Almost 2 feet of snow whipped around by snowstorm Linus!

We weren't home long though.

The pipeliner got sent to a job out of state.

At least I got all of our laundry done before we packed up the 

suitcases again!

Looking forward to catching up with all of my favorite blogs!

Liz

Memories of a get-away

The pipeliner decided to take some time off between

Thanksgiving and Christmas.

 

We went on a few day trips

and a couple of over nighters.

It was wonderful to spend some quality time together!

 

 

I had been wanting to visit  Galena, Il.

for quite a few years.

I don't know why we hadn't taken the time to go,

it is only a couple of hours drive away.

 

 

Galena is an historic town tucked down in a valley.

 

It is full of quaint little shops.

 

 

 

 The weather wasn't very pleasant the day we were there,
but the pipeliner and I managed to pop into
about every shop that was open.

We had early dinner reservations at this local steak house.
One of the best prime rib dinners I have ever tasted!

 

I thought these steps would have been a great way to walk off dinner.

The pipeliner decided a picture would be better!

 

Our room at the local inn was very cozy on a cold, rainy night.

 

 

There are so many bed and breakfasts, inns and hotels

in the area it was hard to choose!

 

We enjoyed the rest of our evening at the local VFW

watching the Packers on Monday night football.

 

 

 

On our drive home we decided to stop at a designated

look out point.

 

The views were amazing!

 

 

 

 

We decided to have one matted and framed.

It looks perfect hanging over our fireplace!

 

 

It makes me so happy everytime I gaze up at this special

picture.

 

Just a reminder of another special memory the pipeliner and I

have shared together!

 

Liz