*** Fox River !! ***

It has been very cold in Eastern Aurora (IL) this season. We had a temporary thaw about a month ago which caused some flooding in Chicagoland. Aurora was spared. Some of the Naperville residents that lived on the Dupage River had water coming into their homes because of the rapid amount of rain we received. Once again though it has turned bitterly cold. I think December and January's high temperatures have been 10 degrees above zero and lower. Many days we woke up to below zero temps. Here are a few pictures a photographer on the Internet took of the Fox River in Jan. 2008. (The Fox River flows through downtown Aurora breaking the city into Eastern Aurora and Western Aurora. Lynn and I live in East, East Aurora. We border the Naperville/Aurora bounderies.) I loved the pictures. The snow we've accumulated this year though is deeper than the pictures indicate. We drove over the Fox River on Friday and the ice is pretty thick and snow covered in many places.

-Shelly

Dust Ourselves Off!

..."We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. ..."

President Barack H. Obama
1/20/2009

Good Things

I am back on the unemployment line again. I was hoping to work with the Samaritan Counseling Center http://www.samaritancounselingnwsub.org/sam.htm for at least a few years. However, wishing and actually ‘doing it’ are two different things. During these difficult and hard times, individuals, along with families, need the professional help they will find at the Samaritan Counseling Center. For me, there are no hard feelings since I learned so much from those I worked with in just a short amount of time. Experience is my greatest teacher.

I am doing fine. I have filed for unemployment, along with nearly a quarter million other folks in the United Sates. I am back with Kelly Temps and I am registered with JobFox, Monster, LDS Employment, etc. I know things will work out for the best.

Lynn received a bit of ‘good’ news this week. His Commanding Officers wants to try and make Lynn’s position with them a “civilian” job rather than a contracting position. The procedures for a change like this may take a year or so, or not happen at all. But, I think the Army Command Center Lynn is with now has found out how valuable he is as a team member. So, to keep the position from not being renewed or even moved to another area, they want to create a position just for him.

Good things are happening to us and God continues to bless us every day.

-Shelly

It is Darn Cold Outside ...

The last few days have been cold in Chicagoland. Yesterday we woke up to a 20 below temperature, with the wind chill Aurora was 35 below. But, this morning we woke up in Aurora at 30 below, you can only imagine how much colder it felt with the wind chill. Never fear though. Lynn and I, Maxwell and CC are all doing well. We are warm and safe. Today’s high temperature (expected in the evening hours) will be 7 above. It is funny when 7 degrees is considered to be warm.

-Shelly

More Snow ...

At least someone in our family is enjoying the snowfall we're receiving. Our snow started early Friday morning, tapered off for a few hours and then resumed in the late afternoon. We have around six inches of snow on the ground in Aurora. According to the weather folks we're to continue the accumulation until this evening.

Our cat, CC, truly enjoys the snow on our deck. She jumps in it, tail flying everywhere. CC will try and grab the snow in her paws and does something like a belly flop into the deeper snow banks. Then she'll move to drier ground to warm and prep up (at least that's what I think she's doing) and then starts the fun all over again. CC is really humorous to watch. If Lynn or I throw a snowball, she'll chase after the snowball. If the snowball is on the ground she'll move the snowball all around until it's crumbled to pieces. It is fun to watch her. Our other cat, Maxwell, looks at the snow from the safety of the doorway. We do enjoy watching both of our cats antics and quirky personalities.
-Shelly

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Lynn & Shelly