Oh Happy Day!!

Even though I had to work today (Teacher's Record Day) no kids were at school(not many teacher's either as they can do their records from their home computers if they choose) so we got to watch the Inauguration and festivities that followed while we caught up on paperwork. What an exciting day.


So many people on the mall, just incredible. The weather was incredibly cold yet so many people turned out. What an exciting day for our country. I can finally take down my Countdown of Bush's Days Left in Office. Adios Jorge!! I have so much hope that better days are ahead, even if they are a ways down the road. There is so much wrong that needs fixing, it's going to take time but at least now it can begin.

In other happy news, the sun shined all day today.

It was cold, only in the 20's, but when the sun is out it seems so much warmer. Apparently we have had some kind of thawing because I spotted this icicle today in the back yard.

And this is a sight I've never seen in my house before; icicles on the windows. I've seen pictures of these before but never the real thing. Aren't they pretty? Like feathers!



Today this little scrub was at my bird feeder.

I call him Stumpy. A couple months ago I saw this squirrel on this same feeder. He sat up there all afternoon. Into the evening he was still sitting up there. I went out before dark and tried to shoo him away by shouting at him and throwing snowballs at him but still, he wouldn't budge. I would have taken the broom to him but I thought he might be sick or something and I didn't want him to go crazy and chase me or something. I figured he was bound to get down sooner, rather than later. The next morning the crazy critter was still up there! When I returned from work I found the bird feeder with a hunk of hair attached to it on a table in the garage. When I went inside to ask Scott what had happened he said when he got up that morning he could see from inside the house that the squirrels tail was somehow stuck in the metal holder that the bird feeder was hanging from. After he discovered this he went across the street to ask our neighbor if he could help him get the squirrel down. This guy is an official "critter catcher" for a living so he had all the right equipment. Scott said he had to unscrew my holder from the wall and then detach the squirrel and he scampered off into the woods. You can see, while he survived, he's very distinct now and the only squirrel in the neighborhood, maybe in the State of Michigan, who has no tail. Hence the nickname, Stumpy!

Wow, I'm watching the Inaugural Parade right now and President Obama looks so genuinely happy. With what he has waiting for him, things he knows and things he doesn't, it will probably be the last time we see him this happy. It will be time to get down to business, time to turn things around, put an end to things that have gone on far too long, bring back hope and respect to this great land we live in.