January Ends in Pictures

 I know!  It is February 10, and I am just NOW posting my January pictures.  My life has been a little bit hectic lately.  At any rate, I awoke to fresh snow, which caused mild consternation, as Chuck was away and I don't know how to drive the snowplow.

 Hi, Tobi!  Want to come out and stretch your legs?

 Morning chores include stoking the wood stove...

 ...and, on Fridays, making a shopping list for the coming week.

 Tobi is so cute when she is lounging on the warm floor;

 But not so cute when she makes mischief.

 Time to get ready for work.  This is sitting on my nightstand.  I found it in Grammy's photos.  Who is this person?  Why the hell is he hand-feeding a deer?  I'll ask my mom.  She might know.

 I'll take a book with me.  I have to drive Sara to a soccer match this afternoon - I'll want something to read.

 And I'll take a sled, too.  What if it snows a lot and I can't drive to the house?  I'll need a way to haul my groceries.

 Recreation center.

 Gloomy.

 One of my colleagues at another school has a surplus of these.  She was kind enough to share.  Now we can offer them to all of our new Citizenship students.

 Better take some of this work home.

 Time to pick up Sara and take her to soccer.

 Where is she?!?  Turns out she got a ride with the mom of another player on the team, in order to spare me the trouble of taking her.  Unfortunately, she failed to inform me of this, so I left work and showed up to get her anyway.  She also forgot her phone at home, so it took me about half an hour to figure out what had happened.  Yay!  Good helping, Sara!

 Beets!  Chuck's away, so we will eat his "hate-food".

 Goody!  I was able to drive to the house after all.

 Uh-oh.  Looks like I need to fill the wood box...

 ... and shovel.

 I brought the wood as far as the porch.  The kids can bring it in this evening.

 Look at Sara!  She knows she screwed up about the soccer match.

 Breakfast for supper!  Chuck likes this, too; but he usually likes an eggy breakfast-for-supper, and the kids and I like an occasional pancake blow-out.  Banana walnut, anybody?

 Nate and Sara are not yet competent pancake-makers.  Given their ages and the ubiquitous presence of "Krusteaz" in our pantry, there is really no excuse.  Time to practice.

 Here are Sara's

 After supper, I became a little blue.The house seems a bit sad without Chuck, despite the children.  I spent some time playing with Scarlett; but I also spent some time in front of the fire, contemplating my navel.