Its snowing!

Well the freezing rain has arrived

and its hard to remember that on Friday, the temp was 70f. When I first got here in 2000, I found it hard to believe that this part of Texas could get even slightly cold, let alone freezing, never even heard of freezing rain.
As usual everything around here has ground to halt. All the schools are closed and even a lot of businesses. Gordon was home early afternoon yesterday and home today. Its probably just as well as even rain tends to cause chaos as we have it so infrequently. Of course, because there are generally only one or 2 spells of this kind of weather in Central Texas each winter they just don't have the equipment or materials to clear the roads, so basically the roads are mini ice rinks for a day or 2 until the temps rise.

Apparently we might even have some snow over night which to be honest is better than ice. However, by Thursday everything should be back to normal although cool and probably all too soon we will be complaining about the heat again!

When these events happen I always imagine the shock this kind of weather must have been to the pioneers moving to Texas. There they are all nice and cosy, beautiful warm sunny days in the middle of January and sunddenly ICE everywhere, not snow but ICE. At least we have had a good amount of warning about this weather as it was predicted as early as last Monday

Here are so pics to prove it does actually get very cold in Texas.

It rained a bit yesterday (understatement)

Here is the creek which is a five minute walk from us as it is normally

and this is a few pics from yesterday













Now we are just waiting for the ice storm to come tonight to really make our weekend zinge

Happy New Year

Merry Christmas

As usual Christmas day has been great and very relaxing. Everyone opened their gifts after breakfast which was as British as we could get it. Normally we have a cooked breakfast on Boxing Day but as Emily and I are working we decided to the big breakfast today and have dinner at about 6pm. After dinner we will open our stockings and play games but alas not as late as usual with me and Emily working. At least I don't start until 11am but poor Emily begins at 7am.

Hope everyone who reads this blog on a regular basis had a great Christmas.

on the 24th day of Advent

I was working from 10am - 6.30pm and boy! it was busy. I cannot believe that so many people want to shop on Christmas Eve. If I had the choice and I wasn't working, I wouldn't be shopping right up to the last minute. They had the shop closed for 10 mins and people were still browsing for gifts! Apparently, they were even bangingon the closed doors

Anyway thats me now on Holiday until 11am on Tuesday when all the mark downs start. So I am sipping a glass of wine and looking forward the big day.

on the 23rd day of Advent

we went grocery shopping for Christmas day. Unfortunately we were not able to get brussel sprouts or parsnips, so will have to look elsewhere tomorrow. As usual we had to compromise and buy US Bacon which in the UK is considered streaky bacon and only used for adding to other meals.

In the evening as I actually had time off, we went to see the "Good Shepherd" about the creation of the CIA. It was a very good film if a tad depressing.

Amazingly the weather has changed, to being cool and wet, very Christmassy weather. No Snow though, as the wet weather came in sooner than predicted.

All I want for Christmas is a good scottish breakfast

on the 22nd Day of Advent

I started work at 5am and finished by 9.30am which was brilliant. I went straight up to Round Rock to get the last remaining gifts I needed to get and was home by 11am.

The only person up was Emily and she was waiting patiently for Elisabeth to get up as Elisabeth had promised to take her to the Store to pick up her pay check and go gift shopping with her.

Alan got up at about 11.30 and was out of the house by 12.30 with his girlfriend, trying to find the book store he couldn't find the day before. His sense of direction comes directly from his father, in that he doesn't have a sense of direction!

At 1.20 I woke up Elisabeth who was, it looked like, dead to the world. Her room stunk! Even though she doesn't smoke in the house, her clothes reeked of cigarette odour, it really is disgusting! No amount of persauding can seem to stop her from this foul habit, despite its health risk to her and people around her. Despite that, its great to have all the kids back home for a brief while, it might be the last Christmas we have together in a while if Elisabeth follows her dreams (which I hope she does).

Anyway it seems Emily had waited in vain for Elisabeth to take her to the store and have some quality time together, as she really wasn't in the mood to do it, or so it seemed to Emily. Not sure if she actually asked or just felt she couldn't ask but in the end Emily and I had an enjoyable afternoon shopping for her friends. I even managed to get something for myself, a jewellery holder

on the 21st day of Advent

I wrapped presents and put up the decorations. Yeah! now its beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

ont the 20th day of Advent

I had a busy day. I finished work at 9.45am, did a bit of shopping, using my associates discount card before returning home to relax a little.

At 12.40, I took Emily to work which took longer than normal because obviously the last minute shopping rush has started, include me in that. I then went off to do my own christmas shopping which was very successful and all done in just over 2 hours except for 2 small gifts. Tomorrow it will be food shopping.

On my return I retrieved my mail from the communal collection area (no letterboxes in this area) and saw that we had received 4 more Christmas cards in post. I love receiving post at this time of year because a number of our friends do the same as us and add a newsletter with the card. Its amazing how similar our lives are really, most of us have kids in uni, leaving uni or leaving school.

on the 19th day of Advent

I had a lazy day as I didn't have the car and I felt like being lazy. I also went to the doctor and all my bloodwork is great. Don't have to visit for another 3 months by which time I will be able to work off all the Christmas/New Year treats. Off to bed early as I was working at 5 am.

Kilmarnock town centre at night

on the 18th day of Advent

I wrapped presents, realised I have a lot of shopping to do, realised I don't have much time and my car needs to go back to be checked as its misfiring after a new drive belt was fitted last Friday. So today when I need the car, its being serviced! Oh well.

I also took these pictures as I walked around our small neighbourhood. Not many people have put up lights (including us) and I think that because we lived in a homeowners Association free neighbourhood. In our last rental, we weren't made to put up lights but the homeowners were made to feel guilty if they didn't get into the spirit of things. In our friends neighbourhood they actually get fined by HOA for not putting up lights and they have to be white, not multi-coloured.

on the 17th day of Advent

above is a picture of Oxford circus

taken at 9.41 UK time, 12/17/06

on the 16th day of Advent

I am getting seriously fed up with Sears. The reason they wanted us in early yesterday was because they decided to start the Saturday Sale on Friday (which the public wouldn't know about as the advert wouldn't be available until Saturday morning) we were 2 people short as the Lead wasn't able to get hold of them at such short notice and we finished the morning run at mid-day. We were then expected to come back in at 4pm to do the 6pm specials and all the 10% signs out. I asked if we really expected to come back at 4pm and the lead said yes. So I said that's a really short break between shifts. Someone else said they had to go all the way back to Georgetown, it was hardly worth the effort. Just after that the Lead asked all of us in the room whether we wanted to come back at 4pm or not. Jeeze what did she expect, all of us answered in the negative! So the 4pm shift was cancelled and I suspect after the xmas/new year rush, we might be out of jobs.

Anyway that's not the only reason I am seriously pissed with Sears. Emily got her schedule for the week last night. She was working until 12.30 am so I didn't see her until early afternoon when she got up as she was working today from 4pm-12.30pm. She already knew that, so expected to start Sunday late in the day. No! they had her schedule for 7am-4pm. Gordon, I and Emily were furious. That would be mean that by the time she got home, she would be lucky to get 5 hours sleep! We took her to work hoping she would be able to speak to the AS who does the schedule for the store but unfortunately, the store was so busy she couldn't.

By the time her break came around, the AS had disappeared until 9pm. So she spoke to her lead about the hours and her wish to leave earlier than 12.30. She was called to the hub at 11pm and told that she shouldn't be talking to anyone but the AS about her hours however she did allow her to leave but that was still 11.30 before I was able to pick her up.

I really think Emily should just leave but I suppose another 2 weeks is doable but I really don't want her to work there during the next semester as it is obvious that the management has no regard for school work at all!

Sears really has been a sad disappointment compared to the treatment Alan got in the summer working for Home Depot. Despite being a part-time employee, he had full benefits and was able to join the stock purchase plan. If he worked over his contracted hours he got overtime. Emily is working 41 hours this week which is well over her contracted hours and it will be all at $7 an hour. Again, no wonder, no one but the older, time served employees stay.

Anyway enough of that rant. Yesterday because both Gordon and I were working, Alan cooked us a vegetarian meal and it was very good. I must admit, I was suprised he cooked as he and Gordon had a mini meltdown on Thursay night but obviously he got up in a good mood, deciding to be creative. Of course, the fact his girl friend was over might have had something to do with it, nothing like proving to girl that you can actually cook as well as being a normal boy.

Alan last christmas

on the 14th day of Advent

Gordon and I went christmas shopping which was hard as only Emily had provided any clue of what she wanted. Anyway we managed to get the bulk of it done so I only need to couple more things for them and all of Gordon's presents.

I was hoping to do some of that tomorrow but as we were shopping, Alan called to say that a woman with a weird accent had called and asked to call her back. I knew immediately it was my lead at Sears and sure enough it was. So instead of working from 4pm-11pm (more like 12.30) I will be working from 4am- to whenever we are finished and back again at 4pm- to whenever we finished. I have come to the conclusion that management sucks badly at Sears as how can you not know until the day before that an ad is coming out! Its sucks because Gordon and I was actually planning to go out to the local Bar tonight, the first time in more than a year. Now I will be going to bed instead!

I was reading Judy Scotts blog and learnt about the floods that were affecting Scotland at the moment, particularly Milnathort, the village which is right next to Kinross. What is really shocking is the fact that they have only just finished the flood prevention work which the villagers had to fight for after the last near miss in the late 90's and a particularly bad flood 15 yrs ago.

Tomorrow I am determined to get a photo of a local garden with their lights, its really really over the top and very American

I might not have put up the Christmas Tree yet and I am still debating the wisdom of putting it up all but here is what it normally looks like by this time of year.

13th day of Advent

Today as is a now normal wednesday I started work at 4am. At about 8am I was blasted in the ear by the assistant store manager (AS) because I had dared to ask for Emily hours on today and tomorrow to be changed. So much for being a caring employer but then I never believe all that c%%% anyway.

This week is the final week of school until the New Year and as is normal over here, it is midterm exam time which is usually a large percentage of your grade, so they very important. Seemingly despite knowing this, the (AS) told all her high schoolers that tough, you can take one night off, so decide which is your most important exam. So Emily picks up her schedule and this was her timetable for the week.

She got off Tuesday as she asked.
Weds 3.30-11pm
Thurs 3.30-11pm
Fri 3.30-11.30pm
Sat 4.00-12.30am

That is more hours than I am working even with the extra hours I got on Sunday and Monday. It's ridiculous hours even for a normal part-time working person, let alone a school kid who has to be at school at 8.25 each day!

So yesterday, as I had the time I went down to change her hours to Weds finishing at 10pm and Thurs not working at all as she has an english exam on Friday at 8.30. I would have spoken to the AS but she wasn't there, so I spoke to one of the cashier's leads (who has the authority to change the schedule) who agreed with me, school is more important than work and changed Emily's hours.

The AS was furious to say the least but that's her problem, maybe if they paid competitive salaries (all the other stores around here pay at least $1.50 a hour more) they would be able to keep their staff and not rely on high schoolers in the evenings.

Anyway, I and Dad have said if she gets any grief other this decision then she is to leave immediately as at $7 an hour it just not worth it.

A picture of Edinburgh castle at 10.50 Uk timetaken with the picture feature on Camvista.com

on the 12th day of Advent

jeeze, only 12 more days left.....better get on with the shopping. Today my youngest asked when we were going to put up the christmas decorations. To honest, I cannot not be bother with all that this year.

• I dont feel that christmassy
  
• Skara will no doubt ripped them to pieces and bring the tree down as she seems to be like a demon at the moment, the terrible 2's of the cat's world I suppose.
  
• Elisabeth is bringing her puppy (no longer small and cuddly) who tears around the house like a demon and will no doubt also bring the tree down

A picture from last christmas

on the 11th day of Advent

Alan came home and apparently he has done very well with his course this semester. Understandably he is very proud of his achievement.

Emily also very proud of herself as she received a confirmation letter from the University of North Texas (UNT) that she has been accepted for the Fall semester in 2007.

Haven't heard from Elisabeth although according to Emily she is still studying hard for her finals. Only one more semester and all her hard work will come fruition when she graduates in May. Then the real adventure of her life will begin.

ont the 10th day of Advent

I was working from 2am to 2.30pm which is %$#@ to say the least. Whilst I was out, my Mum called to say she has broken her arm and had to 2 pins put in to fix it place. Why the hell didn't my Dad called when it happened? Can't imagine the pain she must have suffered as they live miles from anywhere.

Hopefully it will make them realise they need to move into a small town where there is public transport and better services,(actually Mum already knows that) however, no doubt Dad will put the blinkers on again as they can rely on their friends to get them to places. What he doesn't realise is that friends will do that sort of thing in an emergency but probably not on a day to day basis which is what you need as you get older.

Unfortunately I wont be able to talk to Mum until Tuesday probably because I am working tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow I will finish work as scheduled then I might be able to talk to her tomorrow. I can't even email because the last time I talked to her, their internet service was down and she was saying she was giving up on as it has been such a problem. Not that she would be able to get up to the office anyway.

Another photo from the hippie part of Austin at christmas as you can see they are quite inventive with their lighting

9th day of Advent

Today I actually went to weighwatchers and much to my surprise I had actually lost some weight. However I probably spoilt that by going immediately to the local mexican and had a huge plate of beef fajitas. They were very good. In a couple of hours I will be off to bed again as its 2am start time of week again.

A picture from last Christmas. It was Boxing day and the weather was glorious, in the mid 70's.