Snowy January Events

OK, now that you had your share of boring posts with no pictures, I'll do a little updating with fun stuff!

Last Sunday, Hannah had her first birthday party for the year....she gets about 3!!! Every year in January, my mom's side of the family gets together to celebrate the "January Birthdays". It's for my Grandma, my mom's cousin Jen and my Grandma's sister, Norma (her birthday is actually in February) and now Hannah too! This year, we had a little party at my Grandma's retirement home. They have a little party room and it ended up being a nice gathering.

Here are a couple pictures.





This one is Hannah and Carly, my cousin Kevin's daughter that just turned 2 in December.

Then, this past weekend, we decided to take Hannah sled riding. Good idea - at first! First, the hill was really steep and neither Tony nor I have good boots, so getting to the top with a sled and a child was a huge challenge! I was only there for picture taking.


They got up there and I came about half way down to get pictures and down they went! Here's a video:



Hannah might have liked it, but got a face-full of snow at the bottom and started to cry!!




She wanted to play in the snow some more, so we tried a smaller hill and she faced backwards in Tony's lap. That was OK, but she still wasn't so into sledding. Tony made a couple more attempts at the big hill, but got frustrated that it took so much work to go up and coming down didn't end up being all that much fun. So we headed home. While Tony tried to go down the hill, Hannah made a snow angel and had fun just playing in the snow. She wanted to make a snowman, but the snow is too fluffy for that - not good packing snow at all.

Then check out this crazy hair!!! I just thought this picture was funny! I think this was from static from the chair.

Oh, and just before this conversation:

Tony: Hannah, what are you doing (in the kitchen very quietly)?

Hannah: I found something.

Tony: What did you find?

Hananh: A booger

Tony: Where did you find that?

Hannah: In my nose!!!

If you didn't already know, Tony is totally grossed out by boogers!!! But of course, this was hilarious!!!

And one more thing, mostly for Maggie, but for anyone else that wants to see my quilts! I had forgotten to take a picture of the quilt I made my Grandma for Christmas, so I took a couple quick pics when we were at her place last week:

That's about it, I guess. We're planning Hannah's birthday and still trying to figure out the car thing.

Last Jury duty update

Well, the good news is today, I was back at work - jury duty is DONE!!!


Yesterday, actually went quickly. As I said, my morning was busy, so it went by fast. I had my lunch, and then just went between emails and internet games for the rest of the afternoon. Right around 3:30, they dismissed all the "wednesday jurors" to go home for the day and to report back Friday. They asked all the "monday jurors" to stay. We stayed so that they could pass out our letters and certificates because we were dismissed for the week. Our civil duty was fulfilled!!!! YEAH!!!


So I never did get on a final jury. I experienced how a civil case is handled - at least how it starts and I saw how a criminal case begins, but didn't get that far into it. I saw all walks of society there. I realized I do not want to work downtown and have REALLY appreciated my 10 minute commute to work. Anyway, it's done so back to my normal routine, which is good - suits me well.

I didn't have a ton of stuff to come back to today at work since I was able to stay in touch for the most part this week, so that was good. I'm off on Monday, so it's a short week next week too. We don't have much planned this weekend and since it's brutally cold, I'm guessing we will be indoors most of the weekend. Tony and I need to start getting serious about the car shopping thing, so I'll do some more research online and maybe - if it warms a little - we will venture out to take a look at our options.

So much for the daily posting, I'm sure I'll get back to my regular -once-a-week updates....I'll try to do it more often, but the weeks just get so busy and I can never seem to find the time. Anyway, stay warm and I'll get a post up here with some pictures soon!!

Jury Duty, Day 4

I don't have much exciting to report on how yesterday finished up. I was never called all day and it was a long day sitting at a cubicle on the computer. I explored some new internet games which was fun! About 3:20, I started packing up my things because the day before they had dismissed around 3:30. I was sitting and waiting for the announcement and at about 3:27, they came on - to call a new jury!!! I held my breath so not to have to hear my name....whew, my name wasn't called, but I felt sorry for the 22 that were - even though most of them are probably idiots!!!!

We were all wondering what that would mean for us and as the minutes passed, we were getting nervous. I decided to open my computer back up and sign on, figuring that would trigger the dismissal call! They finally dismissed us right around 3:45 and I headed out of here and to the parking garage. The roads were pretty nasty, so I was afraid for what that would mean for my commute. It was backed up getting on the highway, but the split off of 490 was moving. I was moving at about 40 mph, which was plenty fast for the road conditions and then it came to a hault at around 150th. Traffic moved between 5-10 mph the rest of the way until after Brookpark Road, where it started picking up again. I got to Val's to get Hannah around 5:45. This 2 hour commute is for the birds! But at least I made it on time (with frozen windshield wipers)

We got home and I made dinner and gave Hannah a bath. Then we watched another episode of American Idol and I headed to bed.

Got up early again and left the house by 7:30. Roads & traffic were pretty crappy again this morning, and I got to the parking garage right around 8:30. "my spot" was taken today - how dare that person!!! but I found another spot nearby and got on the computer. I did some work stuff including an online course for work that took about the first 2 hours. As people were called, a cube opened back up, so I moved over there - it's much better to work at and a little more private. I paid some bills and then before I knew it, it was lunchtime. I went to warm up my soup and came back to eat. They've only called about 3 or 4 groups today, so far, I wasn't in any of the lineups. It's 2:30 now, and knowing I only have about an hour to an hour & 1/2 left is encouraging. I don't think it's snowing anymore today, so I'm praying the roads are better today and I get home more easily. I also wonder if I have to come tomorrow or not???

Well, I guess for now, I'll return to internet games. I haven't done that yet today, so it sounds like a good thing to do.

Oh, hold on, they're calling another group.............whew, off the hook again. More waiting!

Jury Duty, Day 3

First, I'll recap the rest of my day yesterday - BORING!!!!! I just sat in my spot in the jury assembly area on the computer playing internet games and occassionally slipping in a little work. We were dismissed at 3:30 and I headed out of here. Got to my car and zipped out of the parking lot. I had to go to the Orange Avenue Post Office to do an errand for work. I got there just before 4:00. I stood in a really long line waiting for ONE of the TWO (very slow) workers to greet me, only to be told I couldn't pay for my business reply account due to some error in their system. So I had to go down the hall to have an administrator look into it. I did this and a very nice (and even slower moving) lady came to help me. I sat there for about 10 minutes and she did her thing and told me I could now go pay the fee at the window. Gee, how nice, I got to go stand in another VERY long line and wait for one of the two very slow workers to greet me again! I have to say, I was a bit annoyed at this point! I finally got to the window, paid the fee and got back to my car about at about 4:45. I'm now truly amazed that the US Post Office gets a piece of mail to my door in a matter of a couple of days because the workers at this main post office do not move very quickly.

Oh, well, it was only 4:45 and I had to pick Hannah up by 6:00, so I was glad to know that I could get her a little early and just go home. Until I got on the highway - bumper to bumper going between 10 and 15 mph - THE WHOLE WAY!!!! I was just coming down 71 by Ford at about 5:15 or so when I started getting nervous that I wasn't going to get Hannah in time. I was afraid to have to call Tony because he's not real fun to disturb when he's sick and I didn't want to have to have him leave to go get her at the last minute, so I just hoped that I could get off the highway and zoom over to the other end of town to pick her up. I got off an exit sooner than normal and drove as fast as I could and just hoped there wasn't a cop behind me!!! I pulled into Val's drive way at about 5:58 - I was pretty aggravated at this point! I got hannah and drove home only to almost get stuck in the driveway. I then got the pleasure of snowblowing and shoveling the driveway. I wouldn't have minded so much, but I don't own winter boots and my gloves might as well be made of lace since my fingers were frozen! But it got done and I only stayed aggravated until I warmed up and got a bite to eat.

I then played with Hannah for a while - with her Barbie Diamond Castle that she LOVES (I'm so glad I broke down and got it for her). I also watched American Idol and did a little flipping back and forth to Biggest Loser.

American Idol thoughts: um, getting old, but still intrigued. Hopefully Kara reaplaces Paula, although she seemed to be on better behavior - maybe the kooky glasses helped! I did read that the results shows are only going to last 1/2 hour, so that should be better. I will still watch, but I'm not a fanatic at this point (meaning it'll be OK if I miss one or two shows).

OK, so I realize I did a lot of talking and so far, nothing about jury duty, Day 3. So here we go.......

It's getting harder to get up early. I've been pretty spoiled and don't enjoy seeing this much of the 6 o'clock hour!!! But I rolled out of bed and got ready. I left the house just after 7:30 and today, the traffic moved right along almost until I was approaching the downtown area. It wasn't a bad commute today. I got the parking garage and over to the justice center and glady found "my spot" waiting for me. It was starting to feel almost like a normal routine today. I'm now familiar with the drive, my way into the building and up to this area. It's weird to now feel like I know what I'm doing when I felt so lost just 2 days ago. Wednesday, they bring new jurors into the pool, so I would think that could lessen the chance of my name being called, but we'll see. I had no problem getting on to the internet this morning, so I checked email, did a few work things and sat here and waited. That's the worst part about this - the sitting and waiting. I think I would much prefer to get on a case and hear it out. At least there is something more interesting to help pass the time.

I was treated to a "Wednesday juror" with a very big mouth (and big butt I might add) to sit next to me and NOT SHUT UP!!! I can now tell, I'm getting a little over this experience as I'm easily annoyed. Luckily, she got called around 10:23 (not that I noticed the time) and by lunch time, hasn't yet returned. We were released to lunch (the almost 2 hour lunch) at 11:30. I went to the cafeteria to warm up my can of soup - I would highly recommend bringing your lunch to jury duty - and this other woman (one of the MANY idiots here) was waiting behind me at the microwave. I think she wanted to be nice and strike up a conversation with me, but what she didn't know was I wasn't up for small talk, especially with an IDIOT. Well, she too has been here since Monday and is sick of the snow. She also told me that she's wouldn't want to be one of these defendants......No, really, dumbass? You don't say!!! Would that be because if you were a defendant you most likely committed a crime and may face the fact that you could go to jail?? Or is it more along the lines of because if you were a defendant your destiny could fall into the hands of SOME IDIOT LIKE YOU?????

Oh, boy, I see I'm getting a little cranky!!! Day 3 has been very boring as I sit here on my computer in my cube - no calls of my name yet and I still have at least 3 hours to go before I experience the pleasurable commute home. I'm also tired of listening to stupid people's conversations.

At this point, I would say my curiosity about jury duty has been fulfilled. I see how it works, I'd have rather actually been seated on a case. I just hope at this point though, I'm not called. My luck would have it that I would get seated now and be stuck here past my 5 days. I also overheard someone talking about the fact they got seated on a capital case and would most likely be here for up to 4 weeks or longer. They had to fill out this 14 page questionarre - that would not be fun!!! Thank goodness I didn't get called in that group! The one thing I do wonder is what excactly is an attorney looking for in a juror? I wonder who they DO want seated on a case?? However, I can never know this answer and be OK with it!!!!

I'll update my afternoon in tomorrow's post. Wow, this is one good thing about being here, I actually post a blog every day. Although, no pictures tend to make them not as fun, but hopefully you got a little insight to my days here!!

Jury Duty, Day 2

Well, it was a rough start today. First of all, Tony was up getting sick all night, so I didn't sleep well. I've never heard anyone puke quite like him!! I wouldn't be surprised if he woke the entire neighborhood. Honey, I'm very sorry you didn't feel well - I really am, but I wish you could have felt awful a little more quietly! Seriously, I am sorry you got sick and I hope you feel better soon - and not just so I don't have to hear it again, but because that really sucks!

So anyway, I had to get up earlier than normal again today, although, I didn't have to be downtown until 8:30 this morning. I got the added bonus of having jury duty in lovely Cleveland in January - more snow and colder temps. I got ready and headed out the door by 7:30 (makes me very thankful for my normal 10 minute commute to work on city streets) and dealt with traffic and bad road conditions. It wasn't that good, but really, not horrible either and I got to the parking garage by around 8:15. By the way, yesterday, my car was one of the few that was not double parked, so I was able to get out relatively quickly when we were dismissed at 3:30. And also, by the way, I spent the entire rest of the afternoon sitting and waiting around yesterday. I was never called again for another case and passed the time finding games to play on my very treasured laptop.


OK, back to today - So I got parked and walked over to the Justice Center and came to the jury assembly room. "My spot" at a cube where I sat yesterday was open, but to my dismay, I wasn't able to get an internet connection. Most people around me were having trouble - I only heard of one guy that got on. So I had to find something to do to pass the morning that wasn't work related. I balanced my checkbooks and then played a few games that I brought on CD's - poker and tetris. Then at about 10:30, my name was called again. So off I went. This time with about 24 others and we went to the 23rd floor (the top floor) and were going to be seated for a criminal case. This time, we all just went into a jury holding room. It's like a large conference room with a long table and chairs all around. There were restrooms and the baliff made coffee - gee, how nice of her! So there the 25 or so of us sat - and sat, and sat. We all had to listen to the loud mouth lady who was juror #1 on my case yesterday that the judge excused because she said she couldn't be on a jury because of her religious believes that there is only one judge and it's not her or anyone else in the court systems. Yesterday, when the judge explained to her that the case was not a criminal case, she said, "but the ones involved knows who is guilty and who isn't, so if they're here in court, they'll have to wait to be judged in the end"..........OK, now I believe in the same God, but really, I also believe in (and am grateful to have) our country's court system. This lady didn't shut up for about the first hour sitting in this room today. I thought I might have to shut her up, but she finally simmered down a bit. As we waited, a man came out of the mens room and reported that the toilet wasn't working in there. A few ladies tried the ladies room, and commented that the water didn't look right. The baliff came in around 11:30 and told us to go back to the jury assembly area to wait since the water situation seemed like a problem. We were not dismissed, but just had to wait there instead. So, here's the difference between a civil and criminal case: The civil case you go right in to the court room to start the questioning and begin hearing about the case. A criminal case, you wait in this jury room while they attempt to iron out the plea deal. I finally got my internet connection when I came back to the jury assembly area - YEAH!!! Checked email and a few other things. Around noon, they came back on the speaker to announce that our case had met a plea deal, so we were dismissed off the case and were able to go to lunch. All other jurors not on a case were dismissed for lunch at 11:30 (and had until 1:15 - who gets a hour and 45 minute lunch??? I'm in the wrong business!!!)
Today, I brought my own lunch so not to have to pay for overpriced crappy food. It's bad enough that I have to pay $8 a day for parking and drive here every day. So you give your time AND your money for this public service. Oh, yeah, I forgot - in 2-3 weeks, I'll get my $25 per day to make up for it.
So here I sit again, waiting for my name to be called again - or for 3:30 when I can go for the day!!!! Wonder which will come first? For now, I'll just go back to playing internet games!! Please, oh, please don't let me lose my wireless connection!!!!