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Published: December 31st 2009
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Our white Christmas!!Thursday, we went back down to Columbus flea market as that is normally their busy day. I had to help push some guys car out as we were walking in as it was ice and snow everywhere. Even the stall holders were shovelling ice out around their little sites. There were heaps of people there. Josh and I bought gloves for $1 on the way in, best buy of the day. Bought some more cheap suitcases. Had lunch down there, kebabs on a bbq in the freezing weather. At night we went over to Barbara's (Christa's daughter ) where they all get together and exchange gifts for each other. At thanksgiving they each draw out someone in the families name and thats who they have to buy a present for.
Christmas day we had to get up early (for us) and drive over to Tommy's and Trisha's. As we were driving over, Gracie rang up to see where we were she was dieing to open her presents. There was great excitement as they opened present after present, they got some really cool things. Our poor deprived children had a very low key christmas, presents wise. After all the things they have
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Josh with our 'Snore-a-saurous' bought over the last six months , what did they expect. We had breakfast next and then spent most of the day making and playing with their presents. From the only in America file, Tommy turned the TV onto the Yuletide channel , where they show a nice warm fire burning on Tv all day long , so if you haven't got a fireplace you can leave the Tv on and get the sense of a fireplace on christmas!!. Both kids got a electric scooter each as well as a notebook each. They are really cool, just like a laptop but smaller. Josh , Ethan and Tommy went outside a couple of times to play football in the snow as there is still snow on the ground. A bit different from our usual New Zealand Christmas, sunny warm day!!
Boxing day, we woke up to rain for a change, amazingly all the snow just melted and went away. Big puddles everywhere, by lunchtime you would hardly even know it had been snowing and that we had had a white christmas. We drove over to Trisha's and picked up the kids. Not quite like Palmy, It takes about 3/4 hr to
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Tori in front of the house. get there and then another 1/2 hr drive to the movie theatre. Took the kids to Taco bell for lunch when Josh worked out that his site wasn't in properly as his levels were going up. Problem was he had forgot to put another site in his kit bag!! Good one, So while they all went to the movies, I drove back to get another site and then drive back to the movies. I picked them up after the movies and took them to Dicks sporting goods store. They are a great place to shop at. By the time we dropped the kids off it was dinner time so we stayed at Trisha's for tea. They bought a new 46"TV for $800 at a boxing day sale . So we spent a few hours putting it together.
Sunday we mucked around abit, then I went down and looked at some small jobs at the barn. Some of the fluros weren't going. So I went to Lowes and bought some new ones and Ross and I replaced them . They are 8ft double fluros, huge. Only $36 for a new fitting + tubes. I had to replace a broken light switch
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Beautiful sunset. and move it too. 46 cents for the light switch mechanism!! In the afternoon we went to Trenton and watched the Trenton 'Devils' Ice hockey team, who took on Pennsylvania's ' Reading' team. This was the minor league team but it was still good to watch, not many people turned up to support their team. Just like you see on TV, they slam the opposition into the wall anytime they want. They play for 3 periods of 20 min, but the funny part is they get 20min break between play to re-ice the rink. After the 2nd period we bought some plastic pucks to throw at a bulls eye they put in the middle of the rink, the closest to the bulls eye got some cash, we were no where near it, nor were most people. Reading won 4-3 in sudden death overtime.
Monday we got up early and drove over to Pennsylvania. The Blue mountain ski field is up in the Pocono mountains. Got there about 10.30am, no snow on the ground driving up there but plenty of snow on the slopes. Rented all our gear and got our lift passes, about the same prices as at home.They have
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Car stuck in the snow on sunset. got plenty of easy and intermediate slopes. There seemed to be a lot of people there but not very long lines , which was good. Stopped for lunch about 1pm, then hit the slopes again. Legs were a bit sore by then but we were having a ball. They had a snow tubing slope nextdoor, that looked pretty cool to try. We stopped about 4.30pm as it was finally getting dark, as they had the lights on by then. The slopes are open until 10pm.Stopped at Perkins restaurant for tea on the drive home. Emptied out the car when we got home.The guy from Ohio arrived at Dads today to pay up and pick up the trailer, so thats gone.
Tuesday , I left here about 8am. Took the car down and vacuumed it out and put it thru the carwash. When I drove out I stopped to put the aireal back in and slipped on the frozen water in front of the carwash and ended up flat on my back!! Thats what happens when you wash your car and its still below zero. The outside mirrors were still wet so they froze up straight away. Filled up on cheap
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Getting a coffee at the Wawa as the snow gets cleared around the place. gas one last time. $2.27/G here, set off over to Pennsylvania to Harrisburg then follow down the mountains to Evans place in Hickory, North Carolina. Had a pretty good run traffic wise down there. Stopped for lunch about 1pm. 600 miles and 9 1/2 hrs later I arrived at Evans. Took the Dodge down to Carmax after tea and sold it. Just like that its gone, took a hit on the price as we had expected but at least both are now sold and weve got the money from them to take home. We stopped on theway home and bought some new disk brakes for Bobbi's car as they were burning when we drove it down to Carmax. Pulled it into the garage as it was below freezing again tonight. Evan has got an amazing pot belly stove that really does heat up the whole house. Changed the brakes as the old ones had literally fallen apart. Took it for a test drive before heading to bed. Evans couch is pretty good to sleep on.
Wednesday, I woke up as Bobbi was going to work at 5am, got up later to go to the bank and put my cheque in
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Opening presents at Tommy and Trisha's. there. I swapped Evan for our bikes for his knee board, good swap I reckon. So I sent it to the McAseys in El Paso as they said if we didn't have any room for something that they could bring it home for us. $22 is cheap for a kneeboard I reckon. Evan and I headed for Charlotte early, Busy yakking , he drove right past the airport turnoff. When he said I cant remember coming down this far, he rang Amanda and she said we were spose to get off at exit 32. We were at exit 52!!! Good one, by the time we got to the airport it was time for me to check in. All good in the end, Had a good flight up into New York. Took a subway into Times square to meet up with Kylie and the kids. They got the train into New York from Hamilton station by Trenton, NJ. They went to the M&M shop and ESPN zone again. By the time I caught up with them they were in Central park and were Ice skating with hundreds of other people. Man it was COLD!!!! Then they had to wait while the
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Gracie's classic letter to Santa. ice making machine came out and smoothed out the ice. Then they were allowed out there again. After that we went on a horse drawn carriage ride thru Central park. There are heaps of them doing the rounds, we didn't have to wait too long luckily. We jumped on in and put the blanket over us, What a cool way to see the park. Had dinner in a nice restaurant on 7th ave just down from Times square.They have set up for the big New Years eve party tomorrow. The Tv cameras and police buses are all set up and there were people everywhere. We just got swept along the footpath with the thousands of people walking around. Caught the train back to Hamilton to find Ross waiting for us luckily.
Thursday, we woke up to snow falling again today. We thought it was cool , everyone else around here didn't. We pulled all the suitcases out again and tried to fit everything in. What a mission!! Josh and I went to go and get a haircut but they had closed up for the new year, can't blame them. I think were heading over to Trish and Tommys tonight to
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The yule time fire that burned all day. see the New Year in and watch the ball drop in Times square. Just working out now how Ross is going to get all our bags and us up to JFK airport in the morning, its spose to snow again tomorrow. So that might make it interesting.
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anonymous
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Snow
Love these snow photos...yes the one of the truck is incrediable.....looks like you all enjoyed New york in the winter..