362- Gifts

My daily photo...

Wait, first--

Great Britain is experiencing its coldest winter in 2 decades. I am enjoying the most winter-like winter I've ever had in my lifetime. Gorgeous. (let's see if I'm still saying that as I stand at two bus stops, on ice, waiting for the sun to come up).
Admittedly, I'm not out in this glorious winter much, but when I am I can't get over how beautiful it is.

Today I set out in -5c, icy road conditions to do a little grocery shopping (since school goes back in session tomorrow and I thought my kids might be tired of party foods I've been feeding them for four days).
I came upon downed power lines and slid nicely to a stop before hitting them-- good thing I was going slow and it wasn't night! I took a photo before deciding my new route.

You won't see that one though, not very interesting.

The diversion took me past a lady standing by what was left of her car. She said she was going slow when she lost control and began sliding, but I could see her windshield cleaner-- there was no car left to shield me from looking at her engine. The poor woman was just trying to get to the dentist for a check up. That'll be one expensive check up.

I didn't take a picture of that either-- come on, I'm not that obtuse to take photos of an elderly lady standing in the snow while waiting for a tow truck.

I made it to the base with enough time to stand in a queue for 20 minutes at the mail window. Do you think it's unreasonable to expect more than one person in the pick-up window on the first working day following two holidays?

This was waiting for me.

That's a beautiful apron with a nice roomy pocket under it all.

Isn't he adorable?

I entered the Secret Ornament Exchange over at Valerie's It's a Wonderful Life. My partner made the Thanksgiving deadline, however, she shipped from Canada and as our APO system would have it, it meant her package traveled to the states first and then here to England. So, it wasn't here for Christmas but I'm just happy to have a nice surprise to start the New Year--and truthfully, it would've gotten lost in the chaos had it come earlier.
I love all things snowmen and I LOVE cooking with my Aga, so I think Sandy from Aging Disgracefully nailed it, don't you?
Thank you Sandy, I am thrilled to bits! Sorry our military post had you wondering where your package went.

The ornament I sent was to Euissa who had stated that she didn't care for Santas, Snowmen or anything glass. She had mentioned somewhere that she liked birds and I was lucky enough to find some adorable little birds in one of my favourite shops. It was funny when I checked her blog to see if she had received them (she's in Australia), she had posted about birds she had sewn for the person she was gifting-- they looked very similar to the ones I sent (mine were paper mache-ish).

I love these little exchanges. I wanted to host an ornament exchange, but by the time I got around to it, there were too many out there. Valentine's Day is a little too close now as well... maybe a St. Paddy's Day exchange? We could send each other cabbage.

Oh...

that's right,

I was going to show you photo 362 (which is actually the fourth--can I stop numbering yet?).


This is the wonderful view that I am fortunate enough to enjoy daily on my drive home. Today was the first time that I noticed how the bridge's arch frames the tree in the field.
THAT is why I am doing this 365 Photo challenge.

I am training myself to see again.

Today I have a challenge for you, should you chose to accept.
Open your eyes and really see something you usually just pass without thinking...
and then share...
The starving look in your children's eyes as you blog doesn't count (because I saw it here first).