Simply XSBaggage

Mystery Mail

The other day I went out to the mailbox to pick up the day's mail. This magazine page package was in amongst our mail. It was addressed to me.

Yep, that square package made from magazines came to me all the way from Costa Rica. This is the strangest looking package I have ever received, and I don't mind saying, I was a little afraid to open it.

I mean, really, who sends packages like that other than kidnappers demanding a ransom? After contemplating a few minutes over whether or not I should open it, I got brave and cut it open.

Inside were my new business cards that I recently ordered from a new supplier. The new cards are wonderful, but I kind of want to write to the seller and say, 'What's the deal with the strange packaging?!'

Was I right to be apprehensive, or am I just a big chicken?

Ice Storm

Boy, we've had some wacky weather here in the Pacific Northwest lately. Up until about a week and a half ago, it was almost starting to feel like we were going to bypass winter and just head on into spring. Then we got hit with some snow. Not a lot of snow where we live, just enough to let us know that winter was, in fact, here. And then, in the middle of this last week, an ice storm blew in. An ice storm like I have never seen before!

It was 29 degrees and raining, so every raindrop that fell, instantly turned to ice. Encasing everything in a frozen cast.

It was beautiful. And eery. It wasn't long before we started hearing pops and bangs throughout the valley that we live in, as branches and limbs of trees succumbed to the weight.

Unfortunately, it also wasn't long before our power went out as branches and trees fell into power lines. Before long there were about 250,000 homes and businesses without electricity in the counties surrounding us. And the freezing rain continued for almost 24 hours, making it dangerous and impossible for utility crews to start fixing it.

When our power finally came on last night I was jumping for joy! Today we're back to our typical Northwest winter weather: 40 degrees and raining.

One big, long ice storm sure can make you appreciate Washington rain!

Snowpocalypse

The Pacific Northwest just experienced one of the heaviest snow storms in years. We live in a valley north of Seattle and didn't get hit quite as hard as some of the surrounding areas. We got enough snow last night to make everything outside beautiful, but not so much that we couldn't get out of our driveway.

One of my favorite things to do since moving to Orting last year, is to take our dogs on a walk along the river. It's one of their favorite things too. Right behind getting dog bones.

This is Spencer. He especially loves dog bones.

And this is Tanner. He mostly likes sleeping and the occasional dog walk. Oh, and he'll never pass up a good dog bone.

This trail is along the Carbon River and we walk the dogs here all year long.

Today we saw an eagle in the top of a tree across the river from us.

I took these photos with my phone so it's a little hard to see him, but he's that dark speck in the top of the tree. As we went back down the trail he flew over us.

The weatherman says it's supposed to start raining tomorrow so our snow will soon be gone. And that's okay with me. I'm thankful that we were able to get out and enjoy it today.