It's as bad as it looks.  For those who read my little ditty here, Loyle Lanes was pretty much destroyed in the week hours of the morning, in Vineland, NJ.  Fortunately, no one was in the building when the fire started. 

My family & friends spent countless hours there while my kids were growing up.  The owners, Mike & Chuck Loyle, often open their alley to disabled and other needy groups for free bowling sessions.  We enjoyed Midnight Bowling as well as bowling in the leagues.  Loyle was always a relatively inexpensive family outing.

Loyle Lanes is one of the few remaining family-focused successful businesses nearby.  The parking lot is packed night after night.  It's such a tragedy to see decent people lose their business like that.  There is no information at this point about the cause of the fire, nor have the owners made a statement about whether or not the alley will be rebuilt.  Right now everyone is in shock.

Please send up a prayer for the Loyle family.  And also, remember to thank God that no one was hurt in this fire.  The firefighters did a great job.

Well, I ended up working 65 hours each week the last two weeks.  130 hours total.  I will be able to pay off my credit card debt! Yay!

Happy New Year & Happy New Decade to everyone.  I watched the fireworks after my 16 hours working on New Year's Eve, then went to bed.  I did a double the next day, and finally--off this weekend.  It turned out that I ended up getting up early because my legs were cramping.  I dozed on the couch in early afternoon & now it's nearly 11 pm & I can't sleep.  Funny.

It's bitter cold & very windy but somehow it seems so peaceful.  Something about being nice & warm inside & not having to go anywhere made this a really nice day off.  Tomorrow I have about a ton and a half of ironing to do, but hey--it's nice to be home.

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas vacation.  Emily & Bill came to our house on the 29th on their way to Atlantic City.  It was their second wedding anniversary & I felt bad that I forgot about it.  I didn't remember much the past two weeks.  I'm so thankful that they were able to finally enjoy their first holiday season in their new house.  Jason finished his semester in college with an A in math and an B in English.  Good job, Jay!

My iPod died and Harry surprised me with a new one.  The click wheel is easier to navigate & the cover flow is so cool.  The display is a higher quality so my photos and videos look really nice.  Harry is so good to me.

Our dog (Peaches) continues her slide into old age.  She is blind as a bat, her hearing seems to be going away, and she is coughing so much more than she used to.  She is missing the rigid rings in her trachea & she tended to have occasional coughing jags-- now they are pretty frequent.  The cold weather isn't really agreeing with her, but she loves the snow.  I have to drag her inside--it's really not safe for her to be romping around in the cold.

And so 2010 has begun.  I love the look of 2010 so much better than 2009.  I pray that our leaders come to their senses and stop spending money we don't have, and that our battles for the protection of innocent unborn life see success.  I really fear for the future of our nation due to the runaway spending which is taking place.  Even as I pay off my own debt, my country goes deeper into the hole.  May God grant some sanity to those who hold the purse strings.

Thanks to all of our military, our police, and our firefighters, who are putting their lives on the line for our safety and security.  May our Lord keep you all safe in 2010, and may we see peace on Earth.

I finished my 65 hour work week on Saturday.  This week I actually have a day off--TODAY!--and this week will "only" be 56 hours.  Then I am done with overtime, at least for now.  I'll never sign up for shifts like this again.  Never.  I got played.

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas.  Mine will be today, when Emily & Bill arrive later.  Yay!

Harry & Jason are outside working on getting me enough dug out space to make it into my street, which was not plowed at all for two days.  If I had been on day shift, I would have missed work today, too.  The snow is higher than my tires, so unless I can get to the tracks of the vehicles who have been going up & down my street already, I can't get anywhere.  It's unbelievable what snow can do!

I remember enjoying large blizzards when I was a kid.  Even when my own two were little it was nice to be inside & watch the beauty of the snow unfold.  Then my life changed & now I am the one who has to brave the roads to get to work.  As a nurse, I can't stay home.

Except for this one!  It's so exciting that this is my weekend off and I can stay put while the snow piles on.  I wish we didn't have a major storm.  I feel badly for those who have no choice but to work in spite of the snow.  But I am so thankful to God that He planned this one on my off time.  I suppose He peeked at next week's nightmare schedule & felt sorry for me.

The thing about snow that I do like is the quiet.  It's amazing to me how the snow muffles the ordinary sounds of life.  A blizzard like this is a big Sssshhhhhh from God.

For those who have to be out and about in this storm, I will send up a little prayer for you.  May St Christopher be your patron as you navigate the roads.  If you get stuck at your job, I know how you feel.  I've had to spend the night at work due to significant snows & I know how frustrating it is not to be able to make it back to home & hearth.

For those of us who get to stay home, let the quiet permeate your soul, and listen for the coming of our Lord.  His birthday is just around the corner.  Thanks be to God who gave us this season during the time when it is cold & dark.  It makes the coming of Jesus so much more joyous.  God bless you all.