So, work has been crazy for my husband, it seems even when he is not at work, he is stressing about it, and then the phone rings. This past weekend, we did nothing really, I was trying to get him to relax. Well, yesterday, he had a huge meeting with all his supervisors and the big boss, and I could tell it did not go well.

He came home from work after 12 hours around 9pm, and looked exhausted, and defeated, he would not talk to me about it, one of his supervisors came to me and asked if he was ok.. I of course, called him immediately to find out how he was, today will be only a 10 hour day for him, easy right?

I have not been happy in my job for quite awhile, but willing to stay and make it work since he loves where we live and I admit it is fun, knowing your neighbors, walking to town and being part of the community, but I am so worried about the husband!! Sometimes it is so hard working together when I want him to stay to keep the load off of me, but the other part wants him happy! I told him, if he wants for us to look for other positions or other places to let me know, his response was I love this town. I understand that, but we are in the middle of nowhere, so there is no other work in this town.

I am so confused about what we should do, for me, I want my career to move forward, I have been stuck as a CSM for so long and want a director job and wouldn't feel right leaving for the same position I am in right now, because I would be in the same boat and struggling.. We have moved so much since we got married, this is the first time, we are working on 2 years, today it is 2 years since we moved and I started my job here.

For me the importance is my husand's well being, physical and mental, so if I have to move again I will, he just is trying to stick it out, and I feel guilty he originally took this job to make my job easier and it is so hard to watch things unfold here, this place is unique and harder than any other place I have ever worked. These are just my thoughts..

"Groundhog Day" 2011, or Storm 2.2.11, maybe play a lotto number in there. Anyway, this first image is from the front door of the Inn out toward the Lake and the Gazebo, 2nd is where do we put the snow? The 3rd is looking out toward the street. Snow, keeps coming and according to the weather, we are suppose to end up with about 14'-20' inches an another storm on Saturday is coming our way.

Seriously, where are we going to put the snow? This morning on the news I saw that the Groundhog in PA did not see his shadow which means we are to have an early spring, seriously has Punxsutawney Phil been drinking or something? How old is he anyway? From up here in NH spring can not come fast enough!!

Our car most likely will not be dug out until the weekend, luckily we went grocery shopping on Monday, and we live in Town and can walk anywhere we might need to go, walking to work this morning was not so easy, glad I was not driving, could not see anything, compeletely white and wet.

An "old" boyfriend about 15 years, loves that his birthday is on "Groundhog" Day never understood that, but wish him the best anyway..

I hope everyone is staying, safe and dry wherever you are spending this snowy day!!

This is the hubby! This is going to be sappy, so if you don't want to see it or read it ignore this post...Lately, work has been "crazy" ! Work has been taking over our lives lately, and unless you have ever been in the restaurant business you would have no idea... People not in the business think we are "selfish" for how we cherish our 2 days off together.
As he is sleeping, I love to watch that, and I love him more everyday. We both love being in the restaurant business, and realize that we give up a lot of ourselves for it, but we would not have it any other way.. I do worry about him, and make sure on our time together, we do what is beneficial to his/ my mind, body and soul. Right now, what is happening in our business affects him more, so I am the one taking care of him, last summer it was him taking care of me, it is a two way street, we work always as a team.. Sometimes, just getting out of town is the ticket, so yes it might cost a bit but to both of us it is worth it..

We have dreams of owning our own restaurant, and in order for that to happen we have to staff healthy, in mind and soul.. So it may not be cool, but after being together 7. 5 years and married 6 years, I still an very deeply and wholeheartly in love with my husband!!

My heart goes out to my boss Lucy Van Cleve and her family today. Her niece Molly was hit and killed by a car last night in Texas, she was only 20 years old, I met her the summer of 2009, sweet nice fun girl and my heart hurts but right now my thoughts and prayers are with Lucy and her family.

She is on her way to Texas, and I feel like I am lost, I wish I could help her, I remember my pain when Thomas died and I was in North Carolina way to far to feel I could be comforted. At these times she needs her family and they need her.

It was and tragic accident, she ran out of gas and was walking down the street in dark clothes to get gas and a father and daughter coming on to the highway hit her. My heart goes out to all involved it was just a tragic accident.

So, I wish everyone's family and loved ones is safe tonight, and please say prayer for Molly and the family.

This is Congresswoman Michele Bachmann from MN she is a "Tea Party" Candidate. The reason I bring it up, is the idiot from MSNBC Chris Matthews was on a "tear" the other day against her, calling her "Psycho". I think his man-crush on Obama is under scrunity, so he is lashing out at people he think aren't worthy. Or is it because she is an attractive conservative woman with a brain? Does Mr. Matthews have a problem with smart attractive women? I believe so, look at his track record. just a thought..

Below and Insert from this interview on MSNBC:

I think the American people are the ones that finally are speaking tonight," she said as Matthews' co-hosts Keith Olbermann and Eugene Robinson chuckled.

Following the interview, Matthews explained his line of questioning. "The important question is that Michele Bachmann has become a very successful sort of troubadour for the tea party by going around and making these extreme statements. On our program she said she thought her colleagues right across the aisles should be investigated McCarthy-style for anti-American attitudes. That was a strong statement. She either means it or she doesn't. Or she's irresponsible," Matthews said.

HEY Chris, look what happened to your buddy Keith Olbermann...

This was the beginning of the summer season, our first boat ride with Blake & Stephen, My stephen shown here next to Blake, we were so happy after last winter, light spring to be on the Lake again..

Today after watching the snow fall, and know we have a long way to go, made me remember how much fun summer can be here on the Lake, yes alot of work, but it really is worth it..

Winter on Lake Winnipesaukee, in Alton Bay, it becomes a Airport, you have Ice Fishing, we have events, fun, and interesting people up here in New Hampshire year round.

I thought these pictures were cool, and shows anyone who does not live up here year round,yes it may be cold, and snowy, but it can be so much more!

Lake Winnipesaukee year round is a playground. This is our 3rd winter up here, and we still find things to do that would amaze me years ago. Snow Tubing (because my knees can not handle downhill), Snowshoeing, going on the Ice just to hang out..

Besides that is snowing yet again. I know I live in NH I should get used to it, it is the rain and sleet and ice that is all over everything.

I always worry about it hanging down and hitting someone, and hurting someone badly.

It is pretty though.

I saw this on the Street in Boston, MA. My husband is what are you doing? I said, you see a giant Inflatable Mouse in the street you take a picture. They were protesting a restaurant, didn't get the name.

This morning, I got up at 5am, realized that Rotary was cancelled, went back to bed until 7:15am, got up bundled up and slushed down the hill to work. Good thing about living close if the car is not dug out oh well, on the bad side, you live close so you have to go to work, no excuse for not getting to work.

As you can see this person in downtown Portsmouth made sure she got to wherever she was going.

We are having a fundraiser here at the Inn tonight and people are still coming they are not cancelling, then again when you live in New Hampshire/New England you should be used to all this weather by now..

I had at least (4) Phone calls today asking about our Boat for the summer, seriously did you look at the snow that is beating down on us and think of the summer? Good for them...

Stop Westboro!! Fox news:

Arizona residents are locking arms to stop the Westboro Baptist Church from disrupting the funerals for victims of Saturday's shooting in Tucson, with bikers and others organizing a massive counter-protest and state lawmakers fast-tracking a bill to hamstring the group.
The Kansas-based Westboro church is notorious for showing up at the funerals of dead soldiers and other high-profile gatherings wielding anti-gay signs.

But when the church announced it would picket the funeral Thursday for the 9-year-old girl fatally shot over the weekend at a Tucson grocery store by a gunman who allegedly killed five others and injured 14 others attending a town-hall session by Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Tucson- and Phoenix-area residents started organizing immediately.

They may not be able to stop them, but they plan on giving the grieving family as much of a buffer as possible between the protesters and the service. "It makes me sick to my stomach," said Glen Littell, who's bringing a pack of bikers from the Phoenix Motorcycle Rider Group to Tucson on Thursday. "They're a stench from a slaughterhouse. We're just going to block the stench so the family can catch their breath."

Arizona state lawmakers are also scrambling -- to pass a bill that would order protesters to stay 300 feet away from the funeral. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, the lead sponsor on the bill, said in an e-mail to colleagues that the plan is to suspend the rules Tuesday and fast-track the bill to protect the victims' families from the "hateful protest" from the Westboro Baptist Church.
She said she has the support of the Senate president and Gov. Jan Brewer, and the bill will go into effect "immediately" once it's signed.

"It's gonna happen," Sinema said. The senator said she was "real upset" after learning that the Westboro church planned on protesting but had a visceral reaction after reading their press release and sprung into action. "It is the most disgusting thing I ever read in my entire life," she told FoxNews.com. "I literally threw up after I read it. … I'm like, 'I'm gonna fix this.'"
Littell said his riders are not looking for any violent confrontations. But he told FoxNews.com that Arizona bikers are going to do "whatever we have to do" to cordon off the family from the protests. A group called the Patriot Guard Riders often does this when the Westboro church pickets military funerals, but Littell said that group is not traveling to Tucson, so "we're stepping in."

"Our sole purpose will be to allow that family some dignity and respect … without having to worry about the a--holes," he said.
It's not clear whether the Westboro church intends to picket the funerals of all the victims of Saturday's attack. One press release from the group declared, "Thank God for the shooter," and said the group would picket the "funerals." Another release announced plans only for the protest on Thursday.
"God sent the shooter to deal with idolatrous America," the group said in a statement.
The Westboro church, led by Fred Phelps, believes that tragic events like the deaths of soldiers are punishment for tolerance of homosexuality.
The Supreme Court last fall heard arguments in a case brought against Phelps by the father of a soldier killed in Iraq whose funeral was protested by the group in 2006. The father, Albert Snyder, had won a multimillion-dollar verdict against the church, claiming invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The court is expected to issue a ruling soon on whether free speech can be curbed at specific locations and events.

Sinema said the bill she was introducing is modeled on an Ohio law that has withstood court challenge. It would technically apply to protesters at any Arizona funeral, though Sinema was clear that it's directed at Westboro.
She said she hopes the protesters and counter-protesters avoid any violence at the service. Meanwhile, several grassroots groups have popped up on Facebook calling on Tucson residents to intervene.

"We will create a wall of humanity to allow the families who've lost their love ones to hold their funerals in peace, held with dignity, and surrounded in love," one of the Facebook groups says in a statement.
Another calls for a "peaceful protest" of the church at the funeral Thursday for 9-year-old Christina Green.
Littell has notified the Pima County Sheriff's Department and has reached out to several other biker groups notifying them of their planned presence at Green's funeral. He crossed his fingers that the Hells Angels would join them.

"Nothing says stand back and be silent like a Hells Angels presence," he said.
Littell added that if the church moves on to picket other funerals, his riders will follow.
"We're getting word there's gonna be a pretty large presence of bikers," he said. "Word's spreading. And spreading quickly."

I am so upset, how can it be? Seahorse has always been part of the summer fun, after the concerts at the beach, just to relax and have some good food and conversation...

FROM THE NEW LONDON DAY:
Seahorse owes more than $900,000, must be handed over to creditor next week
Groton - Weighed down by more than $900,000 in debt, the longstanding Seahorse Restaurant in Noank is being forced to close.
Filings in New London Superior Court indicate the restaurant, a local favorite for more than half a century, must be handed over to its main creditor by Jan. 10.
"It was a colorful place for locals," said Betty Helbig, who works at nearby Noank Village Boatyard. "The locals used to come all year round. It's very sad."
The creditor, CIT Small Business Lending Corp. of Livingston, N.J., filed a foreclosure notice against the restaurant's ownership organization, Seahorse Inc., restaurant owner and chef Robert J. Sader of Westbrook and the building's owner, Sader Realty LLC, last May.
Judge James J. Devine finalized the foreclosure in November, at which time a report stated the restaurant on nearly a half-acre off Marsh Road owed its mortgage holder more than $877,000. The debt doesn't include unpaid real estate taxes of more than $26,000 and other fees totaling nearly $5,000, according to court papers.
"It's been an institution for a long time," said Matthew Fay, owner of Noank's Universal Food Store, who said word about the closing was circulating around town.
Neither Sader, former head chef of Bravo Bravo, nor his New London attorney, Gordon Videll, returned calls seeking comment. Calls to the restaurant elicited no response, and an attorney for the creditor, Paul A. De Genaro of Stamford, also did not return a message.
But court records indicate this wasn't Sader's first brush with credit problems. In March 2010, Unifund Corp. sued Sader for more than $15,000 in credit-card debt, and in 2007 SNET Information Services claimed he owed more than $1,600 for ads placed in the AT&T Yellow Pages, according to court filings.
Harry Boardsen, a longtime Noank resident and owner of Livery Limited of Pawcatuck, said the restaurant, which started in 1947 as little more than a hotdog stand next to Spicer's Marina off West Cove, had been a staple of village life for many years.
"The Seahorse was to Noank and Groton and Mystic what Hughie's (restaurant) was to New London," said Boardsen, referring to a city hangout made popular by restaurateur Hughie Devlin before being closed down a decade ago by the Fort Trumbull development project.
"It was a nice, small, cozy place," he added. "It was the place to go."
But Boardsen said the Seahorse's food and service had fallen off dramatically in recent months, and many customers, himself included, had started to frequent The Fisherman restaurant at the entrance to Groton Long Point.
John F. Williams, owner of The Fisherman who learned the restaurant business as a bus boy and server for the Seahorse, said the demise of a local institution indicates the struggles local operators are having in today's economy and the need for customers to support homegrown businesses.
"A lot of business owners are under the gun," he said. "It's a sad thing to see a local landmark like that disappear."
Sader bought the Seahorse from John Hewes, current operator of the Mystic Boathouse, for $500,000 in December 2003, according to court documents. An appraisal of the property says it is worth $402,000 today.
Hewes had run the 3,600-square-foot restaurant and bar for 22 years. Before him, Charles Doughty and Bruce Wakefield had operated the Seahorse for more than two decades.
The Seahorse's appraisal, by Stephen P. Smith of Morrow Morgan Smith Inc. of Farmington, said the restaurant, viewed during a typical lunchtime during the boating season, "indicated a low level of business activity." It added that "the vicinity lacks commercial drawing power outside the neighboring land uses."
Sader had brought a restaurant pedigree - trained at Johnson & Wales University in Providence and previously with the Copper Beech Inn in Ivoryton and Restaurant du Village in Chester, where he served as executive chef - but Boardsen said his attention to customers was lacking.
"In this environment, only the strong are going to survive," he said.
Tricia Cunningham, president of the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce, said the demise of the Seahorse is sad news, but she expected someone else would take over the space by the spring or summer.
"That's a prime space," she said. "I don't think it's going to stay empty for long."
l.howard@theday.com

Happy New Years Day, this morning was a bit foggy, but it has cleared up and suppose to get up to 50' today, what a beautiful way to bring in 2011, not with a storm.

Last night, I watched the midnight fireworks, kissed the husband who got home at 11:57pm, and then went to bed, to be back at work by 8am.

I have a few pet peeves, but (1) is DO NOT CALL OUT SICK ON NEW YEARS DAY, especially when you live in a small town and everyone knows you were out partying last night..

When I was a banquet server, I remember going to a big party and staying out to 3am and having to be in work at 10am to do a wedding, it ended up being a 12 hour day, well 3 people who were at the party with me called out, so not only was it a long day, hung over and short staffed, one of the people was my boyfriend at the time. I remember thinking if you did it to yourself you must suffer, because you knew you had to work and be responsible the next day..

Holidays are really busy at hotels and restaurants so for you to call out, hurts not only the customers, the business and your fellow employees. Why do people feel you can talk to line employees as meanly as possible and be surprised when they do not give in to what you want from them? Just a thought..

I am looking outside wishing I was out there and not working, but since the husband got called in at 7am this morning due to the call out, he is here anyway so why not, he is closing tonight, so hopefully he can go home soon and sleep until he has to come back. We both know it is only for a little while, due to the hotel drops off in the next month.

We have planned to celebrate tonight, with our champagne when he gets home from work, and we have tomorrow together, maybe sushi, maybe a nice ride, or just snuggle in for the day..

Happy New Year..

Happy New Years Everyone! Tonight will be a boring evening for me. The husband is working and I have to work at 8am on Saturday morning, so I will not be out. I feel so old, but thinking back, there is only a few NYE that were good for me.

Usually, I am worried about driving or I am stuck in a house of annoying people, I always thought it would be fun to be in a city, and go to a big ball in a Hotel and be all dressed up, kind of like "When Harry met Sally", but of course, due to working in the business it has never happened.

The last few years, I have not even made it to Midnight.

These are my brother's daughters Lizzie and Maddie, aren't they so cute! Love the wings my dad and Ellie gave them for Christmas. I didn't get to see the girls on Christmas day, but saw them on Christmas Eve..

Sunday evening, the snow started to fall, and the wind was so loud, I was afraid we would lose power, but nope. The husband worked that evening so his staff did not have to drive in the storm.

Monday we were both off, and we had a wonderful day, first we dug out the car, went grocery shopping then all day just stayed in the house, and hung out together, cooked and enjoyed that we did not have to go anywhere in the weather.

We both know the snow will most likely last until April now, but I always love the first snow fall, but I admit after weeks of digging out the car and dealing with the snow, rain and cold, I will be yelling about it by February.. For now, look how pretty the sunset was yesterday, I hope everyone got home after the holiday safe and sound.

New Years Eve will be another quiet affair for me, home alone, will down here to kiss the husband then home to bed, we will see if I can make it to Midnight..

Twas (2) days before Christmas, and all through the town Paula is waiting to get out of work, Stephen is finishing up his shopping, doing laundry and getting ready for me to come home.

As, we begin our journey down to CT, I remember all my Christmas past, and sometimes wish I was still that little girl, who wakes everyone up before dawn to see if we can catch "Santa", which never seemed to happen, but we still had our presents.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if I had a big enough house so the whole family could all wake up together on Christmas morning and for once go back in time? Santa seems to find us no matter where we are, if I am in London, Charlotte, Mystic, anywhere he always finds me..

Merry Christmas and to all a good night..

This was last winter on Lake Winnipesaukee, it is 3 days before Christmas and we have no snow, and the Lake is not frozen. I really want a "White Christmas" this morning walking to work it was flurrying, so I was optimistic that I would get my wish of a White Christmas.

I am still keeping an open mind, especially due to the fact we are going down to CT and they have snow, according to the pictures this morning on the Weather Channel in Berlin, CT. We will be having dinner with friends in Westerly, RI then on Christmas Eve my big family party up in Avon this year. Then Mystic on Christmas morning then back to CT we are both working at the Inn on Christmas night.

I am wishing everyone a Safe and Happy Holiday Season..."MERRY CHRISTMAS"

This is the husband and I at the Capital Brew Pub in Washington DC, November 27, it is now December and his birthday has passed, he is down.

December always gets him down, he never gets excited about his birthday, and I love Birthday's and he is not into Christmas celebrating, so in our house is a "Festive Pole" with white lights, no tree. Last week, he did seem in better spirits while we were shopping and when we got home he helped me wrap presents. Which is great, since I am the worse wrapper in the world, no matter if I am paying attention and taking my time, I just am bad at it. I appreciate my family and friends for not picking on me so much about how bad I wrap presents.

This morning I could tell he was down, but we go through this every year, from Dec. 1 ( his b-day) until Dec. 31 he is not himself, he is down, grumpy and distant, the first few years it freaked me out, since I love Birthday's and Christmas, but now I accept that it is his dark month.

I had some news yesterday, my stepfather who lives in Seattle, WA had a stroke, I called him and told him I miss and love him, I realized I could of lost him and he may never know how he changed my life and was/is a big part of it. Last time, he came back home was in March 2005, for my wedding, which I had asked him to do a reading. Life is short so everyday you should tell the people you care about how much they mean to you.

My husband and I may seem sappy, but we do tell each other everyday how much we love each other and appreciate each other strengths and weaknesses.

Its getting close to the end of our vacation. It has been so wonderful, spending time together and exploring new cities, DC was exciting, walked ALOT, my legs were hurting so bad from lack of exercise, but well worth it.

We drove 2.5 hours to Charlotteville, VA to see Monticello, Stephen really wanted to see it, even though it was far, well worth it..

Had dinner at our favorite place, "Capital Grille" food was excellent like always but the waiter needed alot to be desired, I messed up and made the reservation for Monday, but we went on Sunday, they fit us in, but no special writing for Stephen's birthday, I felt awful then I lost the birthday card and still can not find it, he deserves so much better then my scatterbrain...

Then we went to all the monuments, starting with Lincoln, did you ever know how far away the Jefferson monument is from Lincoln, I can tell you far!!! My legs really hurt, then we went to the National Archives, we both wanted to see the Declaration of Independence.

Went to different places for dinner, then on Stephen's actual birthday we went out for sushi.. My stomach has been upset most of the week, I am looking forward to going home tomorrow, not work but in our own place with a nice dinner YEAH!!

The Wedding was today it was incredible, Christian made me cry when Jen walked down the aisle he was in tears it was so touching...