December 27 through 30, 2013

Friday: Seems like the last 11 days took forever to get here leading up to the "big reveal". But alas, the day has finally arrived!
I thought we would never get to O'Wich. It was nearly 10:00 am by the time we left and I ended up driving the pick-up for the first time. I usually just pull it out of the garage but I ended up driving until we stopped for lunch. The first 45 minutes were long - got to Harlem and neither of us knew if the garage door was shut so we headed back home go find out it was! Also during this time there was the passenger assisted driving instructions...okay, seriously, I got this! We stopped at the De Kalb Oasis for gas and a snack and I continued to drive until we reached the Petro/Country Kitchen/Subway/DQ where we had a very disappointing lunch. But they did have nice decorations up!

We ran into the store portion of this multi-plex shopping mecca for a couple of things and arrived at O'Wich about 2:00 pm. There was quite a bit of snow so I got to shoveling a path to the stairs and then the stairs. Carlo checked the propane tank and was perplexed as to how we had a full tank. Then I got inside and set of the video on my phone while he checked around the cabin and closed the drain valves. Here's where things went south. First he didn't know I had been inside and gave out an "uh-oh" when he found the front door was open. When he went in he started repeating (over and over), "Who was here?" "What's going on here?" These questions started when he found the kitchen cart in the kitchen - which is not where he left it and the living room furniture was rearranged. Come to find out that someone does not like nor appreciate surprises. Who would have thought that all my excitement would end up being a balloon plus a pin: deflated? Sadly, I predicted a less extreme version of this moment and experienced a lesson well learned. Said video will not be making an appearance.

So after Carlo sees the TV on the wall, I break the news to him that he will need to tune it in and wire up whatever needs wiring to get it all working. Oh boy! Sorry for the half-gift! Then after close to 3 hours of screwing around with everything, the sound bar would only work with the blue tooth synced to my phone - nothing from the TV and the satellite picture was horrible at best. The TV in the bedroom was not well received and the new layouts "are not gonna work." After seeing the table (THAT I MADE) "it's just more stuff we don't need." So this ended the evening and the surprise will go down in the books or on the blog as an epic fail and the last surprise e.v.e.r!


Saturday: I have a fun afternoon planned - a cut and color with Connie! I spent the morning enjoying the sound bar synced to my phone. When Carlo got up he decided more wire futzing was in order. After a couple more hours he had re-directed wires and cables up and other wires and cables down. He disconnected and reconnected and then the "TA-DA" moment occurred and there was TV sound from the sound bar! Since the new configuration worked, he was going to Radio Shack for couplers and longer cables while I was at the salon.

By the time he picked me up he had replaced and reconnected cables and even started on the new doorknob for the bedroom Now all the knobs are Tuscany Bronze to match all the Tuscany Bronze faucets - it ties it all together! Carlo seems to like his gift - now that it all works!

We went to LaTolteca for dinner and each had our usual and as usual it was good. The 40+ degree temps melted all the pretty snow that looked to be close to 12" deep. The only pictures I took of the snow were of the "after" 40+ degree temps - not so pretty! When we arrived, all the pumpkins and gourds were hidden by the snow and now they're peeking through the pile of flakes!

 

Sunday: Carlo picked us up McDonald's for breakfast. It was starting to get cold as we left for our 1:00 pm visit with the neighbors. When we got to Betty's we found out Steve and Kathy were not coming and our visit with Betty lasted about an hour.

While Carlo ran to Tractor Supply, I cleared off the front porch. I was worried our next visit might be colder and wanted to get it done.














We ended up heading into town mid-evening for a quick bite from Culver's. Burgers were good...dessert was too much!
As we got back to the cabin it was already MINUS 2 degrees. It's gonna be a cold one!


Monday: It wasn't even 8:00 am and the temperature was MINUS 17 degrees. Holy arctic air, it is cold!

Carlo loaded the truck and we started to shut the cabin down when once again, water did not drain out the spigots - like it is suppose to. Now because it was much colder this time than 2 weeks ago, Carlo tried heating the pipes - this did not work. Then he attached a hose and manually drained the hot water tank and the drain lines. We kicked up the heat hoping the next time we return that there are no broken pipes. We finally got on the road by 8:45 am. What a stressful way to end the weekend!

Brrrrrrr.