Catch up February

If you read the previous blog you know about the problem I had "with my gadgets" (well, actually with a google software change). 

February started with a bang. This was one very shiny thick layer of ice.

It actually was quite beautiful. Well, and scary at the same time because we knew we could not set a foot outside the house.

The sun was very strong though.

On 3. February we were brave enough to venture out. The Monks were coming through our area. 

Buddhist monks from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, undertook a 2300-mile "Walk for Peace USA" to Washington DC. About 20-24 monks and a dog named Aloka started in October and the walk lasted over 100 days. They walked to promote peace, compassion, national unity, often in silence and sometimes in freezing weather. They got a lot of attention and admiration.

So we had to see/great them too. Martha and Jerry joined us.

James, Jerry and Martha were recipients of some of the flowers the monks had received just a few moments before from some bystanders.

We had waited very long and they had gone past in a quick moment. We were cold and hungry and left quickly.

A nice hot bowl of Pho was just the right thing - and close by.

February 14 - still ice on our walkway to the front door.

One day later - gone!

So nice to go for a walk again.

Ugh, and 4 days later: it started raining half way.

February 19: Sarah and I had been invited to a ladies' night out. Flower arranging. It was a lot of fun, especially since Wade's aunt Carolyn also was there.

One thing we had been on and off quite busy with ... James thought I/we should have a new car. I admit that I love new cars and new gadgets but I was reluctant. Strangely enough it wasn't that easy to not only decide which car company/model we wanted but none were available. I was sure that it had to be a hybrid. Toyota Grand Highlander, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade all had promised a new hybrid any day with lots of advertisement, but advertisement was all there was. And strangery enough, all companies offered only dreary colors. We were on the list to call of several dealers.

On a Thursday I got a call from Wyatt, a young man at a Hyundai dealer close to Sarah and family. He wanted to tell me that a car had just arrived and he thought that we would like it. Somehow I thought he was not the typical car salesperson but genuine friendly and funny. We could not go that day but Friday Februarey 20 we went, liked it and bought it. We had done our "homework" so negotiation were quick. But it still needed some readying and we didn't want to wait. We picked it up on Saturday!

All the paperwork had taken a little time and when we left, we were hungry. Family tradition is to immidiate celebrate with a Chinese meal. We decided that a close Korean Restaurant would be just right because Hyundai is a Korean company.

Helen declared that it had been risky since it had always been a Chinese place. So we didn't loose any time to celebrate with Chinese take-out after the boys' baseball game. 

And then just one day later ... more of that!

The last day of the month was a Saturday. In the afternoon Caleb had a soccer game in Stafford which is about an hour north. The weather was lovely and we were happy to make a little trip out of it.

First we went to Fredericksburg to a German Restaurant "The Alpine Chef".  We had been there before and it is quite authentic. The only disappointment: no potato dumplings this time. Oh well....

The soccer game was quite exciting and nice too. WE won. Needless to say that driving there and back in the new car was very fun.

And that concludes this month!