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ACCOMAC -- Two weeks ago, Billie Blackwell faced a difficult decision. The mother goat was ignoring the newborn kid and a snowstorm was approaching. Should she let the baby try to survive or bring it indoors?
Blackwell did what many loving Eastern Shore pet owners did as temperatures dropped and snow fell. She brought her pet inside.
"It was making a choice between two evils," said Blackwell, nodding at Snoopy, now 14 days old, standing in her kitchen in the Henry's Point community. "We selected this one, which is going to be a problem."
Living with an indoor goat has its challenges. Blackwell has been paper-training the kid on the vinyl kitchen floor. But, as she puts it, every five ounces it eats produces at least 20 ounces in return.
Relations with the 9-year-old indoor cat, Fuzzball, have been strained.
"The goat wants to investigate the cat, but the cat doesn't want anything to do with the goat," she said.
But the living arrangement has been poignant at times.
Blackwell bottle-feeds Snoopy, who sleeps in a big cardboard box. Its muffled bleating sounds like a toy. It sits in her lap like a puppy.
With it standing on the floor, Blackwell trains it to butt heads by pushing her sock-covered foot against its forehead. Snoopy pushes back.
Blackwell, who retired from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility as a contract specialist after 35 years there, and her husband, Charlie, have raised goats for 30 years. But circumstances have never required one to live inside.
Now, despite her good intentions, she is worried about the future. Snoopy has become accustomed to the warm house and might not take well to outside living in February. But the goat is growing faster than spring's arrival.
"He can't stay in here too much longer," Blackwell said. "He's going to be taking over the land. They just get rambunctious -- they want to butt on everything. They want to chew on everything."
Now housemates for two snowstorms, Snoopy has taken to Blackwell, and has charmed the owner who took seriously her responsibility as a pet owner.
But as soon as it warms up, Snoopy might be back where the other goats live.
"The Bible says there is a time for everything," said Blackwell, who then recites several verses from Ecclesiastes 3 from memory -- there is a time to be born, a time to plant, a time to heal.
Then she adds a new one:
"There's a time to have goats, and a time not to have goats," she said.
Author unknown
It started to snow. The first snow of the season and the wife and I took our cocktails and sat for hours by the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses Print. So romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!
We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the Whole World? Moving here was the best idea I've ever had. Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks. This afternoon the snowplow came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life.
The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a disappointment. My neighbor tells me not to worry, we'll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see snow again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such a nice man I'm glad he's our neighbor.
Snow lovely snow! 8" last night. The temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and buried everything again. I didn't realize I would have to do quite this much shoveling, but I'll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I wouldn't huff and puff so.
20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4 Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife's car and 2 extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think that's silly. We aren't in Alaska, after all.
Ice storm this morning. Fell on my ass on the ice in the driveway putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very cruel.
Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit it to her. God I hate it when she's right. I can't believe I'm freezing to death in my own living room.
Electricity's back on, but had another 14" of the damn stuff last night. More shoveling. Took all day. Goddamn snowplow came by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're lying. Called the only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower and they're out. Might have another shipment in March. I think they're lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he's lying.
Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more inches of the white shit fell today, and it's so cold it probably won't melt till August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I had to piss. By the time I got undressed, pissed and dressed again. I was too tired to shovel. Tried to hire Bob who has a plow on his truck for the rest of the winter; but he says he's too busy. I think the asshole is lying.
Only 2" of snow today. And it warmed up to 0o. The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What is she nuts!!! Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she did but I think she's lying.
6". Snow packed so hard by snowplow, l broke the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the son of a bitch who drives that snowplow, I'll drag him through the snow by his balls. I know he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over where I've just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas Carols with her and open our presents, but I was busy watching for the goddamn snowplow.
Merry Christmas. 20 more inches of the !=3D@x@!x!x1 slop tonight. Snowed in. The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. God I hate the snow! Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a bad attitude. I think she's an idiot. If I have to watch "It's a Wonderful Life" one more time, I'm going to kill her.
Still snowed in. Why the hell did I ever move here? It was all HER idea. She's really getting on my nerves.
Temperature dropped to -30o and the pipes froze.
Warmed up to above -50. Still snowed in. THE BITCH is driving me crazy!!!!!
10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in. That's the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think I am?
Roof caved in. The snow plow driver is suing me for a million dollars. The wife went home to her mother. 9" predicted.
Set fire to what's left of the house. No more shoveling.
I feel so good. I just love those little white pills they keep giving me. Why am I tied to the bed?
The Senate has passed a bill banning talking on a cell phone unless you have a hands free device.
Unlike the texting ban, this ban is very enforceable.
State Senator Tommy Norment, who represents the Peninsula, wants to make it a primary offense to drive and talk - unless you're using a bluetooth or hands free device.
If this bill becomes a law, anyone caught talking on their cell phone while driving would be fined and given points on their driving record. If passed, it would go into effect starting July 1.
The bill has passed its first hurdle with a 25-15 victory in the State Senate and now it heads to the House before its final stop on Governor Bob McDonnell's desk.
If the bill clears by this summer police won't need any other reason to pull you over.
And if passed, fines would go up to $50 and $200 starting July 1, 2011.
The ban would not apply to those driving emergency response vehicles, drivers who are stopped or parked, or anyone using a phone to report an emergency.
This could be such a waste of time. Other states have tried to enforce a law like this and people still talk without using a hands free device. I almost t-boned a woman the other day as she was making an illegal u-turn, running her mouth on her cell and carrying an elderly passenger with her. She never lost the conversation and looked at me as if it were my fault and I know the elderly gentleman messed his pants. The government shouldn't need to enforce laws upon us because WE ALL need to be MORE responsible and stop thinking we are the only ones on the road. I value my life too much.
What is it about our lives today that some can't wait until they get to their destination to make a call?
Founded on February 8, 1910, The Boy Scouts of America was founded by William Boyce along with a group of his business friends.
Lost on a street in London England, Boyce was aided by the help of a young man that would not take payment for his help. The young boy told Boyce that he was a Scout and would not take anything for helping. Impressed with the Scout's attitude, Mr. Boyce arranged a meeting with the founder of Boy Scouts in Great Britain. After learning the basics of the scouting program Mr. Boyce and his group of business friends brought scouting to America.
The Boy Scouts Of America's membership today exceeds 4.5 million youth and adults. Since the founding of the organization in 1910 more that 110 million young people have been involved in Scouting.
The Scout Motto: Be Prepared
The Scout Slogan: Do a Good Turn Daily
The Scout Oath: On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times: to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
Note: The Boy Scout Oath and Law have remained unchanged since they were first developed in 1910.
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA.....CELEBRATING 100 YEARS TODAY!!!
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