32 and GIVEAWAY

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2/12/10 10:37 p.m.
Winner to be announced shortly
give me an A------A

give me an N------N

give me another N------N

give me an I-------------I

give me a Versary --------Versary.

what's that spell?  Anni - Versary

Say it again-----------Anni - Versary

Say it 32 times.

Ok, you get the picture.

Sweetie and I have been married for 32 years today. 

We married the year of The Blizzard. 
The Ohio Blizzard of the winter of '77-'78.
It started before dawn on Thursday, January 26, 1978: 
heavy snow, winds of 50 to 70 mph.
These conditions, combined with additional heavy snow and blowing of snow already on the ground, caused extreme blizzard conditions all across Ohio. 
Enormous snowdrifts covered cars and houses,
blocked highways and railways, and closed the airports here for two days. 
Because of the blowing, extreme drifting and cold temperatures, 
most of the state was shut down for 5 days.  Really, Shut Down...
I remember there being power losses and food shortages and national guard rescues for stranded motorists.  There was neighboring with folks who had fireplaces, sharing food and warmth. 

Here's a picture of that snowstorm, after the wind had died down.  This picture was pulled from the Marion County Historical Society, but it could have been my road.

Fifteen days after that storm,
sweetie and I were married.
Yes, our wedding pictures involved large snow banks and massive amounts of snow and cars put onto the top of massively large snow banks (thanks, brothers). 
And wedding gifts? 
We received many, many, many blankets. 
Blankets too numerous to count. 
(Only two toasters though.) 
And all of those blankets?  I kept them all. 
How could I have gotten rid of or exchanged something that I would use and that someone picked out especially for us?  And I have to admit that I now have no new blankets to pull from the closet.  I have used them all. 
After 32 years, most of them have been worn thin, recycled or sent on to that big blanket heaven in the sky.  There are still a couple of them left on beds.  And a couple of hand-made ones are in the blanket chest or across the end of the couch or bed. 

Today, Wednesday, February 10th, 

all the county schools are closed, 

the State has issued a level 2 snow emergency,

the wind is howling, the snow is coming down and drifting,

and it is a beautiful winter wonderland for my anniversary!!!

So, in the spirit of the blizzard-like conditions here in Ohio today

AND my 32nd wedding anniversary,

I am having a give-away. 

A little anniversary gift give-away. 

I'd like to say the give-away is a very nice blanket or quilt....

but, are you crazy,

I just told you I don't have any extra blankets just lying around

& I didn't plan far enough in advance to make a quilt for this give-away!!!

What am I giving away, you ask???

I have a copy of......

Wool Crazy, by JoAnn Mullaly!!!

Just leave a comment on this post if you would like this book

and I will do the random draw later this week.

After I have shoveled out and celebrated my anniversary!!!