Winter Storms (January 2026)
January was a cold but busy month for us. It included two winter storms, lots of exercise, game nights with friends, a movie date with our granddaughter, and a date night to the theater for us.
Two Winter Storms
Snow is not a normal event where we live in Travelers Rest, SC. The last snowstorm in this area was January 2022. This month there were two separate snow events in back-to-back weekends. The first winter storm consisted of mostly sleet and freezing rain although there was a small amount of snow that fell as well. We had about 2 inches of sleet and ice. The roads were treacherous and it took a good bit of effort to remove the sleet and ice from our driveway, sidewalk, and porch.
The second storm was a true snow event and we received about 3.5 inches of snow. The day after the storm was frigid with the high temperatures being about 36 and the nighttime temperatures dropping to about 13. Amazingly, we did not lose electricity for either storm. The great thing about living in South Carolina is the snowstorms are infrequent and the snow doesn’t last long. Even with a cold day the sun melted away the vast majority of snow the day after the storm.
Granddaughter Time
Early in the month we took our granddaughter to see the animated move David. We enjoyed the movie and had a great time watching it with her . We also picked her up from school several times and spent a few afternoons playing games and having milkshakes.
Game Nights
We had three couples over to our house on different evenings for dinner and a game night, but we also helped organize a game night for our Sunday School class. We hope to make the Sunday School game night an ongoing activity.
Exercise and Health
In January we continued our commitment to keeping healthy by adding two new pieces of exercise equipment into our fitness regiments. We purchased a Power Tower and a Stretch Machine for Christmas and we have made good use of both this month. It looks like we have finally completed buying equipment for our Fitness Room because we have officially run out of room. We actually had to retire an elliptical machine because of lack of space and because it wasn’t being used.
I also had some outpatient surgery to remove some skin cancer on my forehead. It wasn’t much fun, but it is healing quickly. Tammie twisted her knee when we were at the beach in November and it is continuing to heal slowly. She is wearing a knee brace while she walks and exercises.
Newberry Opera House
For several years I wanted to attend a concert at the Newberry Opera House in Newberry, SC. The opera house has an interesting history. It has been the cultural heart of Newberry County since its dedication in 1882. Designed by architect G. L. Norman and built for $30,000, the Opera House is a striking example of Victorian civic eclectic architecture, crowned by a French Gothic-style clock tower that still defines Newberry’s skyline.
The original design featured a multi-use first floor housing the fire engine room, council chambers, clerk’s office, a police station, and even three jail cells. The second floor was dedicated to a grand performance hall, measuring 53 by 52 feet, with a 29-foot-deep stage. Supporting spaces included a ticket office, green room, cloakroom, and three dressing rooms.
We went to the Newberry Opera House to attend the show A Taste of Ireland. This is a high-energy, live-performance show featuring acclaimed Irish dancers—including former world champions and stars from Lord of the Dance—alongside musicians to showcase Irish culture. It combines traditional music, modern Celtic music, tap dancing, and storytelling to present a history of Ireland from its ancient roots to the modern era. We thought the show was excellent and would highly recommend it. Before the show we had dinner at The Grille on Main Street. The restaurant is in a brick building that was built in the mid 1800s and was formerly a drug store. The food was great and the ambience was excellent as well.
