Again - it got too late to post. I forgot when we got home from church and really wanted to recap the whole day.

Yesterday, Jim and Michelle went to church with me in the morning. It was a lovely service. Fr. Van Beeck does do a nice sermon. The church was beautiful. Very simple with large trees on the altar decorated with pointsetta wreaths and with pointsettas all around it. The Creche was also on the altar to our right side along the back. The music was good too.

Then we went home and I fixed a breakfast for us. Dick was still napping so I kept his portion for him until he woke up.

In the early afternoon Dick and I drove to Mother's to give her presents to her and have a Christmas visit. She looks good though she is sure disgusted that it is taking time for her to get her full strength back. We enjoyed our visit. She is such fun. George and Betsy are in Chicago with Shawn and Sarah. That is SO good.

When we got home, we napped. Then ate bean soup and garlic bread for supper. After I cleaned up we shared our Christmas Presents. I had received three of them already. A great collector Santa and a Yoda Santa had appeared on the shelf above the kitchen cabinets during the past couple of weeks.

Saturday night, we had some excitement. The power was out for over two hours. I woke up in the middle of it. Not aware that Dick was still up when it had gone off, I fumbled around for candles and was looking for a number to call when I sat on my office chair. Now I wear night shirts and there are NO bottoms. Sitting on the chair, I discovered another of my presents, a stepping stone for my garden that says "Don't piss off the fairies." I was delighted with the present but by then shocked into "awake".

Anyway, Dick also got me a watch, jewelry, a book of poems collected by Garrison Keiller (autographed no less) and an Irish bear. Among other thing. Santa is VERY good to me.

Then we watched music on TV until it was time to go to Mass AGAIN at 10:00PM. The choir did a concert before mass and we sang ALL the verses of about 5 Christmas carols during mass so it was really nice. Then to home and bed.

I PROMISE to write tonight. I should be anyway. It helps me unload my heart and for some reason, my heart is heavy this Christmas.

Have a wonderful Christmas.

Love

Mary