What a lovely Christmas.   I slept until about 7AM.   Which was a good thing as I knew I would not get my nap today.

Dick and I just snacked for breakfast and lunch as we knew the spread we were putting on for our Christmas repast.  

He and I exchanged our gifts just before lunch.   We also opened the gifts from out of state.    Bart and Barb got us a multi media reader.   How exciting.   I can hardly wait to see what is available to download and read.    Bret sent a beautiful candle centerpiece which I immediately put on the table so that we could enjoy it at our dinner.   That explained all the votive candles that were NOT wrapped.  

We feasted on pasties and mushroom pie, acorn squash and green bean casserole with a Ceaser salad.   Then we had coconut cake for dessert.   

Richard and Brenda brought a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne.   WOW!   We toasted with that before we ate and after we opened all of our presents.   Dick and Brenda are upgraded my computer this year.   I don't know what we would do without their help on the computers.   We wouldn't know when or how to upgrade and often need help with problems.   I can usually fix things once I have had a similar problem and am learning more and more things to check as time goes on.

So the day is about done.   Bart called so we got to talk to him and Jim and Michelle who spent last night and today with them.   I am glad they are close enough to be together for holidays.

Jeff called today too.  I gave him Mom's room number and phone number.    Shane and Georgina are coming to see her tomorrow.   I am just waiting until Monday which is my usual day to visit her.  I will be able to go a bit earlier than usual too because we are not having Bible Study until the 3rd of January.

There is probably more news but I am just tired and content and am going to sign off now.


God love you and Merry Christmas
Mary

Well, I slept quite will last night.   I felt good about leaving Mother visiting with a friend.

I spent most of the day preparing the dishes for tomorrow so that all I will have to do is to pop things in the oven and load plates when it is time to eat.

I am excited about tomorrow.  Christmas is always a special time.  Bart called this afternoon and we will talk again tomorrow.   Jim and Michelle are going to go to Lawton tonight so will be there for Christmas eve and Christmas.


I checked in with family and friends to update and coordinate on Mother.   We want there  to be visited but not overwhelmed.   I will go on Monday as I always do.   Randy said that when they brought her clothes and supplies, she had just finished therapy and was a tired lady.   She will have lots of visitors over the Christmas weekend.  Perhaps too much but she will know how much people love her.

Mass was particularly lovely tonight.  The folk choir sang the Alleluia Chorus for us and it was truly beautiful.
I forgot the name of the priest who officiated, he has been her before, and he makes the faith a very joyful experience, especially at Christmas.

 We are going to open our presents to each other and the presents from Bart and Barb and Bret tonight, if Dick every gets organized.   You all know how speedy he is.

So I am signing off for the night.   A Blessed Christmas Eve to you.   Remember the reason for this special time of year and love each other which is all that is asked of us.    Love the Lord your God with your whole heart and soul and your neighbor as yourself for the love of God.     Pretty easy actually.

Mary.

Today was full of medical visits.   Dick and I were up at a normal time and we got his legs all washed and recovered before Bobbie got here.   His lab appointment was at 10:15AM.  That went very well.  We were home at about 10:30AM.    The three of us had pizza and breadsticks for our lunch.  


At about noon, Randy called.   He and Dolores and Ken were at Pine Haven with Mother.   They had been informed that Pine Haven is not on the network for the AARP Medicare Advantage, so we had to make arrangements to move her again.    I went over to join them to see that everything was done to her benefit.  They were as helpful as they could be and we ended up taking Mother to Meadow View Nursing home on the south side of Sheboygan.   Dolores worked there for many years and lives right down the street.

I felt much better when I walked in the door to get a wheel chair for Mom and tell them that she was here and one of the nurses looked at me and said.   "Welcome."   just like that.   Our first impressions are that she is just where she should be.    Randy and I got the paper work in gear, stayed with her for the nurses first evaluation and for the therapy evaluation.    About the time we were ready to leave, Harrier Carpenter, a friend wheeled herself into the room to greet Mom.   She is a resident and has been there for 6 years and was so glad to visit with Mother.

Now, only time will tell.   She is very weak.   The arm has to heal and then regain strength.  Then we have to see if she is able to function alone before she can go home.   She knows that.  What a brave lady she is.

Keep up the prayers.  Whatever happens, she has to be safe.

Take care of yourselves.

God love you

Mary

Well, this has been quite a day.   Started out a bit goofy.   Dick had to change his lab test to tomorrow because he forgot that he was supposed to fast.

So I dropped Kate's Tupperware, some buckeyes for Ron and a recipe at her house on my way grocery shopping.    That went well.   I have everything that I need for Christmas now.  

Dick and I ate leftovers for our lunch.  I want a fairly empty fridge for Christmas Day.

I got a call this afternoon from Randy.   Mother had a fainting spell today and this time she hurt her left arm.   Apparently she dislocated it.   Donna was with Randy and Eileen came over too,.   I decided to stay home unless they needed me. 

She will, of course, have to be at a care center until her arm heals and she is out of the sling and can use her walker.  Wouldn't you think she should have stayed in the hospital overnight?  But no.   She has to go to a center right away.   Fortunately, there is room at Pine Haven in Falls.   She was not resisting the fact that she will need to be somewhere to heal and I am glad that she can go to Pine Haven which is a really good center and has several people she knows there.

I am expecting. Donna or Randy to call if they need me to get anything for her tomorrow.   After Dick's appointment, I can spend the afternoon helping her get settled or picking out and bringing things she needs.

Please pray for her and her comfort.    We are worried.

God love you all

Mary

A day at home.   I got SO much done.  The table was clear, not there are a couple of things on it again.   It is a constant battle. And today boxes came.   Presents from Bret and from Bart and Barb AND the Tupperware.
I checked everything and tomorrow I will start getting the items to their homes.

I cleaned out the hall closets and went through all the wrapping paper and ribbons downstairs.

It was just a nice day and Roxie was so glad that we were both here.    Did I till you that I stayed in bed until 8.  That is a record.   Of course, I did get up to feed Roxie at 6AM but got back to sleep easily.

Tomorrow is a bit busier - Shopping and a trip to the clinic.   Bobbie is coming to help and I can give her the Tupperware that she ordered.

Take care.   Only three days until Christmas.   I love this time of year.

God love you

Mary


I loved the quote below




"Before I go on with this short history, let me make a general observation — the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise."

F. Scott Fitzgerald

What a nice Monday.   It was the last Bible Study of the year.   I gave all of my prayer partners a copy of my latest book for Christmas.   They are such a support.   If you have time, read Psalm 104.   It is so totally beautiful.  We figure that we will be discussing it for the next two weeks at least.  Today we just discussed our part in the taking care of the world.

Mom and I had a lovely visit.   We just had a couple of things to take care of so could spend most of the time visiting.   She looks wonderful.   She id obviously tired but keeping up on everything and we had a great time, as usual.   I will go down again before Christmas to take her present.     She wants to just stay home for Christmas.   I know that Eileen is seeing that she has a Christmas Dinner and probably will be visitint with her that day.   As the kids will be with us that day I will leave it for them.

I warmed up some lasagna for Dick's lunch and then went to Antoinette's to joint eh Cream City Writers for our Christmas party.   We had almost everybody there, read our writings, ate a great meal and exchanged presents. 

This is the last of my club parties, though the Sheboygan Writers may have a gathering in January.  We postponed because of dear Rosemary's passing. 

So I am home now and won't have to go anywhere until Wednesday.   Then I have grocery shopping for the last of our Christmas dinner.  Aside for the last minute Christmas preparations, this is a very quiet week.   I am glad of that as it will be nice to be rested when everybody is here.

Bless you all

I did write a /Christmas haiku for the Writers club

I call it:

MAGI

They followed the star
Not questioning its truth.
If asked, would we go?

God be with you

Mary

Hello There.   We were able to stay home all day today.   Boy was that ever a treat.

I got up about 7AM.  Dick shut Roxie out of the room at about 3AM so I did not have anybody telling me that it was time for breakfast from 4AM on.

We had a nice breakfast and then Dick took a nap.   I baked my Christmas Stolen this morning.   Tomorrow, I will mix up the frosting and decorate them.  I wrote a couple of Christmas cards and started breaking up cardboard for the trash.

After lunch,   we had meatballs and gravy with noodles and corn. I rested and then went downstairs and cut out the last of the applique squares for the block of the month that the Kettle Country Quilters did this year.  Now I just need to do the applique before the end of the year.   Not this week perhaps next.

I hope to get s lot of presents wrapped tonight.  The tree always looks so nice with wrapped packages under it.   I did get the stockings hung on the mantle this afternoon.    We had Waldorf Salad for our supper.

Tomorrow will be my busiest day of the week.   Bible Study in the morning and then the Cream City Writers Christmas lunch at Antoinette's at 12:30PM. 

Otherwise it was a quiet day.   We will finish by watching the Packer Game.   Aaron Rogers is still out with his concussion so it will be a tough game.   I actually chose New England because of my "system".   So it is a win win for me.   I don't want the Packers to lose but on the other hand I don't want to lose points.

Have a nice evening and Monday

God love you

Mary