A very fruitful day.    We woke up to a dusting of snow all over the ground and roads.   When I left, I made the first tracks in the driveway and roadway just outside our house.   I slept until about 7:30AM then left at about 9AM so that I could go to Sheboygan Falls to the Historical Research Center to pick up a couple of books for Christmas and to go to Mother's house.

I had ordered the Vit Eyes for her and it came yesterday.   I needed to get it to her today as she was short one for Sunday and she is religious about taking those particular vitamins because they help keep the macular degeneration at bay.     I brought her a dinner too,  chicken, rice and green beans.  And some of the Lizzies.    She and I both LOVE them.

While I was there I went over to the church basement to buy some candy and cookies for her.   There was a cookie sale for the School and she likes to do her share.

So when I left her, I went directly to Rocky Knoll.   I wanted to be ther for lunch with Dick and allow plenty of time for the hurse to be able to show me how to change Dick's dressings.     I am getting as ready as I can as early as I can.   We have ordered a new walker for Dick.   One that is like the walkers he is using in therapy.   It is sturdier and easier to stablize and stop.   It does not have a seat but he would have to turn around in place to sit on the seat of the other one and he will have to work up to that anyway.

I came home at about 3PM.    I am doing some Christmas cards tonight.   I scheduled lots of computer cards several weeks ago to be sent next week.   But there are many that I still need to send paper cards to.

I also mixed up the Christmas Stollen.  The dough has to be in the fridge overnight, so I can finish and bake it tomorrow afternoon.

Things are coming together nicely.    I am so happy that Dick will be home on Tuesday.   I will be fixing Spinach, Egg and Noodle casserole for him.    He requested it for his first meal home.

So until tomorrow.   Which will be my last Mass at Rocky Knoll for, I hope, a long time, unless I should volunteer sometime.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

What a day!   I got up at 6:30AM.   Jody came at 8AM to do the cleaning.   She noticed that Roxie seemed to be limping more than she was last week.   I "talked" to Roxie and rubbed on the leg that seems to be bothering her and she told me that she really did not like that.    So I made an appointment with Dr. Connors for 3PM to have her checked.

I had an appointment at JMKAC to resume the planning for the Irish Family Day that the Art Center is presnting on January 21.   The Celtic Women are going to have a Tea.   We will be selling pots or cups of tea with tea breads and cookies and scones for accompaniment.   I will be putting on two story telling events during the day also.   Some of our members have offered to knit or crochet for demonstrations.
Should be a grand day.

I got to Rocky Knoll in plenty of time to have lunch with Dick and be with him afterwards for his therapy.   I brought his walker.   We have decided to purchase another walker of the kind that he used in therapy, which is a bit sturdier and easier for him to handle at this point anyway.

So I left at a bit after 2PM so that I could take Roxie to her veteranarian appointment.   Dr. Connors checked her out had we DO figure she has arthritis which is bothering her somewhat more at this point.   I will b giving her glucosamine/chrondroitin for cats and (just for a few days) an oral med for pain.  She was, of course, terrified.   She does not like to be in the carrier or the car and- it is worse for her since Oscar is gone.  I think he gave her courage.

Anyway we are home now and she had forgiven me.

I intend to relax this night and get to bed early again.   I figure I need all the rest that I can get before Dick comes home.   I can't believe that Christmas is only a week from Sunday.   

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A whole day at home.   I didn't get up until 8:30AM.   I can't remember when I slept that late before. Probably when I was a teenager.

Anyway,  the only time I left the house was to get the mail.

I finished straightening out the den and bedroom downstairs.   Baked a loaf of bread in the bread machine and this afternoon I made Lizzies.   I love those cookies and since Mom is not baking this year, I wanted to bring her some as we both like them so much.

I am getting lots of things done for Christmas and for Dick's homecoming, so that we can spend time together just getting into a schedule.    We will have Jim and Michelle here for four days, which makes me feel good.   Not only that they will be here but if here are difficulties, I will have four more hands to help me during that first week.

The wind is whistling around the house like a moaning Banshee.    But they still are not forcasting any snow.   We may not have a white Christmas this year.

God keep you safe in this busy season.

Love

Mary

It rained today.   Actually it poured for a part of the morning.  Such a strange year.    Here it is December 14th and we still have not had a measurable snowfall.     Weird!!!!!

I got the packages for the out of state families to the post office today before I went to Rocky Knoll.   I also stopped at Walgreens and picked up some stocking stuffers and some gifts that I need for the staff at Rocky Knoll when we leave. 

I also stopped to extend my sympathy to a friend whose mother died this week.    She was 97 years old and still on her own also.   I told Bob, that he had better figure on a lot more years.    She looked lovely..

I got to Rocky Knoll while Dick was still in therapy.   He finished a couple of strengthening and balancing exercises, then I pulled up the car and he showed the therapist how he gets in and out of the car.    He DID need a slight assist pulling himself up but we will be able to do it.  I was pleased myself.  We had lunch together and then  he got a haircut.    He wanted one before he came home and it looks good.    I think he would like his beard a bit shorter but I like it the way it is.

Then we played a couple of games of rummy.   We each won a game.   And then I came home.  It has been a nice afternoon.    I got a lot of easy work done.   Tomorrow, I will be home all day.   I am not taking a shower.   I intend to just concentrate of phone calls,  putting things away and baking.  AND A NICE NAP IN THE AFTERNOON.

So until tomorrow.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

IF A FAT GUY GRABS YOU AND PUTS YOU IN A BAG,


DON'T WORRY,

I TOLD SANTA I WANTED A GOOD FRIEND FOR CHRISTMAS!

I have a problem.   Firefox is not working.   So I decided to got to Explorer to do the Blog tonight.

I was quite busy today.    I worked at home, getting a lot done, until about 10:30AM when I left to pick up a hamburger and fries for Dick and I to share for lunch.    Tim from Wisconsin Prosthesis was coming at noon, so Dick passed up a "special" dinner for the residents, no guests.   Knowing him, he was not happy about the no guests anyway, but we would have worked out way around that if Tim wasn't coming.   But Dick was hungry for a good old fast food burger.

Tim checked him all out and says that they can probably cast for the permenant prosthesis in January.   He also gave us the news that he is leaving Wisconsin Prosthesis for another job.  This is, of course, not a good thing for us to hear, but he assured us that the man who will be subbing for him has years of experience, we will be able to still go the the Sheboygan Office for care and that the office staff is still the same.   Time will tell.

Countdown to home.   There are seven days now.   I have made the arrangements for Tim from Custom
Care and Transport to pick Dick up at 10AM on Tuesday the 18th.   Now, I have to wind down the preparations for Christmas and his homecoming.  The next few days are uncluttered, so this should work quite well.

Therapy is concentrating on the things that he needs the most work on.   Tomorrow we are going to get into the car.

Guess that is all then.   I have a whole list of things I want to explore and Firefox is not working, so I have to figure out Explorer again.

Dia Dhuit.

Mary

A typical Monday.     Left home at about 9AM to go to Blessed Trinity for Bible Study.     I gave the participants each a little gift as we never know who will not be here next Monday.   It was a very confusing Psalm and we will be tackling it again next week.  Hopefully we will be able to make sense out of it.

Had a nice visit with Mother.    We got her bills all caught up and I addressed a couple of Christmas cards for her. 

Then I went to have lunch with Dick.     He had occupational therapy today.    This was not a great day for him.   The CNA's had trouble getting his prosthesis on and he was left long enough in bed that his back started to hurt.   He has requested that he come home a week from tomorrow, on Tuesday December 20.    The wheels are in motion.   Now I will be pushing for him to transfer more and to put on his own prosthesis.

I came home at about 2PM and attempted a nap.   I did manage to rest for an hour.    I have spent the rest of the afternoon setting various Creche's around the house.    I am not bringing EVERYTHING up but thought that I should put all the Nativities out.

Tomorrow, Tim from Wisconsin Prosthesis will be seeing Dick and we assume measuring the stump to see if it is still shrinking.    We will have to be thinking about how to handle seeing him too.   Though we went to Sheboygan for those three years in between the amputations.

So,  another day close to Christmas and another candy cane on the tree.    Talked to Jim and Michelle tonight.   They are getting excited about their visit as are we.

I had called, Bret, Bart and Barb and Leslie and Bill last night and talked to them, but Jim and Michelle weren't home.   Everybody else is doing very well.

Bless you as you sleep this night.

Dia Dhuit

Mary