Cold. Cold. Cold. It was 4 degrees when I got up this morning at 6AM. I am kind of glad that this is happening when I can't walk anyway. It is supposed to warm up a "bit" next week and I think Chelsea and I will attempt a couple of short walks later in the day, starting Tuesday.

I went to the 8AM mass. I took the winter coat, boots, mittens, hat and snow pants that I bought for a kindergarten boy who need them. Was that ever fun. I don't have little people to buy for anymore. He wanted a Packer jacket or a blue one. I got him a Packer jacket. It is Christmas and he is only 5 or 6 and should get his wishes filles. Then I visited with Mother for a bit.

Bobbie, Jim and I went shooting this afternoon. Bobbie did great, Jim didn't bother bringing up his sheets and I was EH! Not AWFUL but nothing the be proud of either. Oh well, practice makes perfect they say.

The tree is all decorated and looks beautiful. I still have some decorating to do, none of the Nativity Scenes are up yet but feel that the hardest part is over with.

Tomorrow the crew will start getting everything ready at church. We are doing it in two sessions. First getting everything out and checking the condition and making final decisions on the end result so that on Friday night we can just take down Advent and put up Christmas. Fr. Gene says we can put the creche on the altar this year. It has been over on the side and taking up valuable space in the choir area for the past two years. I much prefer it on the altar as the kids can see it better and will be more likely to ask to come up.

We had bean soup and Irish Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwiches for supper. Boy was that a good idea. It was the bean soup that I made with the sugar cured ham that we brought back from Kentucky. I have one more meal of that left in the freezer. I will have to see if there are any sugar cured hams produced or imported locally.

It is time for bed. Only on week until Christmas. What a year. It is hard to realize that in two weeks it will be 2006 already. I remember that when I was very young I used to think that when it was the year 2000 I would turn 60 and it seemed so very far away. And NOW here it is 2005. Just a blink in the whole of time. Sometimes even to me.

Love

Mary