Well good afternoon!  My day started with going back to bed for a nap.  What?  Yep that is what I did.  Jay and I are both suffering with tight, scratchy throats and I had a headache brewing.  I managed to sleep the headache off, finally got up and my breakfast out of the way. 

My next project was to vacuum the bedroom, dining, and living room.  So I started in the bedroom with my vacuum and my walker.  Very quickly I found that four legs on the walker and two on me just don’t make for efficient performance.  I spotted this in the corner where I had placed it before the surgery. 

My brother, who I lost this year, gave me this cane a few years ago.  I used it to walk down the driveway when there was snow on it and my ankles were so bad.  It gave me just enough stability to get around.  Today it was just the ticket for moving that vacuum around without getting tangled up in the cord or having to maneuver a turn.  I’m grateful he thought of me those years ago now!  Now I have the living and dining room to finish then I will see how the foot is doing before I do the sweeping.

Some where in here I have to get a sponge bath and wash my hair before everyone moves out on me!

I’m going to make chili by adding ground beef to a can of fixings this afternoon and cornbread from a Jiffy box.  I mean real gourmet cooking my friend!  I’ll add a jar of home canned pears and that is lunch for when Jay gets out of dialysis. 

For you who follow Cindyisms it seem a gremlin has screwed up her computer so the next post may not be until after she can get someone to look at it. 

Well the coffee pots says have one more cup and then get busy so I will.

I’ll tell you just give me a foot and I want to go everywhere.  Today I talked Jay into backing up the pickup to the door so I could sit on the tailgate and ride down to the basement.  I must have spent a half an hour down there going through bags, boxes, the cupboard, and the desk hunting for a thimble.  I knew I had one but be darned if I could find it.  So while I was down there I pulled a couple of bags of unfinished projects and some things that could be thrown out. I hauled it all back up to my dining room table where I began to sort and file into tins, boxes, and plastic containers so that I could find an item easily.  While emptying a plastic bag I found my thimble in the bottom.  So I accomplished two things instead of one today.  I have my bag with the knitting for Mr. Flurry on the coffee table, an angel to be embroidered and put together on the dining room table, and some of my plastic mesh projects in another bag on a chair nearby.  I still have several of the Christmas projects to do so I sure won’t get bored anyway. 

Jay has laid down for a while and I have the mail and newspaper to go through so I’ll leave you now.  If you get a chance visit Jay’s Jammin’ and see how his Aero garden is doing.

Talk to you later. 

This is what date?
January 9th you say!
You are sure it is winter?
The temp is 41 but feels like 32 due to 20 mph winds.
Is that Momma and Brandy out in the swing?
Yep they thought they would take advantage of the lack of snow since Momma is walking again.
Is the snow coming back?
Yep, probably tomorrow night.
Well this is Michigan weather for you!
You can say that again!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen please let me introduce you to the latest in footwear.  Well at least if you haven’t been able to step on your foot for six weeks.  Yes indeed today we had our cast changed and now we can step down on said foot.  I must confess that when I do step down the first thought to flash through my mind is don’t do this then I remember the new status! It will take a few days to get used to using the foot including finding my new level of leverage for standing up but I’m tickled to have progress this far.  The doctor said I will be a month in this rig then go to some kind of boot.  So there you have it, a transformation from a one legged pirate to staggering old lady.  But a happy old lady!!!!!

Last Saturday evening started like most of our Saturdays with a late, simple supper and discussion about visitors on Sunday.  I had asked Cindy and David to come up so Cindy could take Jay grocery shopping and David could finish putting away Christmas for me.  Then the driveway alarm sounded—who was that?

We opened the door to our first surprise of many over the next few hours.  The bouquet was so big I ended up taking a picture of the opposite side also.

This bouquet was held by our very good friend Michael and he was followed by wife Darlene with assorted bags and luggage.  They had planed to come up twice for a visit in the last couple of weeks but snow storms and other commitments got in the way.  But they were here and we revised plans for Sunday.  Michael said he had brought dinner and he was preparing it.

Darlene agreed to take Jay shopping and when they found out Cindy and David were expected also she said she would pick the extra items needed when shopping with Jay.  We sat around and talked a while then turned in for the night. 

The next morning it was pancakes and link sausage for breakfast, the clean up, get dressed and start the plans. They brought Christmas gifts for us to open that they hadn’t been able to deliver earlier.  We didn’t expect Cindy and David before 1 pm so Jay and Dar took off and Micheal helped me strip the bed and make it with fresh sheets then headed for the kitchen.  I stayed out of his way and try doing some little things around the house. 

The next surprise was when Cindy and David arrived and Michael greeted them at the door.  I told them they didn’t have to go shopping which pleased Cindy .  But when Michael said he was making dinner she was really pleased. 

Darlene and Jay finally arrived back home after a four store trip to get all the items on our list.

Michael finished his preparations for the dinner and we were ready to eat.  What a dinner it was! 
Starting with shrimp cocktail, a beautiful lettuce salad with cherry tomatoes and mushrooms, with glasses of champagne, and delicious artisan bread .  Next came lobster tails with melted butter, baked potato,  and Del Monaco steaks with a sauce made of onions, mushrooms, vanilla and what tasted to be chocolate in it.  There was dessert but I was so full I could hardly taste it.  What a grand surprise that was.  The rest of my steak is warming in the oven for supper tonight. 

When everyone had left for home our bay window was visible again, the garland that was on the stairway was but away, the loft vacuumed, and all the tummies stuffed.  Our day of big surprises is now a memory but not one that will be easy to forget.  My sincere thank you to all four of you for helping Jay and I with this big day.

This morning I finally got the ornaments off the tree and packed in the blue plastic container.  The papers for wrapping them were in the recliner, many from last year so the packing went quickly.  I have started gathering the few extra things we had set out around the house and the white wreath is off of the front door.  These items will go in other containers as soon as I can get to them. 

The garland on the stairway will take a little work to get it down but I think the old sit on your butt and scoot up the stairs will do it.  That is the next project to tackle today. 

The tree being packed away will happen when I can sweet talk one of my sons or son-in-law to drive up here to do it.  I have cards to take down off the walls and record .  I have aways thumbtack my cards to the walls because they add so much to the joy of the season.  I swear someday one of my walls will just collapse into powder because of the thumbtack holes.  But I will smile and say it was worth it!!

Checking in the window behind the tree to see how the ‘dead’ plant is doing and much to my delight I see pink buds appearing on the branches.  This means I’m full of baloney when it comes to judging the health of my house plants and I’m happy with that!

My ‘healthy’ plant is thriving as you can see.  That splash of color sure warm the heart on these cold winter days!

And so another holiday season passes through my 72 years of life.  How many more are in my future is unknown but I do know I will take each one, embrace it , and hang on for dear life until there are no more.  This is going to be a good year——I feel it!

Today is the day our Brandy turns two years old!

I cannot count the smiles and laughter this little dog has brought into my life in the last two years.  She has kept me busy in all weather going outside when in the past I would have sat for hours doing nothing.  I know the thrill of standing in slippers and a housecoat in a couple of inches of snow (in the middle of the night) while she selected the perfect spot to do her job.  How she selects her toy begging you to take it then staying just out of reach so you can’t.  Lately if you don’t grab for it she will put it in your hand and then growl furiously at you if you don’t grab it.  Of course she growls furiously If you try to take it away from her also. 

She has learned that if you say go round she is to walk around a post, tree,  or whatever she has gotten tangled up in.  If she needs to go outside she comes to you and makes little noises.  If you ask her If she has to go outside she runs for the door and waits for you.  You say get on the mat and she stands there for you to put on her leash.  To hook it up you say give me your HOME AGAIN (this is a tag on her collar).  This allows you to fasten her leash to the ring without her moving around out of reach. 

One of her favorite things is to go outside in good weather to sit and swing with me on the log swing.  She also loves riding on the console between our seats when we go for a ride in the pickup. 

We have a driveway alarm and each time it sounds she is at the door to greet who ever has come to visit.  There are no strangers in her world, only new friends to welcome. 

At night when you crawl into bed she climbs up and lays by your side or at your feet.  Then when Jay comes to bed she jumps down and goes into her covered crate as soon as he says bedtime Brandy. 

Brandy doesn’t shake hands, rollover, sit up and beg, and seldom speaks but she knows when to sit close if you aren’t feeling well, or check on you if you leave the room for something.

She has taken her place with Molly, Spirit, and the two Cockatiels in our family.  Spirit asks her if she wants to go for a ride.  Or he will say where’s the Brandy? 

Here she is today…

This is a Happy Birthday post but in this case it is the Momma who is happy to have her!!!!

I found this in a link on one of Mrs. Dof’s Emails.  Words I feel to live by Momma

A happy New Year! Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I’ve played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.
~Edgar Guest

It is now 10 minutes into 2008 here and if you aren’t there yet you will be along soon.  First may I wish you a Happy New Year with the hope that all will be better with a fresh start.  We sat and watch the ball fall down and kissed but it was different this year.  Family tradition was eating fish on New Years for a prosperous year to come but we passed on that.  Another was to have money in your hand when the New Year arrived but I had my money out and on the table not in my hand.  So I guess we will see if that makes a difference in our year. 

I must take a moment to wish my oldest a Happy belated Birthday.  He was born 46 years ago on December 31st.  I remember vaguely sitting in the day room ( can’t remember the correct name for it after this many years) at the end of the hall and having a small dish of ice cream and a glass of pop that one of the other patient’s husband had brought in earlier. Then gladly crawling back into bed after the ball had fallen.  Anyway Happy Birthday Wes and many, many more. 

And to all of you good health, happiness, and new prosperity for the New Year!!