Christmas Is Nearing

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This year has been a little weird... at times it has flown by and others it has dragged.

Here we are nearing Christmas again!

I'm still reading. I'm on the fourth book in the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn. I'm still playing games at Face Book... how addictive!   I renewed some friendships from high school through Face Book and that has been an unexpected surprise.

I'm relatively well. I've had sinus problems that created voice problems. My voice is coming back so soon I will be back to my normal.. crazy self.  Frank is doing well.  He has been readying things to remodel one of our bedrooms that will become our office.  He hasn't worked  his muscles this much in a while :-)

We do have family that are sick and prayers for them would be welcome.  So many I can't write them all out.  Some with viruses and some suffering from the pains of aging.

A few weeks ago we went down to my folk's homestead down in Baker County GA. I chased butterflies... unfortunately they perched almost too high in the tree for a decent picture. I love seeing them anyway and hope you do too.

Sigh.. Merry Christmas

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Sigh... I feel much like Santa in the above picture. A bit tired and just want to snuggle up and sleep. Right now we have no pet, so the snuggling will have to be with Frank... which is even better.

I hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was great. We had dinner at my Mama's on Christmas Eve. The food was good for the most part and we ate too much. My dressing didn't turn out the way I wanted it to. I guess it has just been too long since I made it... it was edible. My sister-in-law made a sauce of cherries and pickled beets. Frank liked it okay, but it was a bit too pickled beet for me. I'm not fond of beets. My carrot cake turned out great. My Mama makes a great Rave Cake... she directed my brother how to make the cake and he did very well at making it. My brother also made pecan pies that were pretty good. We all ate too much. I didn't eat anything else the rest of the day.

On Christmas Day we went to Frank's sister's home for pizza. They make great pizzas. Our grandniece and two grandnephews were there and they were a joy to watch. Hayden and Jeremy are under a year old... Jeremy will be one in January and Hayden one in February. Jeremy's brother, Nathan is about two years old. Next year there will be two more grands for the Christmas party.

There was also pound cake, chocolate covered peanuts, and some ginger snaps... all home made by our niece and niece-in-law.

Needless to say we ate way too much. Later in the afternoon Frank and I went for a mile walk. I'm slow, but I can do it without hurting much. I only ate a small apple for a snack later in the evening.

We really shouldn't eat for another week.... but don't think that is going to happen :-) We'll just walk more.

Today we plan to rest.


We called our children yesterday. Sonja got a job, but for only Christmas Eve. The day before Christmas Eve she sees a man in the grocery store buying a lot of sugar. She told him he must really have a sweet tooth. He opens up his jacket and shows him the Honey Ham emblem on his shirt. He is the manager of Honey Ham. She tells him that she has been trying to see him for days about a job. Anyway he hires her and she worked all of the hours they were open Christmas Eve... maybe 10 or 12 hours (I couldn't hear her that well). She got paid $7 and something an hour. The manager watched her all day and she did things for extra sales... plugging the turkey breast and when they were out of 8# hams she would sell them on the 9# ham. Sonja said other workers were getting small packages... 3# hams.. at the end of the day. The assistant manager gave Sonja her package and said the manager really wanted to let her know that her work was appreciated and they would definitely want her back at Easter. Sonja didn't open her package until she got home. It was a big package and inside was an $83 ham! Sonja was so excited talking and she was so proud that she impressed the manager. Sonja was proud that she did better than those 110# blond 20 something year olds. It's too bad the job was for only one day. She is going to go to Good Will and buy a bicycle so she can expand her job looking. They have no car. Which is good because Sonja is the worst driver.

David was tired. He and his wife, Tish, spend Christmas with her parents. Tish's sister, niece and brother live with her parents. Hannah is about 7 years old and David and Tish are like her second parents. David said there was a new puppy in the house... a lab/pit bull (what a mix!) Anyway it cried until David let him sleep on the couch with him.



A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold. -- Ogden Nash

Wreath -- Show and Tell Friday

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I thought my wreath would be good for this post.

Click on image for larger view.

The wreath will probably be the extent of our Christmas decorations this year other than cards that will be displayed. I put together the wreath a few years back. It is like me... simple. The bow probably needs a bit of fluffing. The bear theme just seemed cute at the time.




Today I washed a few dishes. I managed to help with the laundry a little... so hard to do when you aren't able to bend.


Frank made Slum Goodie today. He made enough to put in the freezer. I'm so lucky to have Frank as my husband.


After lunch we went for our walk. It was 60° outside and the sun shining beautifully. The fresh air is so nice.


Christmas is a day of meaning and traditions, a special day spent in the warm circle of family and friends." -- Margaret Thatcher

Outing Yesterday

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This was my first outing since surgery to somewhere besides a doctor's office. We went to Sam's Club after lunch yesterday. I told Frank I wanted to go with him. I knew Sam's Club wouldn't be busy that time of day... everyone is at the mall, Wal*Mart, Target and K-Mart. We walked to the back of the store and back to the front of the store. I did sit down while Frank checked out. We got a few books to read when our minds are up to it again.

After shopping we took a little ride out in the countryside. It was nice to be out and about.

A couple of days ago Frank was looking for something in the attic. He asked me if I wanted any Christmas decoration down. I told him the wreath would suffice. Maybe tomorrow I will take a picture of the wreath and post to the blog.

I need to get Christmas cards out. I will have to sit at the desktop computer to print the labels. I know handwritten is more personable, but my handwriting is so bad that I'm sure the post office appreciates the labels.

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself...
-- Norman Wesley Brooks