Sorta Quiet Day!

But not really!!  Just Karen, Tom and I here last night, and Karen got up early and went to coffee with Annie and Chris Sedesky.  Then Tom got up and started putting together the new TV stand, which he wanted peace and quiet to do, and took him most of the morning....well all of the morning.  While he was doing that I  helped to unload all the stuff that was in the old stand with Tom's help.  It had CD's, cassettes, photo albums,  and all the stereo equipment, including turn table, CD player, dual cassette player, receiver, the Comcast digital converter and DVD player.  The last two we had to move to the new stand which is a third of the size of the old one, and even though the TV is a 40 inch, the TV and Stand make the room look so much bigger.  I can't imagine how big the living room is going to look when the Christmas Tree comes down.
When Tom got the stand finished and we had the old one emptied, Jimbo and Doug came to help move it to the garage, till the neighbor across the street comes to get it....I'm giving it to him along with the TV as I don't have room for another TV in the house.  They are so good to me, I can't help but be happy they wanted it.
Jimbo and Ann left for the cabin from here, and Doug had to go home and take the kids ice skating, so he was off too.  Then Bill came and spent the rest of the afternoon visiting with me and Tom, and Karen was home for a few minutes to change into warm clothes, to take the kids skating again at the CRIC outdoor rink.
Bill and Tom went to the Gear Daddy's concert at Medina this evening, leaving me alone till 10:30 p.m. when Karen and Presley came home to go to bed.  I'm almost there too!  It was a good day, and the house is starting to come together with my great new TV and stand.  I love it!!
Off to bed, Love and Prayers, m

Unplugged!

Well Chemo brain strikes again.  I have been informed that the movie I got for Christmas is call The Trouble with The Curve....Jack work at Jimbo's Tires Plus in Cottage Grove....not Inver Grove....and a third correction I can't even remember!  Sorry...but chemo brain doesn't get any better...I'm sure worse.
Today was a good day, but didn't happen like I thought it was going to.  I did get showered and Karen took me to get unplugged.  But earlier in the morning, I looked at Ikea's online catalog of TV stands for a 40 inch TV, and picked out one I liked and showed Tom, and he got picked up by Annie to go to the hockey game before Karen and I left, and since the hockey game was in Edina, they surprised me yet again, and went to Ikea on their way home and got the stand.  Karen and I spent the afternoon doing mostly nothing on my part, and my laundry on her part.  Then when Annie brought Tom and the kids back here for a few hours and then took the kids home getting ready for pizza and football at her house this evening. Tom, Karen and I went over at 6 p.m. and then Tom went on a pizza run to Carbonie's.
Jimbo and Nick joined in on the party, and the kids danced to Dance 4 in the lower level while we watched the first 3 quarter's of the Gopher football game and Karen took me home to watch the end of the game....I wish I hadn't seen it....it was horrible.
Time for bed....Love and Prayers, m

Day Two of Round One for 2013

I had a pretty peaceful day.  I got up and took my meds and went to the couch as par, and was the first one up at 9 a.m.  By 9:30 Tom, Karen and Presley were all up.  We all kinda vegged for the morning, except for Tom, who went out to Best Buy to pick up a printer I ordered online and asked to be picked up at the Riverdale store, as he was going there anyway to pick up the new "40" inch TV the whole family had bought me for Christmas.  So he came home just in time to take Karen and Presley to Nicole and Allie's 2nd game of the tournament in Edina.  Annie was bringing the rest of the family, and then they were going to Karen's brothers for the afternoon and evening.  I haven't seen them yet, but I'm imagining that they took the kids back to Annie's to sleep and they are still visiting with Annie and Doug.
That gave me the whole afternoon with an empty house.  I puttered around a little, and then had Bonnie come over for a short visit to talk about our trip to Kathleen and Gary's in Feb.  We finally decided we couldn't make any reservations in advance because it all depended on the weather as to when we left MN. and then again we weren't sure as to the direction we would go to Sedona from Salt Lake City.  We also have decided we won't go to Vegas as it was really out of our way...to far West. We may go through St. George, or angle over and through Paige.  We figure Kathleen and Gary will give us the best advice.
After she left I basically went to the couch and watched TV till 7 p.m. and then fell asleep for about an hour or so, and then got up and started to set up the new printer, but got to a point that I couldn't crawl around on the floor to connect the router to the new printer, so I've been waiting for Tom to come back to help me with it, but looking more and more like it won't happen till tomorrow.
Tomorrow, I get unplugged at noon, and then hope to go to Ikea to pick out a new console to put my new TV on.  I hope to go along so I can help pick it out.  I think I'm looking for the shabby sheikh look.
Think I'm ready for bed.  Be back tomorrow.  Love and Prayers, m

Day 1 of my First Round of Chemo,

...for the new year.  Karen was my buddy and I taught her how to play cribbage, and after a few practice open hands, I beat her the first game and she beat me the second game by pegging out....getting a four card run.  It's all in the cards!  Or beginner's luck!
We had a good day, and she was able to find some chicken wild rice soup for us for lunch and pick me up an oatmeal raisin cookie from Woullet's and herself a cupcake with some caramel drizzled over the top with some chocolate and maybe some slivered almonds....it looked good, but I would never have been able to finish that, I barely finished my cookie...actually I didn't.
When we got home both Karen and I napped, and then at 4:10, Annie brought the kids back, and she and Tom took Em, Kennedy and Will to the tournament in Edina that the CRHS girls varsity team was playing in.  We got to watch it at home on cable.  It was a pretty good game even though we lost 4-2 against Stillwater HS.
After the game Tom and Annie picked up pizza and brought it home for us for dinner, and then when the girls got home, they came and ate too.  They had to be home by a 10 p.m. curfew the coach has for all the girls, so they actually left about 9 or a little after.
When they left the rest of us watched "The Bad Curve", one of the gifts I got for Christmas, and my boys had all seen and cried through it, and wanted me to see it too, to make sure I'd cry too  I did.  I'm sure all the cousin's would too.  If you've seen it you know why.
Now it's time for me to go to bed...it was an early morning....about 6:37 when I got up. So I'm off to bed.  Love and Prayers, m

Mary's Surprise Christmas!

Rhonda picked me up this morning at 11:15 as usual, and then we were off to Becker to Bobbi Jo and Forest's home to celebrate with the Kiecker side of the family.  We had a wonderful Turkey dinner and then opened presents.  It was a great afternoon, I hadn't seen Lynn, Bruce or Wayne in ages.
Bill stopped on his way home from Grand Marais to take me home, and dropped the kids and Kim off at home first and then dropped me off and went back to take a shower and bring the rest of the family back to our house.  The kids had planned on having dinner at my house, so most of them were there except Bill and Kim and Kids, and they had planned on being back at 6 p.m., for dinner and each of them were fixing some part of the meal.  So at 6 p.m. Bill and Kim and kids came in and right behind them was Tom, Karen and all the kids! I was kind of in shock all evening.  So I ate dinner and at 7 p.m. when I took my pain pill and thought I would lay down for an hour and nap....within minutes Annie came to the door of the bedroom and asked me to come out, there was someone here I needed to see, and it was Carrie and Jason and the little girls. I still didn't fully get what was happening.  So on Santa came in the door, and I realyized that we weren't having presents on Friday night it was all happening now!!
Santa was wonderful and Matthew and Presley still believe so that was fun.  MacKensie and Sidney weren't as thrilled with Santa this year as MacKensie was last year.  But all and all it was a wonderful day and a wonderful night.  I'm exhausted and have chemo in the morning, so I'm done for tonight.  Love and Prayers, m

Merry Christmas

What a day!  Wonderful as it was, it also was pretty funny.  Annie and Doug picked me up for church at about 3:40, as the Christmas Pageant started at 4 p.m. with Mass at 5 p.m.....so we thought....or as it has in the past countless years, so we didn't bother to check the bulletin ahead of time.  It actually started at 3 p.m. with Mass at 4 p.m., so we got there just in time for Mass, however we ended up in the back row of the crying room, on the opposite side of the church we came in on. Luckily, Matt and Carole and Matthew had arrived about 10 minutes ahead of us, and saved the whole row for us, and we all had a seat....until a grandma along with her son and daughter-in-law and their son came in and Doug the gentleman he is got up and let the grandma sit.  The good part was that we only had to be there for Mass and not both hours, and we got back to Annie's before the dinner was even done.  At church we saw Joe Sedesky right as we walked in and before we left Rob and Cindy and boys found us, and walked out with us.  It was so nice to be able to great both and and wish them all a Merry Christmas.
When we got to Annie's we had to wait for the lasagna to finish baking, and it drove Matthew crazy, cause he couldn't open his presents until after we ate, and they had been torturing him all day.  He had accidently torn a corner open on one of his gifts, and he hugged it almost all day begging to finish opening it.  When it finally came time to open presents it was the first one he opened and sure enough it was what he thought it was..some lego's to build a town.  During church Father started his sermon talking about what his favorite present was when he was little, and I turned and asked Matthew what his favorite present was, and he thought a minute and said he didn't know, cause he would have to wait till tonight and tomorrow morning to see what his parents and Santa had given him.  I'll have to ask him again tomorrow what it was.  Every time it was the girls turn to open a package, he would say boring clothes again, more clothes, clothes?  he was so funny.  He loved all his Lego and star wars stuff he got, and couldn't understand why the girls liked clothes.
The girls and Matthew gave me a couple of gifts and I gave Carol and Matt a few things, but other than the two things Matthew made at school and daycare for Annie and Doug, they didn't have anything to open.
After the present opening  I had brought over the DVD of Shotgun Red's Christmas Surprise, and I couldn't get it to work at home, so I asked Doug to put it in and see if it worked, it did, so we all went back to the TV room, and watched Grandpa Gene's favorite Christmas show.  It's just a short 30 minute DVD, and Matthew even guessed the surprise before the ending.  I may take it to the cabin and we can watch it again on Friday when all the grandkids are there.
After that Matthew had already put together all his new Lego sets, and he opened his Battle Ship game, and he and Allie played that with Annie helping him to show him how to play...but pretty soon he had figured it out.  Then I got Nicole to play the home version of Words with Friends that they had given me.but by 10:20 or so, I decided that it was time to go home and let the kids get to bed.  Matt and Carol had left about 9:45 or so.  So Doug warmed up the car and took me home.  I finally got around to writing this at midnight, and now the Christmas tree lights have turned off, so I think it's time to call it a night.  Hope you have a great Christmas Day with Family and Friends, Love and Prayers, m

Lazy, Hazy Day!

I don't know where my energy went, but I sure couldn't find any today.  I did get up and thought I would get busy, but the energy left quickly and I found myself back on the couch watching TV.  Then got up and worked on Christmas Cards, then back to the couch, back to cards and ran out of letters, so I was done doing cards.  My printer was giving me problems, so I had to hand address all the cards I had done....about 40, and that takes a lot longer than slapping on labels.  Oh Well, I had nothing but time.
I did put a load of dishes in the dishwasher and got them done.  And I sorted a pile of tinsel that I had tossed on the floor yesterday.  I ended up throwing away anything that was under 4 or 5 inches long.  I have the tree full, and now I think I have enough to last me the rest of my life.  I don't know if anyone wants me to will them my tinsel when I'm gone, but if you are still a real lead tinsel user let me know and I'll let you have it when I'm gone.  That sounds really morbid, but I don't plan on passing anytime soon, so I'll have to have it written somewhere, cause none of my kids want it.  At least I don't think so.  Maybe Kennedy or one of the girls would like it. I really don't know who.
So that was my day. Tomorrow starts all the fun.  I don't know about writing tomorrow night, but I think I should be able to do that.  My day will start with the Children's Service at St. Tim's with Annie, Doug and the kids, and Doug's mom and dad, Matt and Carol.  After church, we all will return to Annie's for Lasagna dinner and then present opening   The kids will have to wait for Santa till morning, but Christmas Eve they open the gifts from mom and dad.  It's always so fun to see Matthew's expressions and comments when he opens his.  I really enjoy the evening, and then they'll take me home around 10 p.m. so I should have plenty of time to write my post.
On Christmas Day, Gene's sister Rhonda will pick me up and take me to Becker to his neice's home.  Bobbi Jo has volunteered to host Christmas this year.  Rhonda won't pick me up till 11:15 so I'll be able to sleep in like usual.
Hope you have a great day too!  Love and Prayers, m

Happy Day! and the Sun was Shining

Got up and got going this morning, as Jimbo picked me up at 10:30 a.m. and took me shopping.  We first headed for Costco, and I got dropped at the door and ran in and got my pictures for my Christmas cards (yes, I'm finally getting my cards done). I was in and out in a couple of minutes to Jimbo's surprise.  He was waiting at the door to pick me back up again.  From there we went across the street to make a deposit at the bank and off to Cub to buy some groceries.  All I needed right now was bread.  Other than the five slices of cinnamon bread that Jan brought over yesterday and I only had one piece left, it was the only bread I've had in the house in over a week.  For some reason everything I wanted to eat involved bread when you don't have any.  I did buy stuff for the cabin, like cranberries for the grand kids to string along with popcorn for the birds.  We'll place it on an artificial tree on the deck.
I came out of Cub with $46 of groceries, and the only thing for me to eat was the bread, but I did get a few bottles of coffee creamer, it was on sale and will keep.  I used to be a black coffee drinker, but since I got these great flavored creamers, I've been using it every day.
When I got home I did some work on putting together a package to give the neighbor across the street who is so good to me.  So when he brought the mail to my door, I handed him the bag.   I also started working on my Christmas Cards.  I got four of them ready to take along to the party this evening, but the rest of you will have to wait till you get them in the mail.
Patty and Dennis picked me up for the party which was in Minnetonka at Rosie and Bruce's home.  Ann and Dick Christiansen and Sandi Hitch were also there.  We had a great time and a wonderful dinner and then looked at a slide show from our trip to Boston, as all of us were there together last May.  She also showed us some of their pictures from their trip to Quebec with Patty's brother Gary and his wife Carolyn.  After that we gave Ann some surprise gag gifts for her birthday which was in November.  It was hysterical having her model the bra with tube socks that had tassels at the top of each sock, and also the 60 inch wide underwear and glasses with a nose and mustache attached.  The glasses have a long story attached to it, that Rosie, Sandi and I knew about, so we had to explain to Patty and Dennis. The underwear and bra didn't need an explanation.  Ann put them all on and let Rosie and Sandi take her picture.  A good sport.
We had a lively conversation going on all evening.  Dennis Tkach was the main person in a story in this mornings StarTribune about riding the 6:51 NorthStar commuter train.  He gets on in Coon Rapids and rides downtown on it.  He has a group of about 20 who all sit together and talk and joke with each other all the way down and home again each day.  They also have partied at Den and Patty's home earlier this month, inviting them and their spouses or friends to join them.  So if you haven't read the article, you might want to check it out.  We all were giving him a bad time about being famous now, and Ann even brought her paper for him to autograph for her, and Rosie gave him her copy so he could share it with friends or family.  All and  all it was a fun night.  Now it's time for me to go to bed.  Love and Prayers, m

Sunny Happy Day!

The date looks like the 21st, but this entry is for the 22nd of December.
It was a quiet day, but I got a lot done because I had no where to go.  I finished putting tinsel on the tree, folded a load of towels that Annie had brought up for me yesterday, I even wrote my Christmas letter I had put off till I got the great results from the scan I had on Wednesday.  Some of you may get duplicates of it,  as the CC list will get a email version of it, and also others that aren't on that list, I may on Christmas Day publish is as my post for that day, as I'll be out late on Christmas Eve. I have been, so surprised in the last couple of weeks at how many people actually read this blog.  Some have been the least I expected to be reading it.  But I guess I have a lot more people who care and pray for me than I know.  Thank you for that.
My friend Jan came over fairly early this morning to get the scarves I made her, and in return she brought me a hamburger and black bean taco mixture so I could make a taco for lunch.  I ended up making a burrito with it, but it tasted great just the same.  She also brought some yummy fudge.  I'm sure it will help to add a few pounds to my bare bones.  It's always a battle between chemo treatments to regain the weight I lose the first couple of days of chemo.  I can't believe how fast I lose it and how hard it is to gain it back.  I seem to be doing pretty well, but even though I worked hard the last round, I think I was 1 or 2 pounds short. So the fight goes on.  Maybe having a few 3 week breaks traveling and eating out will help a lot.  I plan on taking along some protein bars and things like that to snack on when I'm gone.  Taking the diuretic doesn't help either, I have a hard time putting as much liquid in as goes out.
My arthritis in my hips hasn't been helped by this cold weather either.  I'm hoping traveling to warmer climates this winter will help in that matter too!
Okay enough complaining....I'm supposed to be celebrating the good news.  I was wearing my new necklace that Kathleen gave me when I got the news, so I am still wearing it, and don't plan on taking it off any time soon.  Kathleen thinks it was good luck cause she and mom were both with me....I'm sure she is right.
Well, off to print off my Chirstmas letter so I get them in the mail soon.  Love and Prayers, m

The Sun is Shining and So Am I!!

I know this is Friday Morning and I was supposed to write this last night, however, after emailing everyone the good news from the doctor, and talking to several that don't have email access I guess I felt I communicated the day already.  So here it is!!!  I'm STABLE!  There may be one spot in my lung that grew one tenth of a Milometer or whatever small metric measurement they use.  But the doctor said it could have just been measured in a different spot than before, or at a different angle so he wasn't worried about it at all.  There is no cure for colorectal cancer, so Stable is fantastic in my book. He told me to have fun, travel, or do whatever makes me happy.  I will go back on the same chemo regiment, (every two weeks, but if I missed one week, not to worry) and that will start the day after Christmas.  I needed to get a couple in before I leave for Hawaii, and then when I get home I hope to get another in before I leave for SLC and Sedona.  I'm so excited about the news and the trips. and I don't know if I've told you, but my cousin Judy has invited me to go to Holland with her and her sister-in-law to visit relatives of Frank and Annie, and then Judy and I will take a train or boat or whatever transportation we can to Switzerland and stay with cousin Karen.  I'm so excited.
Speaking of Karen, I forgot her birthday earlier this month, as well as Sandi (Joe's wife).  They actually share the same birthday, and I feel bad that I missed them.  Happy Birthday Ladies!! Love you both. Hope the Sun Shined on both of you that day and the rest of the new year.
Speaking of Sunshine, we didn't even get a dusting of that snow that caused blizzard conditions across Iowa and southern MN and especially Wisconsin.  Verona, WI got 20 inches of snow.  We thought it was bad last week with 15 inches.
After the doctor's visit yesterday, Annie and I went shopping for ugly Christmas Sweaters at Savers, and then after finding some for Nicole and Allie, Annie also found one for the neighbor girl Jackie, as well.
Whewwwwww!! Right as I was typing my computer shut down for some system updates.  I was afraid I lost everything, but it reopened and low and behold it was just as I left it.  Happy about that.
Any way after Savers, we went to Marshall's  and couldn't find anything we were looking for, but she did buy a couple of things she liked for herself.  She must take after her mother, the last two times I've been shopping, I only bought things for myself.  Oh, Well.
She brought me home and I emailed and called people with the good news, and then did some more decorating of the tree with tinsel  and putting clothes away that Annie had brought up from the basement that was left in the dryer the other day when she was here.  So now I still have a load of towels laying on the couch to fold and put away, and more tinsel to put on the tree.
My friend Jan is here to pick up the scarves I made for her, and I guess I better finish this and get moving.  Love and Prayers, m

I Saw the Sun Shine Today!

I'm hoping that meant a good sign for me results of the CT scan.
Bonnie came to pick me up 1 hour early this morning, and I went to the door, and said "no Bonnie....9:15, not 8:15.  She started to argue, and then cheerfully went back home for another hour of coffee and watching the news.  She even made herself a special cup of flavored coffee to bring along with her to drink while she waited for me.
At 9:15, I was ready had and drank the last of the contrast liquid I was required to drink.  20 oz. in all.  Then we were off to HHH.  I got right in to have my port accessed, and then went across the hall to the Imaging Center, where I waited only a few minutes to get in for the scan.  I told the nurse that I thought this was my 42nd Scan, and we joked about my being a frequent flyer and I should have gotten at least one free scan every 40. But when I got home and looked it up, it was my 43rd.  I haven't been counting PET scans, but I don't think it is more than five.  Chemo and radiation, I gave up counting a long time ago.
The scan went well, but I don't get the results till tomorrow at 2 p.m.  It will be my last appointment I think with Dr. Londer as he is retiring, but I do have a chemo planned for the 26th of Dec., so I might get to see him then for the last time.  They have a party planned for him of the 4th of Jan in the afternoon  so I may see if I can make that.  He's been my oncologist since being diagnosed with rectal cancer in 2007, so I've become kinda attached to him.  I have a new doctor in mind, and I have seen her before, so she is not exactly a stranger, and the doctors replacing him, are new to the clinic, so I don't know anything about them.  Londer thinks I should go with Dr. Maratra I'm sure that is spelled wrong, but that is how it sounds.
Bonnie and I went out for brunch at Baker's Square, and got our free pie.  All senior citizens go there on Wed. to get their free pie....but that isn't way we went, but did take home a piece of candy cane pie. From there we went to Walgreens, as I had a Balance Rewards rebate for $10 that expired today....so I got stuff that I use all the time, and a few things I was out of, as well as, a timer for my tree lights, so I don't have to bend over everyday to plug them in and then again to pull the plug out.  Especially because it is behind my nativity scene, and I was knocking down the wise men and sheep all the time. The bill had to be over $50, to get the 10 off, and I didn't realize that dairy and taxes didn't count toward the $50, and I had bought egg nog and some coffee mate  So when I got to the register the clerk couldn't figure out why it wasn't working (nor I), and then she thought it was the taxes, so she said how about if you buy a caramel (3/99) and so she added that, and it didn't work, then she added another, and that didn't work, and then the third.  So then she started looking at the list of things I had boughten, and realized I had the egg nog, so she talked me into adding 3 candy bars for $1.89 and that wasn't enough, and then another 3 and that didn't work, so I had her delete the egg nog all together, and it still didn't work, so then she looked at the list again, and realized I had the non-dairy creamer, but what they were considering dairy, so again we added 3 more candy bars, and it finally worked....so she took off the $10, and said now do you want me to add the eggnog back on, and I said yes.  So it ended up I came out with more candy than I wanted and less discount than I wanted as well.  So dumb.  After leaving, I realized I should have gotten cans of chicken broth that they had a $.59 coupon for, and I really could have used....I also forgot about a humidifier that I talked about getting at brunch.  Oh well, next time I'll read the fine print better.
I did get a gift in the mail yesterday I forgot to tell you about.  My rebate from Centerpoint for insulating my attic came.  I had forgotten all about it, so was really happy that it came now just before Christmas, cause I have been spending like it going out of style.
Didn't get as far on the tinsel as I hoped last night, so I will work on that again tonight, and Annie is coming early tomorrow to help clean before the weeks festivities start.  She said I could stay sleeping, and she would work around me.  She has a few more presents of mine to wrap as well. Then she will go with me to get the results of the scan.
Not much else left to do, and nothing more to tell you tonight.  Say some prayers, that the scan results are good.  Love and Prayers, m

Where is the Sunshine?

Cloudy outside but warm and sunny inside.  I had a good day today, I had to get up and start moving early, as I had an appointment to havve my teeth cleaned at 9:30, and Sandi Moinicken was picking me up at 9:15 a.m.  You all know by now how much I dislike mornings.  My dad worked some nights as i was growing up, and Gene worked nights all but 1 year of our married life.  So getting up was never something I was used to.  I remember even in high school when I would wait till the last minute to get out of bed, and Kathleen would be calling for me to get up so we wouldn't miss the bus.  I guess it never got any better.  Anyway I was almost ready when Sandi got here this morning   I didn't have a chance to put make-up on, but figured it would get ruined by the spray of the tools the hygienist used.  So all I had to do was put on my boots, coat and gloves and I was the door.

My hygienist has been the same for about 20 years, and I really enjoy visiting etc....cause she remembers all about my family etc., and I do a pretty good job of keeping up with hers as well.  She gets to do more talking than me....cause she has her hands in my mouth most of the time....but I do get a few words in edgewise, and we both laugh a lot.  I'm sure Sandi wondered what was taking so long, but the time went fast for me.....till laying on my back got to me.  She let me move to my side for the last 15 minutes or so.  She filled my back with samples of toothpaste, floss, mouthwash and a new toothbrush which I will pack for my trips coming up.  They comes just in time..  

After Sandi brought me home, I went to work on doing the wash that I hadn't done in 3 weeks, and hardly had a pair of underwear or pjs left to wear....actually I didn't have a pair of pjs to wear tonight if I didn't wash some.  I put in one load, made another trip to the basement to move it to the dryer, and put in another load, and then a third trip down to take out the first load from the dryer and mover the pjs from the washer and dryer.  But then needed someone to carry up the dry clean clothes and I knew I couldn't do that myself....so I texted Annie and asked her to stop by when she could....and she did. I helped her fold a huge basket of clean pjs and underwear etc. and she was so kind as to put it all away for me.  I really don't know what I would do without my family....and my friends who all come to my aid at my beck and call.  Thank God for all of you....and thank you.

Been watching ""The Voice" all evening, and can't wait to hear who wins.  Must work on some more tinsel, may get it done tonight, and I can check another thing off my list.  The letter and cards will come on Thursday, as I get my CT scan tomorrow bright and early....I don't even want to talk about getting up and moving and being ready by 8:15 a.m. but that is when Bonnie will be here.  Plus I have to get up even earlier to take the contrast drink.  Oh boy!!

Then on Thursday, Annie will come with me to get the results, and I hope and pray it is good, but I will wait till then to write the letter.  So don't plan on getting your card before Christmas.

Love and Prayers, m

P.S. Some more powerful words from my cousin Louie:  All kinds of solutions for last Friday's murderous rampage are being proposed and talked about. Some hold potential for good, and some seem doubtful in terms of their effectiveness. 

Whatever else we decide to do as a country, it seems like it would be a good time to consider our individual acts and words in relating to each other. Are we going to pass on anger, hurt, and bitterness and let them take their due and inevitable course to more darkness and more evil? 

Or might we try to pass on more kindness, affection, genuine respect and love and let them take their due course?

Of course, we need to take all kinds of measures to resolve what ails our society. Some of them we can promote and foster, but no matter how hard we work at changing rules, structures and modes of protection they offer no sure resolution in and of themselves.

There is responsibility for all of us in this. We need to consider the measure of love and kindness that we send out in waves from ourselves and the measure of darker things we also produce. They don't need to be big things in either case, but they travel far and are often magnified for good or ill in others. 

I look at my life these days and see a great harvest of kindness, mercy, forgiveness, love and all kinds of other good that have changed my life always for the better. Much of that began with some small act of kindness on the part of one person, that passed on to another and another, and along the way, was passed on to me. I hope and pray that the bulk of my actions and words have done more to pass on the good that I have been given.

Of course, we are not just the sum total of the good and bad things others have done for us and to us. We remain free to use what we have been given for ill or good, for the benefit only of ourselves, or for the benefit of others as well. When I think about the young man who carried out the wretched acts last Friday, I can't pretend to have any insight into the state of his mind, or the process that lead to his actions. We can't know how much real "freedom" he actually had. 

But we do have freedom to act and speak out of love or hate. The smallest of acts travel a very long distance. It seems like an impossible uphill climb to create a society in which love and kindness prevail, but I am not about to quit trying.  Louie

Again No Sun!!!

But I made the most of it....I sewed, crocheted, decorated (I'm half way up the tree with tinsel.
Doug came over bright and early, and dug out my sewing machine and put it in the kitchen.  I finished 2 sewing projects and unplugged itt, and wrapped the cords around it ready fr someone to put it back in the closet for me.....then I remembered I had one more job to do wth it, so I got all set, plugged it in and low and behold the electrical part of it stopped and I ended up getting it ready to put away again, and sewed by hand....but did it.
Then I started crocheting again, and got all six done for Jan.  The ones i made for her take a lot longer, more than double the time....I don't know why, they also take more yarn.  Anyway I'm done with them, and started one the way I make them, but I got tired of crocheting and did some stuff around the house, like emptying the dishwasher and boring stuff.
I talked to Janet on the phone for a while while watching "The Voice" and then went online and voted for Nicholas David the maximum 10 times.  Tonight they announced the winner.  Not only is Nicholas from Minnesota but he is related to a relative of mine in St. Paul, so that makes it even more exciting.
I then worked on the tree and that will be my job today, after the dentist to hve my teeth cleaned, and wash clothes.  And I better get in thee shower before Sandi gets here.  Love and Prayers, m

Another Dreary Busy Day!!

I was expecting Annie and Nicole to come around 10 a.m. this morning, so I was up and at um right away.  By 9:30 a.m. I was dressed and started getting things organized for Annie and Nicole to come and help me wrap all the Christmas presents that I have been shopping for the last month.  They didn't get here till about 10:30, but they got right to work and worked like busy beavers wrapping over 50 packages....I helped a little, but not with anything that needed paper wrapping.  I did some bags, and  chow mien like containers and stuff like that.  Anyway by the time they had to leave for Matthew's 1 p.m. hockey game there were only a few things, less then 5 to do, and all of them needed something before they could be wrapped.  So I'm feeling really organized right now.
I still have Christmas cards to do, but am waiting till after Thursday's meeting with my oncologist, which is the day after my CT scan.  I want to give everyone the most up to date information.  So don't expect your cards and notes till maybe after Christmas.  I may have them already to go, and just have to add the latest info and pop them in the mail....I've got stamps etc. already, and even put some of the return address labels on a bunch today.
After Ann and Nicole left, I went to work trying to organize the back bedroom, so Tom and Karen might have a spot to sleep when then come next week,  I'm guessing the kids will end up at Annies.  I putzed around all afternoon while watching the Vikings.  They actually showed up for the game today too!  My fantasy football days are over for the season.  The top half of the field were in the play offs starting today.  My team didn't make it.  I did start winning at the end of the season,  but not enough to make it to the play-offs.  Oh Well!!  There is always next year.
Later in the afternoon I got a call from cousin Karen in Switzerland, we must have talked for a half hour or more.  I enjoy visiting with her so much, and I got to tell her that Judy and I may be there in May to visit.  Judy has invited me along with her sister-in-law to Holland, and then Judy and I would take a train down to Karen's for a visit.  I think she is even more excited about it than me....and I'm really excited about the opportunity to go back to Europe and seeing Karen and Reudi again.
Worked on more scarves this evening, Jan has asked me to make six for her, and I've two down and four to go.  Put some more tinsel on the tree that I started last night, but have a long way to go on it.
Nothing else to report, will work on tinsel and my Christmas note tomorrow, and then on Tuesday morning I have a dentist appointment to have my teeth cleaned, Wed. my CTscan, and Th, the oncologist appointment and I might not have anything on Friday, but Saturday night another Holiday party to go to.  So it all begins!!  Love and Prayers, m

Dreary Day Warmed by Great Friends

8:15 or a little after the phone rang, and it was Cherie announcing the morning brunch was on at Jan's, and they would be at my house to pick me up a little before 10 a.m. at about 10 minutes to 10 a car pulled up in the driveway and I opened the door to let them know I saw them, and put on my coat, and as I had my back turned in walked my son Bill.  He came over to pack up a few more boxes of his albums that have been stored in my basement since he got out of college or maybe even before.  Anyway he took a couple of boxes last Sunday and was back today to get the rest after he had unloaded those boxes.
He spent just a few minutes visiting and Cherie and Barb drove up, so had to cut the visit short, but that didn't stop him from staying and getting most of what he came to get.  The other was a donation to the cabin fund, which we didn't get time to finish discussing.  But we took care of that later in the day after I came back home.
Jan was ready despite the short notice.  The house looked beautiful including the beautiful tree decorated all in red.  At the end of the visit Lloyd took a couple of pictures of us in front of it.  Hopefully we all look as beautiful as the tree did.  Funny last week when we were at lunch with the retiree's I said I was going to have my hair cut and colored on Wednesday, and said I wanted to look beautiful for Christmas, and Sandi Moinicken said "I gave up on that years ago" and we all laughed hysterically.  Now I'm hoping I look as beautiful as a Christmas tree.  How crazy is that?
The morning was filled with such great conversations and story's of how long we've been friends etc....it's sad we only have a few chances each year to all get together.  As we live on opposite sides of the cities, it's hard, and now that I can't drive it's even harder, plus family's to plan around and all that kind of stuff.  I thought as our families grew and kids got married it would be easier, but then you have grandkids, and extended families and illnesses and on and on.  I love these women and we need to get together more often.
Sadly having to leave such great friends and coming back home, I called Bill and continued the conversation we started this morning, and I cheerfully donated to the cabin fund, the kids were in need of boosting.  Taxes raising with the new addition and insurance coming due they were in a crunch with all having holiday costs of their own.  I never mind putting money into the cabin, as it's the kids anyway, and when I'm gone they will get it all.  So why not now when I can enjoy giving it to them and enjoy, being there with them.
So Bill came and got me, and we went to Walgreens where I can withdraw money, and then went to Cub's TCF bank where he could deposit it.  Worked slick, and gave me more time to visit with him as well.
After that, I thought I would have time to take a nap, which I did, but for some reason got busy with other things, and did get a short 15 or 20 minute snooze before Carol and Del came to pick me up for church.  Church was again a wonderful evening of seeing people I call family that I hadn't seen in ages, and a few I see almost every time I go.  Got to visit with John and Clarice Koffski after church and got their email and phone number in case I need a ride or some way they could help.  Then off to Baker's Square where Kathie Fritz joined us for dinner.  Another great chance for visiting and good fun conversation took place.
I came home and saw I had a couple of missed calls, one from my daughter, who didn't answer as I returned it, so left her a message and one for my sister who called to let me know she had gotten her Christmas package from me and put it under her tree, I on the other hand had gotten her package today too, but I opened mine immediately.  I'm so bad at that!!  I can never wait to see what she has sent.  I have a couple of times saved it till Christmas just to have something to open by myself, but I got over that fast.  She sent me a gorgeous copper necklace that says: You Are My Sunshine  on it....along with some cute earrings designed by someone named Kathleen....and a compact of rough she bought last summer when we were in Vegas.  I wore the rough to church tonight, but couldn't get the latch to work on the necklace...well my fingers couldn't get it to work.
I had a great visit with her, and so my day was filled with great visits.  Around 10:20, Annie returned my voice message, and said she and Nicole were coming tomorrow morning around 10 a.m. to help me wrap presents, but they had to be out of here for Matthews hockey game at 1 p.m. so it's going to be fast wrapping.
I think I better go to bed so I'm ready for all that wrapping.  Love and Prayers, m

God Have Mercy for those in Newtown, CN

These are the words from my cousin Louie's words from his blog, and I felt it had to be repeated in my blog.

 It's downright silly to talk about aches, pains, diseases and ills on a day when 20 little children and eight adults lives were snuffed out in such an astonishingly brutal way. It's hard to imagine any kind of mental state that could lead a person to destroy so many others. it's less hard to imagine why that person would then want to des, troy themselves. 

Of course there is all kinds of violence that takes place on our city streets, in homes, schools and a multitude of institutions.The violence is played out around the globe, often for more sinister purposes than what appears to be gross mental illness, but the sheer force of twenty young children being shot to death in one place still manages to slap us across the face. God have mercy on those families in Connecticut, and on the survivors. God forgive us for all of the ways we foster violence and urge it on, even in our play and games. God protect us from ourselves. 

Having spent last evening with Mary and Randall close to the first anniversary of the sudden death of their son, it is not impossible for me to understand a bit of the depth of agony that those families in Newtown are experiencing, and will continue to experience for a very long time.

It was striking this evening, to see the people of this stunned New England village gathering together to care for each other and pray the desperate prayers of people who have come so close to loss and now find themselves unable to make sense of the fabric of daily life. The pastor of one of the churches where people were gathering was interviewed and came undone in tears and grief.

These things yield to no easy answers. Grief cannot simply be shaken off like an uncomfortable cloak. In such moments, love seems more like a yawning chasm of pain and loss than a consolation. 

This too will pass, but there is no way to make it pass easily. For many people, this is exactly like the cup that Jesus asked his Father to let pass, but in these first hours and weeks and months, and for some -  years - the capacity to say, "but not my will..." will be very nearly impossible to even imagine much less say.

My thoughts and prayers today have taken on a whole new "family" of people I know next to nothing about, only that they are in incredible pain tonight. I haven't forgotten anyone else on the list, but the list suddenly got much more crowded.

Louie

I had a good morning, and then the TV switched to the site in Newtown, Connecticut.  From that point on I was rivited and clued to the TV. Bonnie came at about 2 p.m., and we watched TV, made granola, and she used my computer to research some Christmas gifts she still needed to find.  She did find one, and paid for it, and put it on a hold at Toy's R Us near Ridgedale that she can pick up there on Monday.  

Later this evening, Gene's niece Bobbi Jo stopped and we visited and ate chow mein that she had picked up on her way over.  Then she ended up leaving the remains for me....it'll take me 4 days or more to eat it all....but it was very good.

Tomorrow we've cancelled and tentivally rescheduled depending on what the weather is doing tomorrow morning at 8:15.  So I think we will be going to Jan's for our yearly Christmas gathering of Cherie Gardner, Jan Ranum, and Barb Skiereicki.  This year at Jan's.  Cherie and Barb will pick me up for brunch at Jans.

For tonight, Love and Prayers, m

Strange Day

I got up a little earlier than normal for my oversleeping habit this morning. Of course now that I didn't have to write a blog in the morning, I had plenty of time, so I ended up playing "Words With Friends" for over an hour.  Then answered some emails, and all of a sudden it was time to get dressed and get ready to go get unplugged.  Bonnie came at 12:15 that for my 1 p.m. unplug appointment, and I was ready to go.  I asked her if she could stop at Michael's, cause I was out of yarn, and now was short 3 gifts, as I handed them out to all the women at the clinic, and also bags of cookies and candy to the males which there were three. I had to steal out of the bags of some of them I had made, so when I went today I could give to those who missed out on Tuesday, when I was there for chemo.  Anyway Bonnie didn't mind, but said should we pick up some treats to take to Lois's while we watch a movie....dahhhhh! I had forgotten that we were going to visit Lois who had her hip surgery last Friday, and we had planned on going on Sunday, but because of the snowstorm, we decided to wait till today, when she was home and feeling better.  I suggested we pack up some of the treats I had, so that is what we did.
At Michael's, I got carried away like I always do, and came out $38 later. I did get everything that I will use or give as a gift....so I don't feel bad about that.  Already made one replacement, two to go....actually I really only have one to go, cause I found out tonight that Gene's sister Hon won't be at the Christmas Day celebration of Gene's family.
At Lois's we watched "Holiday Inn" a forties Movie that I had not seen before, and it was so forties, but fun.  Loved the singing and dancing, even though when they just start dancing with someone they've never seen before and they new every step...as a dancer I know you need a little rehearsal...it just doesn't happen.  Oh well that was the "forties".
Got home at 5:30 or so, and had to call my cousin Richard (Aunt Loretta's son) who had called me earlier back at Michael's.  He told me about an news report on the Christian Broadcasting Network.  So he had me go online and after several minutes of trying to find it again, and having me on my computer at the same time we finally found it.  He suggested I watch it, and it is about starving cancer....about 15 minutes long.  So when I got off the phone I realized I hadn't eaten anything other than cookies and candy since peanut butter toast this morning, so I decided to eat dinner and watch the news before watching it, and then when I just started to watch he called back to see what I though of it, and I told him I just started watching it.  So he said when I did to either call or email him, and tell him what I thought about it.  Well I got off the phone with him, and Gene's sister Rhonda called it was now going on 8 o'clock, and we talked till about 9 p.m. and by 9:25 I realized I hadn't taken my 8 p.m. pain med.  My pain med's seems to take 2 hours to really take effect, and I realized how much I really need it....as for the next two hours I laid on the couch going from side to side trying to find a position less painful....but not able to.  I got up and walked, stretched, tried rubbing my feet and legs, and finally by 11:30 I was not in pain, and ready to write this blog.  Haven't watched the news report yet....maybe tomorrow morning....ready for bed now.  Hope you had a good day...most of mine was.  Love and Prayers, m

Cloudy....But Warming Up!

I don't have time again this morning....I may have to start to night time writing, as I seem to be having problems with mornings.  I will write later today, as I have a hair appointment and I need to jump in the shower and get dressed by 9:50, and I've not even started to get there.
Also I was having problems with this site last night, and I have a few words missing and maybe misspellings but they wouldn't let me correct I tried editing 3 times with out it working.  later, m
Okay, the decision has been made, I will be writing at night from now on.  I hate morning, and when I was writing it was getting later and later, and when I have early morning appointments, I wasn't remembering to write till late in the day, so I've decided, I am a night person, and so from now on I will write at night before going to bed.
Today, I got my shower and Bonnie picked me up at 9:55 to go to Jan's to have my hair cut and colored.  It is the last day she is doing hair till Jan. 2.  She always closes before the holidays, as they then become busy with Santa appearances.  She was putting in a 13 hour day, and after me was Doug's hair cut, so I waited for him to be done and he then gave me a ride home.  While there she got two calls of people who wanted to be squeezed in....however she was only able to get one in, if he could get there within the next 10 minutes and he arrived before we left which was only 5 minutes after he hung up the phone.
Doug came in and did a few more jobs for me.  I am so lucky to have him close, and he also has to pick up a couple prescriptions from HealthPartners in the morning for me on his way to work.  When we got to my house the snow plow had gone by and left a pile in front of the driveway, so he shoveled that out before he left too!  Such a great son-in-law.
I didn't do a lot this afternoon, but Annie did stop in with the tree tops and a gift card I had her buy for me. She picked them up after school and dropped them off before going home.  I had her do a few jobs for me too!  She found the tinsel....so I can now start putting it on, but didn't get to that this evening, I did do some more decorating and it's beginning to look pretty good in here.  Also did some more crocheting and ate some more of the chicken and dumplings.  Ate it twice yesterday, and once today.  Later I finished off the pot stickers I made the other night, and also had a chicken sandwich 
Now it's time for bed.  Hope you all had a great day.  Love and Prayers, m

Still Kicking!

Sorry this is so late, but I was late all day.  I had warned Mary Ward who was picking me up, that she might have to pull me off the couch when she arrived at 8 a.m., as I hate early mornings  So anyway the alarm went off at 7 a.m., and I thought to myself only 5 more minutes, but as the alarm on my clock is a radio, it didn't have a snooze alarm on it.  At 8:15 I heard this voice coming down the hall towards my bedroom, and sure enough it was it was Mary. I jumped out of bed, got dressed, and headed for phone to call HHH and let them know that I would be there in 1/2 hour.  I then made coffee for each of us, and a piece of toast for myself, and took my pills and put on my boots and ate the toast, drank some of the coffee, and but on my coat and headed to Mary's car.  (She had the neighbor Jim across the street, open the garage for her and get into the house.)
I didn't realized the drive to HHH would be so horrible, and didn't get there till 9:45, only 1 hour and 15 minutes late for my appointment....thank goodness some had called in and cancelled, and others were as late as i was.  The day went well, and Judy and I tied 2/2 at cribbage.  So that was nice.  She stopped at Cub for me to pick up the ingredients to make chicken and dumplings, that I have been craving since Mary Brue said she was fixing it on Sunday evening or was that Monday?
When I got home I immediately took a nap, and then got up and started fixing dinner around 7 p.m. and watched "The Voice" and again Nicolas David has made it to the finals!  I'm so excited for him....a MN native, from Eden Prairie.
The dinner turned out great, and I think I'll have my second helping now.  I'll write about tomorrow's plans in the morning.  Till then, Love and Prayers, m

And More Snow!!

I think Coon Rapids got about 14 inches or more.  It has finally stopped, and the sun is shining, but now it's colder than heck!  Most of the schools in rural areas are either closed or 2 ours late.
I spent most of the evening staring at the beautiful tree.  Advantages of a fake tree, are it comes prelit,...we didn't have to untangle a pile of light strings, that you thought you had carefully placed in a box.  It's shaped well and is the right height ....we didn't have cut anything off....and there are no needles all over the floor where we dragged it in. We didn't  have to go out in the cold and pick it out when the branches were frozen up, so you couldn't tell what it would look like till it thawed out and the branches fell.  And you only pay for it once....not each year.  So happy also that I have a great family that came and put it up and decorated it for me.  I didn't bring out the tinsel....in all the commotion, that is something I will do in the evening, while watching a good Christmas program, or listening to great Christmas music.  Karen thinks Kennedy might be patient or perfectionist enough to learn how to do it.  Unfortunately she won't be here till after Christmas and the tree is decorated, but I think I will try to give her a quick lesson and see how she does.  Someone needs to carry-on the tradition.  If I start now when she is young (12 now) she will be able to do it for her own tree when she eventually gets married.  Okay Kennedy....that's your challenge, I'd love for you to take it on!!
This afternoon I am going to lunch with the retiree's at Applebees, and Bonnie has volunteered to pick me and Mary Brue up.  Mary was going to pick me up, but with Bonnie able to go, Mary doesn't have to go out of her way for me, and it's on the way for Bonnie to pick up both of us.  Mary also hates to drive in the snowy slippery streets.  Bonnie drives a midsize SUV vehicle and doesn't mind driving in this weather at all.  My street has been plowed, and the neighbor came over and plowed out my driveway for the second time.  He did it early yesterday morning, but by the time the kids got here at 11:30, it had snowed another couple of inches, and so they widened it and cleaned it off once more.  Then when Bill left (the last to go) he again found a couple of shovels and three of them cleaned about another 6 or more inches of snow off the driveway.  You wouldn't think it needed it again this morning, but it looked like either it snowed a lot more, or it had blown the driveway full.  It's clean now.
Well it's getting time for me to get in the shower. I hope Doug will come and pick up the stuff they forgot here yesterday when they left, and do a few quick jobs like carrying stuff up from the basement, and putting the leaf back in my table that has been out since card club the beginning of October.
Well Mary just called and she said her street got plowed finally, but her grandson hasn't gotten to her driveway yet....so we need to call her before we leave here to see if she can get out or not.  Better get in that shower.  Love and Prayers, m

Snow, Snow, and More Snow!

I don't know if it's stopped all day.  I don't know what happened this morning, but I went to the couch, and fell back a sleep, and was woke up by the phone ringing at 11 a.m.  I was supposed to be up and greeting everyone who was coming to decorate the house and put up the tree.  It was Bill, asking if they should eat before they came.  I said yes, cause I just planned on having the kids bake some snicker-doodles and make hot chocolate and good coffee for the adults.  It was lucky he called, as I was still in my pjs, and couldn't believe I fell a sleep and didn't wake up till 11 a.m.  I jumped up and got dressed and combed my hair.
Bill and Kim and the kids were the first to arrive, Doug had to help the neighbors and blow out their drive way before coming, and then needed to shower.  Jim and Ann had planned on coming after the game, but called and when they heard I wasn't leaving, they decided to come then too!  So the tree got set up and decorated and the pickle hide.  It took Matthew a long time to find it, but finally did....and got his candy cane as his prize.  Nicole got to put the Angel on the top of the tree, as she was the oldest grand daughter here.  She commented that she was the shortest too!  I told the girls which ornaments were 50 years old, and where I got a lot of them.  I also have one of grandma Scheiber's ornaments, so I'm guessing it is over 100 years old, or close to it.  I love sitting here this evening and looking at it lite up.  Nice to have a tree that came prelite. I had the girls take out only Angels and Santa's this year, along with my nativity scene which is 50 years old....I bought for our first Christmas.
The boys took down the basement tree, and boxed it, so we can take it to the cabin and decorate it for the birds.  That reminds me, Tommy and I spread some pine cones with peanut butter and rolled them in  bird seed, and hung them out side the window and also Kim and Katie put artificial roping in the window boxes in front of the house.  Allie and Katie did some making of snowballs and trying to hit the tree, I think they did once.  I found some little trees and benches and people from a winter scene I used to put up, but haven't for years.  Matthew loved them and will put them by his train set.
Yesterday was great fun.  Judy picked me up and we drove up to North Branch for the baby shower of her sister Jackie's first grand baby.  He is her only son Matthew's son Michael Matthew Patton.  He is a month early and weighed 8 lbs 2 ozs. and was a month premature.  He has a few problems, a hole in his heart, and is forgetting to breath once in a while.  A little johnest and they have him under the lights.  He was going to have some tests and they were not sure they could do it in the hospital in Eau Clair, and may have to move him to a Children's hospital near Madison Marshfield, WI I believe.  Since Melissa and baby were still in the hospital, Matthew had set up a Skype session for mom, and Jackie opened the gifts while Melissa watched.  We passed the computer around the room, so we each could greet her as well.  Later in the after noon, Judy brought me home, and I spend the evening cleaning out the living room, so that the kids could decorate today.
That's it for today, Thank you to all the decorators, and love and prayers for the new baby. m

It's Gonna Be a White Christmas!!

Got a dusting last night.....but tonight they are promising 7-10 inches for the northern side of the cities.
I don't have time to write now, cause I'm going to North Branch for a baby shower.....but I'll be back....stuck in the house to watch the snow fall.  Talk to you later!!!  m

Sun Now But Snow to Come Later!

I think in the northern suburbs, we won't get much....so not worried about it.
Yesterday was a wonderful day of shopping with Patty Tkach and lunch to top it off.  We shopped Menards and Costco before heading to Acapulco for lunch, and that lasted about 1 and 1/2 hours or so....talking all the time.  Did you expect anything else?  After lunch the hunt went on, and we went to Target, Michaels and then a few restaurants for gift cards.  At Michaels, I had resolved to not buy anymore yarn, but took Patty back to the corner of the store where it is to show her, and sure enough it was on sale, so I ended up loving a few colors I hadn't seen before and buying two.  You know what I was doing last night.  I also got a couple of surprise gifts.  At Arby's we asked for the gift card in the drive-thru, and he said do you want a shake with that?  We asked if it was free with the gift card, and he said yes, so I got my choice of several wonderful sounding shakes, but ended up picking a peppermint swirl!  Then at another place buying a certain number of gift cards, gave me a free $10 card. I was excited about that.  I got presents too!!
After all the shopping, I got home at about 3 p.m., Patty had to drive downtown to pick up Dennis, and they were going on their monthly dinner date.....I on the other hand went to the couch for a nap.
After my nap, I went to work filling all the bags (inplace of stockings....they hold more) for the grandkids, and those of the parents.  I thought I was done, when I came home, but have realized after checking the list twice, that I am missing a few things. I did know I was missing one fast food set of gift cards, but wasn't close to it yesterday, and don't need for a couple of weeks, but was shocked when I realized I was missing something larger for one of the grandkids.  Luckily only one kid, and then one adult.  Other than that I'm done with family, friends, and the tags from the church trees.
Yesterday I was lamenting over stocking stuffers for the boys, but once I got in the stores with Patty, she helped me come up with some great ideas and gifts...I hope the boys think so....well I hope they all think so.
After doing all of that, and my nap, I decided I better get my SS application done.  I have to reapply as me, and not as Gene.  I get more money now for me than as Gene.  Mine has grown a lot, even since June when they told me to wait till January to start mine.  Just in that time it's grown $120, and I think about $200 over what I'm now getting.  Hurrah!!!
I don't have plans for this afternoon, but I think I'll do some wrapping.  Tomorrow I was thinking I didn't have anything to do, but I have the shower for my cousin Jackie's new grandson. The baby weighted over 8 lbs, but is a month early and still considered premature, and sometimes forgets to breath, so they have him in the hospital monitoring him.  The shower is in North Branch, and hopefully we won't have much snow.  I'm guessing the further North you are the better it will be.  Judy, has returned to Minnesota for a short visit, and has volunteered to drive me and then to be my chemo buddy next Tuesday when I have my last chemo for this round.  The following week, I'll have my CTscan.
Well, I better get busy here, and get something done.  Keep up the prayers for the baby and all those on my list....and for me too!  Love and Prayers, m

Sorta Sunny!

The clouds are moving out, but I don't really see the sun yet.....but I do see blue sky!  Ohhhh the sun just popped out!!!  It's going to be a sunshiney day!
This weather is making my hips hurt.  I think it's arthritis, and the oxycontin doesn't seem to do much for it.  But once I get moving for the day it goes away.  Thus, I keep moving as much as possible.
I didn't shop yesterday....but I did move....organized all I had already bought, and trying to figure out what still needed to be purchased.  I did accomplish a lot, and am ready to go out again today.  I may not finish today, but at least I know exactly what I need, and what stores I need to shop at.  Almost everything I need right now are gift cards.  Both from restaurants and stores....mostly restaurants left!  I'm really at a blank figuring out what to get for the boys stockings.  It's easy to find things for the girls (at least for me) and with Jack at 20 and Matthew 7, you can't get them all the same things.  What I'm looking for are things under $3 as stocking stuffers.  The girls already have at least two more items than the boys....so hope somethings will come to me while out today.
I put out a call for a fellow shopper to take me, and Patty Tkach volunteered and we will go out this morning around 11 a.m. and then have lunch.  Maybe go back shopping after lunch, if I haven't gotten enough finished by then.  Only need two before this weekend, and the rest can wait, cause we won't be celebrating Christmas with my kids and grandkids till after the 25th anyway.  I haven't seen Patty for a while, so it will be fun to catch up with her.
Don't have any big plans for the rest of the week.  Church on Saturday and then on Sunday the kids are coming to help decorate the house and put up the tree and get it decorated too.  I'm still set on putting real tinsel on the tree, even though a few years ago I gave up having a real tree in the house.  I will put real tinsel (lead tinsel...not cellophane)  on the tree.  Of course it has to be carefully placed on each branch, not crooked and tangled.  I sometimes have to straighten it after people have left, and it becomes an obsession to keep it looking perfect.  My mom taught me how to put it on the tree, when I became old enough to do it right.  I don't think I have ever let my kids put it on, as I don't trust them to be patient enough.  It may be time to find one or two of the grandkids who would care enough to learn how.  You haven't been able to buy real tinsel since the 70's, so I keep it from year to year, and even have a box never opened   So when the season ends, I carefully take it all off, and then the kids can take the rest of the decorations off and the tree down.  I spend several evenings, listening to Christmas music and putting tinsel on the tree, admiring all the ornaments collected over the years.  We've bought ornaments from each country we visited in Europe on one vacation, and still have a couple of glass ball ornaments I bought and put on our first Christmas tree.  I also have the nativity scene I bought for our first Christmas.  So it's all a very sentimental process that I love.  Christmas is full of traditions, and it's hard to let some of them go, but over the years I've had to give some of them up and make new ones in their place.....but some live on, and when I have to give them up, I'll find something else to take it's place.  It's just the love and happiness it all brings that will never end.
Okay enough....they just played a commercial for Children's Tylenol and they are singing "You are my Sunshine" how special is that!!!  The love will never end.
Hope you have a sunshiney day!  Love and Prayers, m

Good Morning Sunshine!

I love, love, love the Sonshine!!!  Yes that's Son...when the sun shines I know it's the Son shining on me.  He's there all the time, but my mind recognizes it so much faster when the sun is actually shining on me. Hope you recognize him carrying you through the day too!
Yesterday was another great day....the sun was shining....and I went shopping with Bonnie in the afternoon, to a couple of stores (Kohls and Menards) but wasn't actually able to find all I needed at either place.  So may find someone to take me out again today.  Maybe Costco and Target can do the job.  I do have quite a while to purchase gifts for the family, but need a few things for those that need to be mailed, and for the tags off the tree at church that have to be bought, wrapped and turned in my next Monday.  So I feel I better get going.
Last evening, was the Card Club Christmas Party, and we had a great time.  LaVonne Kulseth had her home decorated so beautifully, and the tree was the icing on the cake!!!  We did play cards till about 9 p.m. and then we exchanged gifts!  We draw names in June for the following Christmas, and Twylla had my name, but bought part of the gift last January when we were in Myrtle Beach, not knowing who she would have.  I had Sandi Moiniken, and found a nice arrowhead necklace at the Swapper's meet in Annandale in July knowing that Sandi loved American Indian things. So the gifts were varied and different....not just Christmas decor.  Another thing our club has done for years, is bring a small gift for each of us.  So in-addition to the gift we got from whoever had our name we got a small gift from everyone else, as well. I came home with bags of gifts, I got socks, home made jam, candy, note paper in a box with a picture of us from last Christmas in it, and sugar cookie air freshener   It is so fun to open lots of presents!!  After all of that we went to the kitchen for desserts and coffee....and lots of good conversations.  I finally gave in and had to ask Sandi to take me home at about 10:20 p.m.....everyone else was ready, and Val had already left.  I guess we're all getting old, cause we used to go till 11 or later.
The interesting part of the whole evening, was that I didn't have my pain med with me, I thought I did, but NO!!!  So I took a break-out pain pill, that I did have with me....and made it through the evening with that.  When I got home at 10:30 p.m. I took my 12 hour pain med, and then this morning, didn't bother getting up at 7 a.m. to take another.  I did take it at 9 a.m. trying to get it back on a regular 12 hour schedule.  I think I will take another tonight at 8 p.m. and then again tomorrow morning at 8 a.m., and keep it at that, instead of the 7 a.m./7 p.m. schedule I was on.  Getting up at 8 a.m. sounds much more reasonable than 7 a.m. for me.
Nothing else to report.  Keep the prayers up for all those on my prayer list, especially my cousin Louie, mom and baby of my cousin's son and me!  Love and Prayers, m

The Sun is Shining Yipppeeee!

I love waking to sunshine.  Yesterday, the sun did finally come out around 4 p.m. in the afternoon, just in time for it to set at a little after 5 p.m.  So it's so nice to see it right away this morning.  The birds are happy too!  Actually lately the birds have been flocking to my feeders.  I even saw a giant flicker at my suet the other day, and it stayed for about 5 minutes eating away.  He must have been really hungry.  I've also had several different kinds of finch, house, gold, purple and one I didn't recognize to name.  I like sitting here and watching the chickadee's vie for a spot and then they fly right away.....back and forth all the time.
Yesterday, I stayed in my pj's almost all day, till it was time to shower and go to the Chris and Dale concert with Bonnie.  I did get a lot accomplished even if I was in my pj's, actually I get a lot done in my pj's. At 5:30 I showered and got ready to be picked up by 6:20.
The concert was wonderful, even though Dale played a very small part of it.  For those who are wondering why: Dale was scheduled for back surgery on Nov. 9, but got the flu before that and had to postpone the surgery, but meanwhile he was so sick he got dehydrated and his kidney's stopped working, and was hospitalized for a week or so.  He is now on the mend for that, and his kidney's are working good.  But now still has to have the back surgery which has him in lots of pain, so sang a few songs, moved to a comfy chair, and came back at the end for a couple more songs.  They didn't even know if he was going to be able to even show up a couple of days before, so they had invited a Dennis? Higgins (a good friend that has sung with them before, and actually mentored over the years.  He is now at Park Avenue Methodist in South Minneapolis and has a beautiful voice.) to fill in the spots that Dale would have usually done.
The music was so peaceful and relaxing, and really got me in the mood for Christmas. They say we may have a few chances for snow this next weekend, so that will put all of us in the mood. For some reason I yawned all the way home, and fell asleep on the couch during Jay Leno, probably about 11 p.m. which is really early for me.
When I woke up at about 2 p.m., my stomach was churning, and hurting, and my stoma pouch was so full with gas that it was hard as a rock....like a big balloon.  I rushed to the bathroom and emptied it, and continued with diarrhea and cramps for another five minutes or so. (I won't go into the details)  When I finally emptied my self, I went to bed, and felt fine the rest of the night.  I don't know if it was the black licorice I had been eating all afternoon, or the fish taco, with sour cream and cheese I had on it.  I am lactose intolerant, but that hasn't bothered me in a long time.  I don't know what it was, but I think, I'll watch the amount of licorice I have today.
Doug came bright and early this morning with my two prescriptions, and took my old vacuum out to the garbage can for me, and a large box of recycling as well.  He always manages to do a few extra jobs for me when he delivers my meds.
This afternoon, Bonnie is picking me up to shop with her, and I have somethings to pick up at Costco too!  I still have to buy the socks and gloves for the women's tag I picked off the tree at church last Saturday.  So I'll get that at Kohls.  Then tonight I have my card club Christmas party at LaVonne Kulseth's home, and I can't wait for that.  Hope I'm not yawning at 9 p.m. this evening.  Lot's to do.....lot's of fun....lots of love....Laugh, Love and Live....my motto!!!
Love and Prayers, m

Still no Sunshine

What's up with that.  First Monday in Dec. and it's in the 50's but no sun to go along with it.  I need some sun!
Yesterday was a good day.  Bonnie and I went shopping early in the afternoon, and I didn't have to watch the Viking's defeat!  Especially when it was Green Bay and Jack and Gary would be cheering them on!  Nice day for Jack's birthday I guess!
I love to shop....and it always cheers me up.  Actually first we went to JCPenney, and I bought only stuff for me....a new outfit to wear in Hawaii when I go in January.  With all the holiday celebrations, I really need to start packing now or I won't be ready on the 10th when I fly out.  So excited already.
We then went to Walgreen's  and I was able to buy a lot of things I needed at great discounts with their Balance Rewards card.  I'm into bargains as well as shopping...so came home with a load of stuff and a smile on my face.
Shortly after I got home Annie, Nicole and Allie came in and did a quick but great job of de-halloweening, vacuuming and dusting of the house. Doug had exchanged and put together a new vacuum for me, and so they brought that over so the living room could finally be vacuumed.  Annie even brought up and folded a load of towels, that had been in the dryer since Friday night.  It was a whirlwind of help and love.  I really appreciated it.  They had little time, as Allie had to go to Confirmation class at 6 p.m. and they needed to get home and have dinner in-between.
Did some more crocheting last night, and am almost completely out of yarn.  Think I'm done when the yarn is gone.  It does give me something to do while watching TV.  My other project is almost done too!  But always come up with one or two things short and have to go back to Costco.  I thought I was done with that yesterday, but still have to get a couple more things.  Darn!!!
Tonight I am going to the Chris and Dale concert with Bonnie, and it's at Christ Lutheran Church....not Cross of Christ.  Then tomorrow Bonnie and I are going to shop again.  She want's to go to Kohls on Senior discount day, and I have a few things to buy for the tag I took off the Christmas tree at church last Saturday. I did get one yesterday at Walgreen's, but they didn't have anything for the other tag.  I took two!!  So I'm sure Kohl's will have what she wants.
Even though our family is not exchanging gifts till after Christmas, I have a lot that have to go out before.  Like Kathleen and Gary's that I hope will go out by the end of the week.  I'm waiting for some things that I ordered online to be delivered.  But with any luck they will get it before Christmas.
I got an email from my Cousin June, announcing the birth of her nephew (Jackie's son) Matt's baby son, last night.  But sadly the baby was whisked off to ICU before Jackie could even see the baby, and the mom is having liver problems and isn't doing well either. The baby is premature so that is a problem too!  They are having a shower for the little one on Saturday, and hope all will be doing well by then.  Please say some awesome prayers for both mom and the baby....dad and grandma too!  Love and Prayers, m

My first Grandchild is 20 Today!

Happy Sunshiny Birthday to you Jack...They say the sun will come out....I hope!!!  I couldn't find a picture of just Jack in the last year, so therefore a group photo, Jack, Ann, and Nick at the cabin.  He's been a great  kid, polite and loving all his life, and I couldn't have asked for a better grandchild.  A great role-model for the other's that came after him.
I got up early this morning, but as usual got distracted by other projects, such as wrapping presents for this week's activities.  I did place a call to Bonnie, and she is now well, and we are going shopping this afternoon.  She will be here about 1 p.m., and I still have to get dressed, but think I'll make it in plenty of time.
Yesterday was a very productive day, and a fun afternoon too!  Carol and Del picked me up at 4:30, and being the warm weather had softened the ground in the pot I had my one new snowman light that had survived the installation, now hit the dust.  I guess it was just not meant to be!  Funny, Bonnie and I skowered the Menards to find them in the first place, and then they were no longer on sale, but I bought them anyway, and now they are both gone.  Maybe next year I'll try again.  They were really cute.
When the mailman arrived, I got my boots I was waiting for, and they are perfect.  Fit well, and so cute, I wore them to church and got lots of great comments on them.  I love being a advertiser to Kick's shoes!!
Church was nice, I got to see a few people I hadn't seen in a while, and I got to pick up a few tags off the Christmas trees to buy presents for.  Now today I'll shop for them.
Kathie Fritz joined us for dinner at Baker's Square, and we had a very fun conversation all during dinner.  I also got to eat a great dinner, mashed potatoes and gravy along with chopped steak with mushrooms and I had been craving potatoes and gravy all day.
Tomorrow Bonnie and I are going to a "Chris and Dale" concert, and I'm really looking forward to it.....I love their music.  Brings back lots of memories....when they sang at St. Tim's.  Chris is now the music director at Cross of Christ next door to St. Tim's, and that is where the concert is tomorrow night.  That's it for today.  Love and Prayers, m

Foggy!

Sorta Foggy brain as well!  lol
I fell asleep early on the couch, and got up at 2:40 a.m. and went to bed.  Therefore I awoke early this morning, waited in bed for the alarm to go off, and then went to the couch, but couldn't fall back to sleep.
I've already did some online shopping and read email etc.  and figured I better get to my blog before I forget.
I had a good day yesterday.  I got a package in the mail for my son-in-law Doug,  from Tom....business stuff....and called him to come and pick it up....so along the way he picked up a few personal things for Jimbo and Jack's birthday present.  Took my broken vacuum along with him, and the receipt for Target to return it and get a new one, cause as he said he lived closer to Target than I did.  So he pretty much cleaned out my kitchen entry way of things I had piled up. Bill had taken out the recycling the night before.
I worked on my Christmas projects, and did a few loads of wash, folded it, and put it away.  So it was a very productive day.  Talked to my daughter-in-law Karen, and Aunt Loretta (who by the way is doing okay, but re-cooperating from bronchitis .  Both calls made me happy.  Hoping my new boots I ordered last Saturday at their store arrive today, so I can wear them to church.  She said they were mailed the same day as Doug's package, but his was Priority and mine standard.  So not surprising that his arrived first.
Haven't seen any birds yet this morning, they must be foggy today too!
Church this afternoon, and dinner with Carol and Del, looking forward to that, and that's all for the day.  Love and Prayers, m