Monday, December 22nd, was a day to catch up at home after our weekend adventure in Nashville. Laundry was done. I had a HUGE Blog entry and LOTS of pictures to take care of. Claude and I did go grocery shopping for the last half of the Christmas food. And, I was able to set up a Google Meets call for our three kids and us on Christmas day. I can be taught and learn new things. Good day.
Tuesday, December 23rd, Medical appointments started our day. My podiatrist referred me to a Vascular Surgeon named Dr. Abeti. His office is in Lexington. Claude drove me. We arrived early and sat in the car for about 15 minutes. As we sat, I looked at the sign above the entry and felt a little concern...On the left is the Vascular Surgeon office. One the right and connected is the Legacy Prothetic Clinic. Oh My!!
I didn't see Dr. Abeti. I did see the PA-C named Cara. She was very nice. I explained to her what I was seeing Dr. Fine for and the tests that had been run with the diagnosis of SFN (Small Fiber Neuropathy). Then I assured her I was not sure what Dr. Abeti was seeing me about. She explained about the major blood vessel coming from the heart, splitting in two at the hips so that each leg has a major artery going down the front, and then splitting into three about each knee and going down the calf and into the feet with the major one on top and an artery on each side of the calf and foot. My major arteries are 50% blocked. That is what the surgeon would be concerned about. She checked my pulse from top to the bottom of my feet. Since I don't have pain in my calves and thighs when I walk a lot, she is sure I am okay. To be very sure, she has scheduled me to come back in February to have an in-depth ultrasound on both legs.
Next we were off to Georgetown. My first pair of glasses were in and I could pick them up. As I waited to get them, I noted again the ornaments on their Christmas tree. They are glasses made into a snowman. How cute is that?!
I must be easily amused. These two things came up on my phone. The first was on Facebook. Someone asking, "Do You Remember These?" Well, I surely do. Our old home in Shreveport, Louisiana when I was growing up had heaters like this type in each room. The one in our bedroom was smaller. We used to cut an apple in half. Cut out the core and fill the center with butter, cinnamon and sugar. Then we would put that on a plate in the front open part of the heater and let it cook. Yummy good.
On my phone I got this eMail from Jimmy John's. I found it amusing that they tracked the number of inches of sandwich I ate in 2025. Goodness.
Andie and Michael picked up Hayden. We would have our young man home for the holidays! Yippee!!
Wednesday, December 24th, was Christmas Eve. I spent the morning making Sour Cream Cookies for dessert and a broccoli and bacon salad for dinner. As I sat down in our living room, I felt an impression to take a picture. Then I posted this on Facebook with this picture: "Sitting in my sweet living room. It is ready for Christmas. Family will fill it in a few hours. The smell of cookies and bacon mingle in our kitchen. I see Nativities collected through our years of life. Our tree filled with memories of all those years. It feels very good. Peaceful. Grateful. Humbled by so many blessings. May each of you find the Peace of Christmas. May you feel each little blessing in your life. Merry Christmas from our home to yours.
Jessie Carter called me in the afternoon. She got to visit with Bill Mecke, a meteorologist for a Lexington television station. She has been friends with him for years. She sent him a t-shirt for Christmas. He invited her to come to the station to watch a show. Her parents took her and Bill Mecke was wearing his t-shirt over his dress shirt. Jessie wanted to be sure I knew about this big moment in her life. So sweet to talk with her.
The Marx family arrived around dinner time. We share pictures of our Zoolumination experience in Nashville. We had lasagna, broccoli/bacon salad and rolls for dinner. This is a break from our usually smoked brisket dinner. It was enjoyed by all.
As we sat around the table, I opened my phone to these things I found on Facebook. We played through them.
Then we enjoyed taste testing all the different kinds of Goo Goo Clusters.
Andie was tracking the movie Diehard's timing on her cellphone, so we watched the DVD of Diehard.
Bailey got a new camera for Christmas and was enjoyed snapping pictures of everything. It was a nice evening for Christmas Eve.
Katelyn loves Christmas Eve. She has a tradition with her family that they open a present which is their new Christmas PJ's and a new book. She posted this picture of her family on Christmas Eve.
Thursday, December 25th, Christmas Day, since we are older, including Hayden and Bailey, we don't wake up in the middle of the night to open presents because we 'just can't wait'. This year was particularly interesting. A few of us were up and about before others. This year we ate breakfast and then opened presents. Usually, it is the other way around. In fact, Michael had to wake up Hayden and Andie.
Michael asked what each person's favorite Christmas movie was. Bailey quickly replied "Charlie Brown's Christmas". Then she set it to play on the TV.
After, we opened presents. The television was set to a Charlie Brown scene for while we opened presents.
Friday, December 26th, we all slept in a bit. Some of us a bit longer than others. The plan was to fix biscuits and gravy. Michael got up and did his walk. We were going to have day in the high 60's. When he got back, we were not doing breakfast yet as some were still sleeping. He made his usual breakfast smoothie. Bailey found something to eat.
I received a message from Velvett Bossio. She was still sick. I asked if she needed anything. She said they really could use some Sprite and crackers. They have norovirus. Claude drove me as my car was blocked by the Marx van. We went to Walmart and I bought the needed food and some sparkling cider for our New Year's. We dropped the Sprite and crackers off on the porch for Velvett, Rachel (her daughter) and Alora (her granddaughter). I also left a crocheted Christmas ornament for Velvett and Rachel. So sorry they are still ill and hope our little grocery run helped a bit. Claude treated me to a biscuit from Bojangles before we returned home. Yum!
We returned home and Michael woke up the two remaining sleepers. By then it was really lunch time. I told everyone it was a clean out the fridge kind of meal. Some at roast beef sandwiches, some had tuna sandwiches, and others had ham sandwiches. No one starved!!
Andie wanted to start the puzzle I bought for Christmas. It was purchased in Santorini and was a view of Santorini. We got a good start on it. Then the Marx family quickly packed up and left.
In the evening, Claude decided it should be a Mel Brooks movie evening. More leftovers were consumed and movies were enjoyed. During part of the movie time, I worked a bit on the Santorini puzzle.
Saturday, December 27th, we slept without an alarm. Yes!
I worked on the puzzle. Claude let the air out of the air mattress and I started washing the bedding that had been used. Then Claude went to work on his talk for Sunday. I continued working on the puzzle.
We enjoyed more leftovers in the evening. Goodness.
I finished the puzzle about 9pm. Whew!! As I connected strips, I had a problem. I connected across the top of the puzzle first. The bottom had a strip of pieces connected from side-to-side. The middle had a section that also connected to the top but did not line up with the bottom portion that was connected side-to-side. There was at least one piece width that was wrong. I searched and searched and didn't see anything that was wrong. I continued to add pieces to wherever I found a correct piece thinking that would help me eventually find the error. At last, I realized the error was where the middle connected to the top right of the puzzle. I rearranged those three pieces and then was able to move all the rest of the puzzle over so that top and middle and bottom fit together just right. Then I completed the buildings (a lot of white). Finally, I tackled all that blue water. The difficulty here was that pieces would fit but that wasn't the right place for them. Some other piece had to go in their place so they could fit somewhere else. After a good bit of rearranging, I finally got them all in their places. Cool puzzle. Two puzzles this Christmas is a great achievement for me.
Sunday, December 28th, has been a really good day. It was our final Sunday of meeting at 9am. Next Sunday we rotate with the Georgetown Ward and will begin Sacrament Meeting at 10:30am.
Claude spoke in Sacrament Meeting. He did a great job.
We had a nice meal at 5 Guys.
Claude got his nap while I watched DVR's documentaries.
We have bad weather on the way. We decided sour 'ox was in the mire'. Claude took down the exterior decorations before the rain and snow come. He left them in the garage to finish boxing them up. I opened the shed and brought in the boxes for the interior decorations. I will take them down during the week.
I have worked on pictures and blog and taken a call from Katelyn. Claude is watching Star Wars from the sounds I hear. I will join him. We have agreed to watch The Hobbit movies over the next three nights in preparation for our New Year's Eve tradition of Lord of the Rings. We will pick up Hayden and he will join us for it.
We have had a very good Christmas and December. I do believe that getting Christmas ready by Thanksgiving gives us the best way to relax with whatever December throws at us. We are richly blessed.
