Living Room Tree

 I hope you are all well and staying safe.  Life is good.  God Bless America!

Little Fat Santa

 

Little Fat Santa was made for us by Les' Dad years ago.  Santa is one of the first decorations to come out of a box when decorating here.  He usually sits on the mantle by the large Christmas tree.  This year he also has a small battery powered light up tree beside him.

Les' Mom had an original lighted ceramic tree.  I always liked it.  I noticed that this year Hallmark has had a couple sizes of them for sale.  I suspect that has something to do with all their movies.  I checked them out, but decided I didn't want to spend the money they wanted, plus they all had electric cords and couldn't be placed just anywhere.

I found this one on Amazon.  It is perfect!  And I think of Les' Mom every time I look at the tree.

The decorating is all done now, inside and out.  No major catastrophes to report.  Just one antique glass ornament came apart and shattered on the floor.  And Z's "first Christmas for baby" ornament came apart.  But I swept up the first, and repaired the second, and everything else went well.  But I was tired when finished.

The cards are done and will be mailed this week. 

Les is doing okay and anxious to get his surgery over and feel better and move better.  We both have appointments for more lab work.  Hopefully, our "numbers" will be better than the last time.

So basically, we are okay-ish.  Life is good.  Take care of yourselves and stay safe.

God Bless America!

Another Progress Report

I worked on the living room tree today.  I took this picture so you could see what the first ornaments to go on the tree are each year. I hope you can enlarge it when you see this.  There are four little Grogus, one Millennium Falcon, and our collection of Star Trek space crafts. Live long and prosper, people!

The tree is now all done and I will take a picture of it sometime soon.  I am tired and achy.  I woke up at 4:00 and couldn't get back to sleep this morning.  It's been a busy day.  The dark, windy, rainy weather has not helped either.

I hope you are all well.  Stay safe.  Life is good.  And God Bless America!

Just a Funny!

We have a huge clump of mistletoe growing way up in one of our backyard trees.  No toads though.

Take care of yourselves.  Life is good.  God Bless America!

Some Progress

I've been busy here.  We are doing alright.  I have been working on the Christmas decorating as well as all the usual things that need to be done.

Yesterday I got all the containers and boxes out and moved smaller decorations around.  And as I said in the previous post, worked on the dining room tree.  It is done and looking good.

And for anyone who reads my blog and doesn't really know us, the two chairs on either side of the tree are so Angus and Finnigan can still sit and look out the big window.  They are too big to sit on our narrow windowsills. 😊

This morning after I did morning stuff  and then went to get coffees and pastries at Starbucks, Les and I  officially started our Christmas season here.  We watched "Die Hard".  Yes, we are believers!  It is a Christmas movie!

And then we got the larger living room tree assembled and checked lights before I headed outside to decorate.  The outside is all done now and I think it looks good. The snowman's re-do looks good, I got the lights strung on the garland, and I know they work because I checked them first.  The new solar spotlight to shine on the snowman is sitting in the sun out on the deck to charge up.  It will be put in place later today.

I still need to decorate the living room tree and then clean a bit, but the weekend is not over yet, so I am not in a rush.  Remember, work smarter, not harder. 😆

Take care of yourselves and stay safe.  Life is good.  And God Bless America!

Happy Day After Thanksgiving

If you are out shopping, be careful and stay safe.  It would have to be an emergency to get me out shopping today.

This morning I got up and did the usual morning stuff and then made oatmeal for our breakfast.  After I had finished all my coffee, I got started on things.  Decorating for Christmas is a multi-day project now.  Used to be all in one day, but I now work smarter, not harder.  I am currently taking a break in front of the computer. 😊  First on the list, was putting the Thanksgiving things away and getting them packed up.  Then I hauled out the containers and boxes.  

I got the dining room tree to the dining room.  Les and I worked together and got it set up.  After we had lunch, I got it fluffed up and started decorating it.  Evidently, Angus just could not wait.  

The tree has since been finished and looks better.  I am sure one or both of our furry boys will be underneath it this evening when we turn the lights on.

The living room tree will be worked on tomorrow.

My original plan for today was to get the outside decorations done.  But until about half an hour ago, it has been cold, gray, and raining.  The sun is trying to come out now.  It is soggy and wet outside, so hopefully, things will dry out and I can work on the outside tomorrow, too.  Like I said, this is a multi-day project.

In the midst of this, I have also done a couple loads of laundry.  And I've gone out to get the mail and put the pumpkin from the porch into the garbage. 

Supper will be Thanksgiving leftovers.

Take care of yourselves. Life is good.  And God Bless America!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a safe and peaceful day!  God Bless America!

Hey

Just letting you know we are okay-ish here.  I'm still keeping up with things.  Made an early morning trip to Kroger today for a few things before the crowds got worse.  And even as early as I went (7 a.m.) there were quite a few people there.  But I got what I needed to get and came home and then had breakfast.

Les had to have some more pre-surgery lab work done.  We think we have all that taken care of and there won't be any more before his surgery.  He is being careful and is still not trusting his leg with the torn meniscus, but he can get around inside the house okay.  

Tomorrow is cooking and food prep day, getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner.  I got the turkey from Jacquie's freezer Sunday afternoon and it is the refrigerator and still hard as a rock. 😯 It will be floating in cold water tomorrow.

In preparation for decorating 🎄 I have gotten things out of the attic so I could check if I needed to make new bows for the wreaths.  I don't!  They are still beautiful!  And still upstairs. 😊

We have had frost a few times and right now it is sunny and up to 51.  I got the outside water line turned off and the faucets drained.  Did some other things outside, too.  

I hope you are all well and staying safe.  Take care of yourselves.  Life is still good!  God Bless America!

Our furry boys are old enough and large enough that I don't think we have to worry about tree climbing, but they do like to take naps on the tree skirts under the lighted threes.

Coffee, Please

You know, it's funny, I never used to like coffee.  I am sure that Mom's use of instant coffee and my Grama's use of Chicory coffee had something to do with that.  Although, Grama did use regular Maxwell House, too.  And this was back when you ground your own beans in the grocery store.  She'd always give me a couple of the beans to chew on while I helped her shop and I did like those.

The turning point for me was when Les and I moved to Germany.  And while there, in spite of exchange rates and gas restrictions, we were able to go to Switzerland. Twice!  We stayed in a Pension, up on a hill.  Large cows with huge bells outside the windows.  And the coffee was served thick and hot with another pitcher of hot heavy milk.  You mixed it yourself.  Wonderful!  And that is when I started liking coffee. 😊

And now we have a Starbucks near us; the rest is history!  And while I love going to the Starbucks for coffee, we also brew our own Starbucks coffee at home.  Dark, and bold; no Frou-Frou coffees here!

Stay safe people.  Take care of yourselves.  Life is good and God Bless America!

Okay-ish

We are - in Jacquie's words - "okay-ish".  We are getting close to getting Les' surgery rescheduled.  I will keep you posted.

I am doing okay and finished all my meds.  Been keeping busy doing things around here.  This is a  picture of my current project.

Les' Dad made this snowman many years ago for us.  Mr. Snowman has moved around with us and always comes out each Winter with our Christmas decorations.  Over the years, he has gotten a bit worn.  I decided it was time for a little "facelift" for him before going out this year.  I think maybe one more day of painting and I will be done.  I am being very careful.  As I work, I can still see Dad's careful pencil markings under some of the worn paint. He was a wonderful man and I have good memories of him. When you see Mr. Snowman next, it will be a picture of him in front of our home. 💕

Take care and stay safe.  Life is good, just sometimes it is a whole lot better than others.  And God Bless America!

Just a Couple Updates

I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe.

It was in the 80's here on Monday and yesterday's high was in the 50's with high winds.  As I am writing, today's temps are still in the 50's, the sun is out, and it isn't quite as windy as yesterday.  Leaves are coming down fast.  A couple of our trees are bare now, but others still have plenty of leaves hanging on.

Les' pre-surgery testing is all done and we are just waiting for the call for the surgery time for tomorrow.  It's out-patient and will be done at a surgery center where I have been a couple times.  Nice place.

I've been busy getting things done on my "To-Do" list.  That is going pretty well.  We'll need to ask Chris to come and mow again sometime and help with the leaves, but not right now.  He's offered to come any time, and we appreciate it.

I got packages shipped out for Christmas.  And I've taken inventory of the gifts not getting shipped and have wrapped those.  My next Christmas "job" on the list is to work on the snowman.  He needs a little paint in a few places, but overall he has held up well all these years.  I plan to change the front decorations a little this year and am anxious to work on that, but won't be tackling that until at least Thanksgiving afternoon or the next day.  (I have some new lights) 🎄😀

We went to vote yesterday and got some Starbucks while we were out.  

I got a chance to take a picture of Angus watching the leaves yesterday. 

Finnigan was more interested in snuggles.

Take care of yourselves.  Stay safe.  Life is good and God Bless America!

Just Saying Hi!

I hope you all got your clocks changed and that you had a good night's sleep.  It takes a while for our systems to adjust to the time change and Les and I were up earlier than usual this morning.  

Our weather is "out of season" right now.  It's in the low-80's, breezy, and humid.  The A/C is turned back on.  Leaves are coming down fast and blowing all around.

I've been busy taking care of things and trying to stay on top of the "To-Do" list.  So far, so good.  I'm still taking the antibiotics and I think they are working.

Tomorrow morning we go to the hospital for some more pre-surgery testing for Les.  Then I think he's all done with that.  We'll get the time for the surgery the day before, so we won't know until Wednesday.

The cars have both been cleaned and the floor mats in each car have been swapped out.  The Winter Weather Tech mats are in now.  

Tuesday is election day so we will try to go vote that morning.

As you can see, this picture was taken in 2008.  Sweet Cinder has been gone for quite a few years now, but this has always been a favorite picture of mine.  I have not been able to catch Angus and Finnigan watching the leaves this year, but they do spend time looking out this window watching the leaves blow around.  

Take care of yourselves and stay safe.  Life is good.  And God Bless America!

Whew!

Well, it's been a week. We have been very busy here.

I had mentioned in a previous post about my digestive issues. (not uncommon when a person has no gallbladder, but this was worse)  It happened again and much worse this time.  So I went to see our doctor.    He checked me over and said he wasn't sure what was going on and we were going to investigate.  I had some bloodwork, urine tests done and several x-rays.  The x-rays were "unremarkable". Although they did show some degeneration in my shoulder joints, not at all connected to my digestive system. Some numbers are "off" on the blood work and I have a UTI.  So then I had to go back in for a culture to be done.  Have not gotten those results yet, but I am on some medication now, and I go back in a month for retesting.  I am doing "okay".

Les has a date for his surgery and we've been busy.  He has had paperwork to fill out, and has been making and taking phone calls and answering a bazillion questions.  He still has some some additional pre-surgery testing to be done and that will be on Monday.  The surgery will be next Thursday at the hospital where I have been several times.  I will keep you posted.

I have a current "To-Do" list I am working on and a few things are getting checked off.  

Our weather is sunny, warm, and humid.  It's supposed to be near 80 this weekend.  We still have Azaleas, the porch Geraniums,  and Hydrangeas blooming while MANY, MANY leaves are falling down.  They are falling earlier and faster than usual this year.

I hope you are all well, and staying safe.  Life is good, even when frustrating and challenging.  God Bless America!