Getting Our Tree

For the first time in many years, it was just Mike and me getting our Christmas tree. As you can see, Mike did all the work. He was smart to suggest going last night, as it is getting much colder now!

There wasn't much of a selection unless you wanted to spend a fortune. The trees were so stunted, most shorter than me (I'm 5'2") but we did find a nice 6-footer with a good shape. It will look nice when we set it up next weekend!

Holiday Stuff

I've got bacon-brown sugar crackers in the oven. They will go into the freezer for Christmas Eve, but of course I'll have to sample one!

Yesterday, I made Nutty Butters, a favorite of Mike. I put a dozen in a box for him alone, which he has hidden away, lol. Some went into the freezer and some (mostly gone) were left out for anyone. They are a mix of peanuts, peanut butter and oats, etc. and are soooo goooood.

Here is my hutch this year, a baking center and a place for Mom's Christmas dishes:

I love my Snoopys!

Cookie Fun

Katherine came by to make up some spritz cookies, along with Angelina. They had a lot of fun, and Angelina was a real 'pro' with the cookie gun. I, unfortunately, had a headache. But I'd already  made the dough so I left the 'fun' part to the girls!

36 Years Together

Mike and I celebrated 36 years of marriage yesterday. We were married November 29, 1980 at Our Lady of Victory Church in Floral Park.

Who would have known back then that one day we'd have 4 terrific adult kids? We've had our ups and downs but I think we are one of those rare couples that were really meant to be together. Mike is truly my 'other half.' I know that statistically the chances of you meeting your true partner in a world full of people is very low, so I know how lucky I am!

We were going to go to a Chinese Buffet, but I had a headache all day and the weather was really rainy, so I asked Mike if he'd mind just getting takeout. We did, and I enjoyed it as much as going out!

Outdoor Lights

We left the lights up from last year because it's getting too hard to redo them. Most of the lines were still working--luckily, the higher-up ones--but we still had to replace two lines. Much easier to do than the whole tree!

Anniversary

I forgot to post that yesterday, November 19, was the 45 year anniversary of the day Mike asked me to 'go out' with him. I can remember walking down Adams Street, a block away from my home, and saying, 'is there something you'd like to ask me?' Or something like that. And he said, "you mean, to go out?' And that's when it became 'official.' Who would have known we'd still be together in our 60s, an age that seemed ancient to us back then?

Mom Update

Mom was taken to the hospital a few days ago, with a possible blood clot. Luckily, that wasn't the case, but I'm afraid things are getting worse and worse for her. Here is my sister's  latest update:





Thanks to all the prayer warriors, Dee busted out of the hospital this afternoon.  She went in when her leg swelled, turned blue, and was cold to the touch at the wonderful National Church Residences at Mill run.  Thanks to the swift detection and intervention, Mom went to Riverside.  Fear was a blood clot but the vascular people ruled that out.  But they were still concerned about the swelling and her blood pressure.  So they kept her overnight.  She has new meds and compression stockings which will hopefully alleviate the discomfort. We discovered that she has had a prior stroke or two.   Her blood pressure is whacked out but hopefully will calm down when she settles back into her routine.  They did give her lots of breathing treatments so she is over her contagion and coughing less.  They also took her off blood thinners because the scare was largely caused by her leg suddenly discoloring from accumulated blood from a week ago.  So no more blood tests every week which leave her bruised.