I have started this post once again and am hoping I don’t go back and delete everything this time. It’s been weeks since I posted or even read anybody else’s blogs. WEEKS!
I been busy.
I also got to spend Christmas with my mither and pop, brother and SIL, PLUS nephew, in Decatur, Texas. I spent an entire week there and was thrilled! Them moving to New Mexico from Italy is definitely working out. It was the first family Christmas with all four members of the immediate family present in over fifteen years. It really was wonderful and spending time with my newish nephew, Noah, was a huge bonus. They only got him two years ago and I have seen him way to infrequently. He’s a great kid!
So there we are having a perfectly glorious time hanging out together and what do you think happened Christmas Eve? It’s OK, I’ll tell you. Let me preface it by saying that my mom is 72 and Pop 73, and neither one of them have ever had a white Christmas. I had my first one five years ago when a fluke weather pattern got it to actually snow down here in the southeast end of Texas.
Well, sure enough, it poured snow on Christmas Eve. A good thick layer of lovely whiteness. It was beautiful on Christmas morning. The grandchildren that showed up at house had a wonderful time playing outside. In addition my sister-in-law, Melissa and I had several adventures running to town on icy roads to do last minute shopping. Fancy, seldom heard cuss words were taken out, dusted off and used liberally during our excursions. My eyes are still trying to adjust back down to normal size from the saucer size they grew to while accomplishing these dangerous feats. But, we good. Melissa did a stint in Alaska with me brother when he was stationed there and is a pro at driving on ice.
During all this time Pop was having trouble with his COPD and continued to deny he needed to go to the hospital. Sure enough, after the last of the guests left, on Christmas day, he succumbed to the shortness of breath and said, “Weeeeell, maybe I better get on down there after all.” So we called an ambulance and let those guys get him safely from the door to the car ambulance over all the ice and snow. They carted his behind in and gave him a “special” kind of breathing treatment and IV steroids and he was feeling tons better in no time. He went home in a couple of days.
Meanwhile, back at the home front, John went back to work. It was either that or run completely out of the paid leave time he had been taking. We too broke for that and though he has good days and bad days, it seems to be working out pretty well so far. The bad days really kick his butt though. He’s working at the coldest store in the district and it even bothered him before the heart problems and his need to take Coumadin. Now he thinks he’s dying it’s so cold in there.
Yesterday we went to Academy and purchased silk long-johns for him to wear as they are supposed to be warmer than thermal cotton and not as bulky. We also got silk sock liners for him to wear under his socks because his feet are so cold all the time.
I need to point out right now that I don’t have any silk underwear. Just saying…
Anyway that crap, (that it turns out isn’t that effective) was right at $30.00. I was looking for some battery operated socks that work like an electric blanket, with the wires running through them. Couldn’t find any anywhere.
Henrietta’s mind is deteriorating, finally. She is 87 years old and I know it was going to happen eventually. She is really being a good deal more paranoid than she used to be. Oh, and she is still convinced that The Boyfriend is the devil. She has repeatedly told us that we just need to ask him to leave and “….let this family have peace!”, when he isn’t here and hasn’t been in days.
So that’s where I’ve been and the high, (and low), points of most of what’s been happening. I made a valiant stab at hitting all of you guys blogs before I finished this post up and made it around to a lot of them. I will be better in the new year about keeping up.
*That’s my only resolution!*
Tomorrow, PICTURES!
17 comments
Comment by Sabrina on January 4, 2010 at 6:38 pm
I was just thinking about you, actually. Glad you had a good time with your family despite a hospital visit tossed in there. And very glad you’re back to posting.
Comment by witchypoo on January 4, 2010 at 7:14 pm
Always happy to hear from you. We technically, had a green Christmas. For one day. Nobody I knew got toboggans for Cmas, so it was all good.
.-= witchypoo´s last blog ..Online Christmas =-.
Comment by Jean M. on January 4, 2010 at 7:23 pm
I’m so glad your back and that you got to have a white Christmas, where as we had a blizzard here in OK.
.-= Jean M.´s last blog ..3 Days Into The New Year And I Have Yet To Post! =-.
Comment by JennyMac on January 4, 2010 at 7:27 pm
Welcome Back~
Missed you friend. Happy New year.
.-= JennyMac´s last blog ..Now that I’ve had my way with you… =-.
Comment by grandma j on January 4, 2010 at 7:28 pm
I’m glad you posted. Sounds like your Christmas was wonderful. We had some snow here in Central TX too, but not as much.
Hang in there with Henrietta. Cant wait for the pictures.
.-= grandma j´s last blog .. =-.
Comment by noe noe girl on January 5, 2010 at 4:59 am
Howdy Stanger. Glad you are back and you had a good Christmas. It snowed tail hole deep here and some of it is still lying around. Not a good sign.
Tell Henrietta she is not alone!
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Comment by Nan on January 5, 2010 at 5:49 am
Good to hear your lovely Christmas news! Bournemouth never has snow either, but this year we’ve seen a little… threatening again today! Whatever happened to Global Warming, huh?
.-= Nan´s last blog ..Bananas in Pajamas =-.
Comment by Nicole on January 5, 2010 at 9:16 am
Welcome back! I too was just thinking about you. I am glad to hear that things are moving forward and that John has been able to go back to work. Is he still wearing his ‘safety vest’?
And YEAH for a white Christmas! And those cuss words should really come out more often . . . it is a shame to let them collect dust.
.-= Nicole´s last blog ..The Year I Start To Believe It =-.
Comment by Kori on January 5, 2010 at 12:38 pm
I just really need more Henrietta stories. To heck with the rest of you, I need to hear about HER. 🙂 and I know you know I am joking.
But hey, have you tried those hand and foot warmers that hunters or other outdoorsy type people use? They just need opened and crushed, and work for about 8 hours. It might help, and they really do work. I am not *ahem* typically outdoorsy, but my feet DO get cold. 🙂
.-= Kori´s last blog ..Oh thank god, the kids are back in school =-.
Comment by Red Hamster on January 5, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Welcome back, Krissa! A white Christmas once in your lifetime is enough snow for a lifetime, IMHO. But I’m glad you were still able to have a wonderful time with all your family. Weather prevents family get-togethers all the time up here in the Midwest. I could lend you lots of cuss words that I use when it snows.
I’m wishing John can find a way to stay warm. My office can be so cold that sometimes I wear those knit gloves without the fingertips in order to keep my hands warm enough to use my keyboard; they do help.
Keep your spirits and your humor high. Glad to see you posting again.
.-= Red Hamster´s last blog ..Finishing the last of my Christmas treats =-.
Comment by warriorwitch on January 5, 2010 at 6:30 pm
that sucks too much, the cold workplace.
i hope things get better for him, i really do.
take care and good to see you back.
.-= warriorwitch´s last blog ..this is my corner, get lost =-.
Comment by Karen on January 5, 2010 at 10:26 pm
So you ARE alive. I was afraid that 2010 had done you guys in.
.-= Karen´s last blog ..For Someone Who Talks With His Hands a Lot, You’d Think He’d Use Sign Language. Stubborn Boy. =-.
Comment by tattytiara on January 6, 2010 at 12:03 am
Wow, and epic holiday season indeed. Glad you got the family together, and that your dad was okay.
I always layer up with cheap washable silk shirts (and pajama bottoms when I can find them) from second hand stores. Does the trick!
.-= tattytiara´s last blog ..I have written this title before. =-.
Comment by Hyphen Mama on January 7, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Yay for a white Christmas! How fun that the kids got to see snow! Personally, I’m so tired of snow I could puke.
Poor Henrietta! Everybody pickin’ on her!!! ; )
.-= Hyphen Mama´s last blog ..The dog who wouldn’t die…. =-.
Comment by big hair envy on January 7, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Welcome back! I missed you!!
Of course, I’ve been a total blog slacker, and I refuse to make resolutions…..SO, let’s just say I’ll try to do better:)
Glad to hear that Pop is alright. Hope that John gets warm soon. Poor guy.
.-= big hair envy´s last blog ..Things To Do Thursday =-.
Comment by Roger on January 8, 2010 at 8:27 am
Glad to see you back, and as you can see, I am seriously behind on my reader. New bosses and ‘dog and pony’ shows, and a little bit of weather have made me slightly behind (only 4 days worth. 🙂 )
.-= Roger´s last blog ..I Wonder What I Should Title This? =-.
Comment by Eric | Eden Journal on January 19, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Wow, you have jumped back into blogging. I’ve missed quite a few post, as I’ve been slacking a little myself. Sounds like a great Christmas. I’ve only had one white Christmas when I visited family in Minnesota when I was a kid. We live in Florida, so we’re usually happy in shorts and t-shirts on Christmas day. Anyway, good to see you back into it, and now I’m going to make my way through your other posts. 🙂
.-= Eric | Eden Journal´s last blog ..A Few Minutes with Barak Obama, and Inspiration from U.S. History =-.
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