Last Sunday of 2014

[Lilac]

Good morning!

[DeeClutter]

Good morning, Lilac! Think I must have slept through at least part of 2014 because it sure doesn't seem like it could be approaching 2015 already!

Slept fairly well last night for a change. Very foggy out this morning. The 'guys' went to the flea market but see they're back. I've not ventured out to the living area as yet, but at least I'm almost ready for church. Breakfast and coffee to go yet.

Found 2 more gifts for dd in dh's dresser drawer last night. Always there's at least one I've forgotten or can't find. Wouldn't be Christmas without it. Had bought her 2 nice tops a couple of weeks ago and stashed them in the drawer as she was coming in. Her TV SHOULD be here tomorrow. See it made it from Orlando to Lakeland very early Saturday morning. It actually got to Orlando Tuesday afternoon so am surprised it wasn't delivered either Wednesday or Friday.

Have a great day, everyone. Are we all recovering?

[Lilac]

Have not had time to cuop. I have been living a version of the movie, Groundhog Day.

Tuesday I went to WM and the grocery store. As the day wore on, I started feeling crummy but tried to ignore it. That evening dgd18 and her boyfriend brought the puppy by for us to see. Dd2 and dd1 came over also. They could see that I was not feeling well and commented that if I didn't feel well the next morning, I would need to cancel the ham dinner I had planned. I told them I would get a good nights sleep and would be fine. Famous last words.

When I woke up on Wednesday, I knew I could not fix a big ham dinner with a gun to my head and had to cancel. I laid on the sofa and slept all day. Both girls, my dm and dh would call to check on me. I would talk to them a few minutes, hang up and fall right back to sleep. I never turned the TV on.

Christmas morning I woke up and felt a little better. Somehow I managed to fix deviled eggs, cheese dip, a fruit salad, a dessert and a pan of cinnamon rolls (using R hodes frozen cinnamon rolls). After getting the mess cleaned up I took a nap. Then I needed to hem the little girls Frozen pjs and wrap them. I bagged up each persons gifts with their card with cash in it. All day, dh and the girls kept saying we could postpone our get together. I didn't want to disappoint my grandkids. Finally it was time to shower and go. Once at dds I had other things to heat up, etc. The meal turned out great. We opened gifts and everyone was happy. Yeah. After about 2 hours, I noticed dh was not looking good at all. So I told him to go on home and dd1 would bring me home. We were going to play a new game. Dd2 started reading us the instructions and all I heard was blah, blah, blah. Her and dd1 noticed I was fading fast and I agreed to go home. I realize now that I only got through that day by shear stubbornness.

Friday we had some snow. When I first woke up, I thought I was better, wrong. Another day on the sofa. Same thing yesterday.

I feel better this morning, but I am not going to overdo and relapse. Dh has been sick since Christmas night. We think it is some strain of influenza, because we have had fevers, body aches and respiratory issues. This is not a tummy bug at all. I have lost 5 lbs. Wednesday I wasn't able to eat a thing. My bs was running high enough that I was able to get by without eating. The thought of eating anything made me sick. After Wed., I have at least been able to eat a little at each meal and have had no lows. Dd1 has been coming over and checking our lungs. Also, checking to see that we aren't dehydrated. We both had the flu shot, but this might have been the strain that wasn't included. Whatever, I hope I have turned the corner and am on the road to recovery.

My upper lip is so chapped that it hurts a lot. I have kept chapped stick on it. Awhile ago, dh reminded my of something I have that I should try. I put it on and I notice some improvement. Just went and put more on my lip. Boy do I look haggard. Scary.

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas.

[BookSaver]

Good morning, villagers ~
Thank you for opening the thread today, Lilac.

I am enjoying the freedom of not having to be anywhere right now. DH and I do not have to leave the house unless he wants to go out to the truck stop for lunch. I've been in the car a lot since last Monday, so I would be fine with staying home all day. We have plenty of food in the house.

Friday we went up to DMom's so DH could fix her dvd/vcr player. She said it hadn't worked for a couple of years, since she got a different tv and the apartment building's maintenance man installed it for her. A nephew couldn't figure it out, nor could DSis or her fiance. DH pulled everything out and said there was 1 cable out of place, but the main problem was identifying which of the 3 remote controls did which specific task. RC1 for the tv, RC2 for the cable box, and RC3 for the dvd/vcr player. I have to deal with 3 RCs on my system, too, so I know how confusing it can be. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to find a universal RC that will do the job.

DH very patiently explained it all to DMom several times until she understood which buttons on the RCs to use. She is very happy that now she will be able to watch her favorite vcr tapes, as well as the new Carol Burnett dvds that we and DSis gave her for Christmas. (Obviously, we didn't know that her dvd player wasn't working.)

Yesterday I had lunch with DMom, youngest DSis, DAunt, and oldest DSis at the nursing home where oldest DSis lives. We had a good long visit, 3 hours -- which was pretty much the limit of how much socializing DSis could take. We wouldn't have stayed that long except lunch was delayed by an hour for some unknown reason. Add an hour before and an hour after for travel time, and that pretty much took care of my day.

DH and I went out for pizza last night and chatted with the locals there.

Today I will attempt to get back to the real world after Christmas. Party time is over. I have a long list of month-end and year-end financial chores to do in the next few days for the sewing group, library group, and our personal accounts.

from Lucylee:

In other ways, it sorta makes me sad to be done with Christmas and starting the new year. I'm a little bit excited and motivated to start the new year "right" and do better... but then I get kinda down on myself, and think, yeah, right... how many times now have you tried to "start over" and failed. * sigh *

<nodding> Yes, I am right with you there. I'm thinking today about what will be reasonable goals for 2015.

[BookSaver]

I just noticed that we got cold enough last night that everything outside is covered in a thick layer of frost. However, the reason that I can see the sparkles in the frost is because the sun is shining. It looks like our whole back yard has been sprinkled with glitter.

[helia]

Good morning! We are currently in our Chicago hotel. Dh and I both slept for 10.5 hours last night. I think we were tired. . . I haven't seen the kids yet this a.m. so I don't know how long they slept. Their room is across the hall from ours. I got a great deal on a nice boutique hotel downtown. This is the 2nd time we've used this hotel. 1/2 a block from the Mag. mile.

We're planning to leave in about 40 minutes to hunt out a bfast place and then go to the museum of Science and Industry. We haven't been to that museum in probably 10 years? Girls don't want to stay too long as they're anxious to get home.

Yesterday, we drove up from my parents' town and then poked around the Art Institute for a few hours. Goodness, one could spend all day in the institute and still not see everything. Same with most museums, I suppose. Dh had made reservations at a really nice Mexican type restaurant just a few blocks from our hotel for dinner. They specialize in moles. It was a bit pricey but a nice dinner. Dh and I had a date there last Dec. when we came to Chicago.

Christmas at my parents was pleasant. It was fine being with my cousin, her dd, and my uncle. We didn't do any heavy bonding, but all was fine.

It is funny how my family shows no interest in others. My kids were asked zero questions about what they're doing, etc. by my parents, who rarely get to see them. I do remember my cousin talking to dd19 about what she is studying and would like to do. I think my brother may have shown some interest too. I think my uncle said not a word to anyone in my family (dh, me, kids). This is standard MO for my family.

Dfriends from Texas are arriving tomorrow or Tuesday - not sure which day. I will need to get their room ready and scrub the bathroom they'll be using. Hope they won't be arriving tomorrow morning b/c I don't think I can get everything ready by then. . .

I'm already longing to be left alone. . . . We'll see how this next visit goes. Both these friends talk A LOT, and dh and girls have already said they have some plans during the next few days, so I hope it is not up to me to entertain and be their constant conversation partners. Dh did say it wouldn't be up to me to do that by myself. These friends might be happy to go shopping or something on their own as well. At least, they will probably show some interest in us.

OK, I'm off to pack up and then jump in the shower after dh gets out.

[Nancy]

I have done hen chores & had my breakfast. Bs was perfect this morning. I need to pay attn. To the kitchen. Coughing a bit today. Waving to all!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Helia: we have a plastic locomotive on our tree as a decoration that was made from a vending machine at that museum! That was one of the best museums we've ever been to.

Service is finally completed. I think I like the sermon. After my debacle last Sunday (I wrote the sermon quickly and hated it) I was careful to go over it several times to make sure it made sense to me. My minister friend said the same thing happened to him but in his case it was the Christmas Eve sermon! He reviewed it 30 minutes before service and discovered he hated it! I asked him if he rewrote it and he said no, he just prayed he could deliver it convincingly and it would make sense to someone!

Dh is well enough to learn all the music I picked so I've just printed off a song sheet for the congregation so they don't have to juggle books. Two of the four pieces are not in their books anyway and the other two are in two different books. So it was just easier to put all 4 on one sheet.

I'm feeling fine. Will miss a swim, though, because we have to leave in 80 minutes and I have yet to s2s!

[Harmony]

Hello, we are back, and I am looking forward to catching up around the village (and here at home too).

Lilac, so sorry you spent the entire Christmas ill. So inconvenient for that to happen right on a holiday. Germs should know to stay away.

Getting out of here was a real bear on Wednesday. People kept coming for checks and things, calling, etc. I was beyond annoyed that we couldn't have that last day OFF like so many others take. I had to pack and load us up and etc etc. We got off and went the back way up through the country and only had the last little bit on I4. We've decided we no longer want to travel up all the interstates to get there. It seems every year the traffic is worse and worse and we are less able to cope with it than when we were younger. I understand my reaction to it, as I am nervous nellie on the road, but DH's reaction being the same surprises me.

Time with family was absolutely lovely, wonderful, warm, friendly, rejuvenating, ..I just don't have enough words to say. DD has "improved" every year as she matures and learns better coping skills with life's hardships. We get closer every year and I am very very grateful. Her kindness to us just is more every year. And my younger daughter is always a joy to be with. All the grandkids get along, the boys engaging in friendly banter and wrestling, etc. but no fights. Oldest DGS teaching middle grandson from other family cords on the guitar was fun to watch. And they all treat little DGD like she is a princess (which she is!). DH relaxed through all the days and enjoyed not working - which is nice to see. He used to be really nervous taking time off, but now he enjoys it.

Friday we took a ride to a nearby town that decorates all up and we walked around there, watched the Sun Trains going by each way, etc. The whole time felt really Christmasey and I think I got every thing I wanted or needed.

I hope everybody's holiday was as nice as mine. I agree with the quoted statement of Lucylee's, that's exactly how I am feeling. We came home yesterday afternoon and I am already sorting things at my desk, and getting ready for year's end. I have new goals and plans to put in place, and sincerely looking forward to the New Year.

[Twins' Mom]

I was up around 9 and have been puttering around since. Read the paper, did a little online research. Unfortunately, I also missed a 10 a.m. meeting that had been set up weeks ago with the two directors of the religious school. I can't figure out why I agreed to meet on a Sunday morning anyway.

I've been frustrated about my genealogy documentation and was struggling with getting it "right." (Remember, the perfect is the enemy of the good, or whatever the phrase is?) I did some reading yesterday and also watched a webinar directly by Rootsmagic software. Dh had emailed me a family tree from a second cousin that found him a couple of years back. I entered that info into my software and entered some documentation as to where it came from. Maybe I'll get there. I have so much info to enter into the software and I'm wanting to work on it all and feeling overwhelmed by it. I also uploaded an update of my genealogy data to Rootsweb, hadn't been updated since 2010.