So much to do and so little time

The countdown is on. Tried to call my youngest...she hasn't called back...yet. We were wondering when they were going to come in for Christmas. I know when the others are coming, but not the cow tail one.

It seems the closer Christmas gets the more I find to do. A small bed of pansies and violas and cabbages were planted this afternoon out by the backdoor...much later than we usually get them into the ground. I know we were much more organized last year. However, we didn't have as many distractions from the in laws, bless their hearts, but could just get on with it. Caring for them came to be my husband's work. It must have filled a need he had to have a lot of complicated paperwork to keep sorted out for them. He hasn't had a lot to do since he retired four years ago. All he had to do to get the power of attorney and to be named their in charge of everything guy, was a maze of complications for sure. Also, last year I didn't know about the rheumatoid arthritis...just thought I was tired a lot..or lazy, more like it. That is getting better since I started water aerobics. Much better indeed. However, from time to time I do still get very fatigued.

I'm sure I won't be attending the Friday water aerobics class any longer. The instructor for that class is very negative. Today she was complaining about the people in the class who didn't show up. For one thing it is the week before Christmas and most of us have a ton of tasks to complete. I know I do for sure. She was downright tacky in the way she treated us until I said that it might be wiser to be glad we were there, if the others were not. The others stopped attending that class because of the way she treats people. Our other teacher is such a sweet young woman and actually knows a lot about which exercises are helpful to us. This week I asked for more balance exercises and she came up with some fun ones and they do help. While I was waiting for class to start I thought I'd swim a lap or two. Well, I found out I don't remember how to swim and that really threw me for a loop. My mother and I used to go to the pool for lessons in the hot summer mornings. I was even allowed to take life saving lessons. And now! to think I couldn't swim. It was awful and too cold to swim in my home pool. I'm going to stick with it and learn again, by golly. I think it is almost criminal for parents to not take their children to swim lessons. My half sister can't swim and that bothers me, but now I can't either.
*getting off my soap box now and getting back to normal sort of*

Got some silver plate polished tonight. I haven't a clue why I ever bought a silver plate coffee service, but I did and it really needed a shine. Also, finally got the creche put up and it looks great on the serving cabinet next to the dining room table. The palms were a little crunched up, but opened up with some help. Our Joseph was in fine shape as were the others. Someone who comes by this blog had a problem with her Joseph once.

So many things to try to still get done. The little cedar in a huge pot outside doesn't have the red shiny balls and gold tinsel on it yet, either. Maybe tomorrow.

For our dinner I'm thinking of making the Orange Preserve Cake mentioned in the "Father Tim" books. I bought Jan Karon's cookbook, as well as, all of the series a while back and never really looked at the cookbook too much. For one thing I live in the South and know how to make pickled cucumber salad, but when I read the recipe for that cake it sounded so good, and not chocolate for a change. Don't get me wrong I love chocolate for sure. Anyway, if I can find 3 nine inch cake pans I'll let you know how it comes out. I'm not going to be ready by tomorrow night when my brother and sister in law have our annual Christmas get together. This year the theme is to bring something around your house you no longer want and it has to be a pretty good gift...no old socks or stinky tennis shoes. Last year the theme was items from "As Seen On TV". That was fun, however, ours was "As Seen At Sam's". They were a hit. So this year, I have some pewter ornaments for the tree I'm going to share and a lighted sleigh. I have no idea where the sleigh came from so I guess it fits the criteria alrighty and it is still in the box. I'm sure someone will love it. It might make a nice place to put a small vase of flowers in or something. Oh yes...it is a Chinese Christmas, too.

At some point I am going to have to clear out this computer room so I can make sure there is enough for everyone. When $20 is the limit...well, it is easy to forget what it was that was ordered for who and has it got here yet.

Our weather is supposed to turn on Wednesday. That is the day my kids from the Houston/Galveston area are flying up here. It may storm, but I wish it wouldn't. Our house if full of boxes they have had sent to our house so they don't have to bring it with them. I'll have the paper, bags, scissors and tags ready for them when they show up. On Christmas Eve it is supposed to get really cold and stay that way over Christmas Day. It will be nice to have some really cold weather. I remember Christmases when it was nearly 80 degrees...that isn't very Christmasy.

Enjoy your day of whatever you plan to do and I wish you a Christmas filled with family and friends and fun and plenty to eat. We can excercise later and I know an aerobics teacher I'd be happy to send to you. *angelic smile*

The Race is On

I feel like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland right now. We have been so busy, but the assisted living place told my husband it would probably be better if we didn't visit right now. That is one less thing today. They, the in laws, are settling in and actually went to a Sing Along the other day. We, on the other hand are going to weigh about one ton each by the New Year from all the parties and food...and the YMCA is going to be open on New Year's Day. I told them I wouldn't be there. I don't drink, so no horrific hangover for me, but that is a family day of football, blackeyed peas, cornbread and leftover ham, not a day to work out. *note to self to buy a ham* Our actual Christmas dinner will be a 9 pound pork roast that will be brined and cooked with brown sugar bourbon glaze...and lots of vegetables. I am going to make my praline sweet potatoes and if nobody wants any, well they'll just miss out.


Our kids will start to arrive December 23rd. I guess the other one(s) [her boyfriend is coming with her, and when they retire they are going to go to chili cookoffs and ride motorcycles] will come about the same time. We are going to spend Christmas Eve with everyone at our son's home and have dinner with them. That will be fun. I'll probably be the designated driver for that event.

Today is our 45th anniversary and I guess we are going to try to make some inroads at the house. However, I've been whining for a new Fossil watch that is water resistant and the one I'm looking at is resistant to 100 meters...far deeper than I'll ever go voluntarily. It has lots of sparklies on it, too. So, actually not a good watch for snorkeling, either. Eels and barracudas like sparkly stuff. And I get to go with him to return some clothes we had ordered for his mom to Coldwater Creek. There is always something there I like. I wonder what he might like?


Anyway, I'm late for a very important date and will see ya'll when I can find a few minutes to surf. Ya'll are in my heart and thoughts...especially the one with the weird indention at the notch in her throat. She can put a quarter in it...isn't that something! I've looked at mine and it isn't as fat as I thought, but I couldn't put much of anything in that notch...not even say a dime....whereas she can keep spare change in hers. She is hilarious, too.

Just got home from running errands and found there is hardly any Christmas decorations left in the stores!! The time has flown like crazy. I had to take back a little yard stake that was warped to Garden Ridge and they had spring stuff out. Same deal at Sam's and Hobby Lobby, no ornaments. We had plenty, so it wasn't a panic day. Got the tree decorated last night after getting home from scouring the in laws' house to find stuff that if they were to be broken into it wouldn't be the end of the world.

My husband didn't want to take that much, but I convinced him we would never be able to restock it if something happened to it.

Oh gosh..I just looked at the time and I have to run. Meeting in an hour and I don't have a clue where it is. Laterz all.

Day off

Today was a long day and even though the maids came it is still hard as heck to get everything put where it needs to go. They don't know where to put stuff and will just clean around it. As you have noticed if you have been reading the epic saga of the in laws, everybody needs a nap. So, my thinking is this...we made spaghetti sauce tonight....I foolishly thought we were going to have spaghetti, but was surprised with elbow macaroni instead of...you know the long spaghetti. So we had Beefaroni our way...and there is enough sauce left to make the real deal one night soon. That was really funny when I got to the table. Hubby finished the dinner I'd started, but I hadn't gotten the pasta out yet. I had said one day this week we had a lot of elbow mac and some other kinds and penne. I guess the gigantic pink glass jar I store the spaghetti in just didn't register with him. It was sweet and I was speechless...and then laughed. I wondered why he kept asking me if I wanted a spoon...silly me.

Happy dreams tonight and hope you get done all you want to get done tomorrow. Our tree is in parts on the floor where it is going to be. I'm just not up for decorating it yet.

Do you buy a real tree or a reusable tree? We used to buy a real one, but the fear of a fire was too much for me, especially with three little ones in the house....but let us know what you do about a tree.

I'll be lollygagging on the sofa watching old movies and such.

The Beat Goes On

Things did not improve much on the mil front today. She is still going on about going home. She has no idea how close she is to going to the Alzheimer's ward. The staff called last night to tell us my husband's father fell as he was coming out of the bathroom. They checked him over and he didn't seem to have suffered any ill effects from it.

Tonight they called to tell my husband she threatened one of the staff with her walker. That is very serious behavior. However, it might work out better if my fil is in the regular assisted living and she is in the Alzheimer's ward. It is allowed for him to visit her, if he wishes. My husband is going to show him how to get to the dining room so he can get a cup of coffee and maybe meet some of the guys out there, but mainly to get a break from her harping continually. I've seen people playing card games and dominos in the public areas. I don't think he would be able to remember too much how to play, but while he was with me yesterday he seemed to understand a lot more and to talk more.

It is very sad and terrible what is going on in their lives now, and I hope I don't live that long. Far better, to my way of thinking for my body to go before my mind. I'm pretty sure there won't be too much problem with that. All those years of smoking and drinking and carrying on...well, let's say I probably won't make it to 92. However, my dad made it to a very ripe old age and he was an alcoholic and had a stroke. What finally done him in was bladder cancer. Whuda thunk. It has been a very long time since I've had anything to drink and 2 years 8 months and some days since I quit smoking. April 1st will be the three year anniversary of quitting. Every now and then I wish for one, but then I smell somebody who smokes and yuck. The carrying on was never that much and probably won't be a contributing factor in my demise. All the worrying with the people I've had to care for in my life probably will be.

All of the turmoil has been so hard on my husband. His b/p was up the other day to 195/95 and he has low b/p normally. It came down during the day and was down today, but this has been very difficult. We both feel for his mother and her wish to live in her own home, but even if we got 24/7 care unless we hired nurses...and I'm not sure if an LVN would be enough or not. The aides cannot administer medications, and someone would have to buy their groceries, and it goes on and on. We gave it serious thought, but it seemed the assisted living situation seemed the best way to go for all of us. My husband doesn't have any brothers or sisters to help with them, either. It is the two of us struggling to make sense of a bad situation. We have followed all the rules and regulations. If we had continued with the way it was we might have been open to elderly abuse charges for not having someone with them all the time, and we just can't move in with them or them with us. It is hard for us, too. We haven't been anywhere in a while. A couple of years ago we got away for a few days to Port Aransas, but they were better then. We can barely get away for a movie now days.

Celibacy

It was a pretty unbelivably Gosh awful day. It was moving day for the inlaws and OMG. My fil went with me as sweet as could be and like a little lamb. He had lunch and something warm to drink while I was doing something.

On the other hand my husband was left with his mother. I wouldn't say she is hard headed and strong willed, but it took hubby, the lady that helps her, three constables, and two Medstar ambulance guys to finally pry her out of the house. It was most unpleasant and she was in a royal snit by the time she got to the Assisted Living place. Then I became the subject of her venom and it was ok. It doesn't bother me...I just tell her what the court, her doctor, a nurse and a couple of social workers said...which was that neither of them is able to care for themselves or each other at all...ever...even with help. They may move her over to the more disturbed ward or she may decide she loves it there, too.

My little fil was just happy as a clam all day. When I was taking him to the room, they had put him in a transfer chair...like a wheelchair without the foot business...he was waving and telling the ladies hello and all. We didn't see any gentlemen on our way back. I really think he will be very happy to live there. Anyway when the "fire breathing dragon" got there it got so bad I went to sit in the hall. She followed me and was stamping her walker up and down and telling me how she was going to go home. I wryly commented that she seemed to have had a miracle cure of the arthritis in her hip. She has osteoarthritis and it is extremely painful to walk. That is just how mad she was. Hopefully it will get better in the next few days.

I can't bear to leave you with the dreadful goings on of the day, so here is a joke I got in the mail today. It made both of us laugh and I hope it does the same for ya'll.

Celibacy

Celibacy can be a choice in life, or a condition imposed by circumstances.

While attending a Marriage Weekend, Walter and his wife, Ann, listened to the instructor declare, 'It is essential that husbands and wives know the things that are important to each other."

He then addressed the men, 'Can you name and describe your wife's favorite flower?'

Walter leaned over, touched Ann's arm gently, and whispered, 'Gold Medal-All-Purpose,right?'

And thus began Walter's life of celibacy.........

Pink Glove Dance

I got this in an email and it is cute and for a good cause.

"Our daughter-in-law, Emily (MacInnes) Somers, created, directed and choreographed this in Portland last week for her Medline glove division as a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness. This was all her idea to help promote their new pink gloves. I don't know how she got so many employees, doctors and patients to participate, but it started to really catch on and they all had a lot of fun doing it. When the video gets 1 million hits, Medline will be making a huge contribution to the hospital, as well as offering free mammograms for the community. Please check it out. It's an easy and great way to donate to a wonderful cause, and who hasn't been touched by breast cancer?"

There was some concern that if you watched the video on my blog it might not count, so here is the link to where it is on You Tube...actually it is linked to You Tube when you click in the picture box. The URL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEdVfyt-mLw

As of 10:26pm today there have been 4,452,012 views. It is getting on up there.