frankenstein? I don't even care!

Yesterday at PT, I did all my things...leg press, and 45 reps on a different leg machine, the straight leg lifts with weights, the bike, the resistance band, and my measure was 120, without pushing it, which is good.  Then, it was time to walk with the cane.  The therapists there are very jokey and keep it fun and light hearted.  I wobbled and walked, and they called me Frankenstein.  I said I don't even care, put bolts in my neck too, as long as I can walk, I don't care.  

My knee buckled more yesterday than it has in a while, and it's discouraging, but I have to keep at it anyway.  I think it gets tired, and obviously the less I baby it, the more things like that might happen.  Today I plan to walk up and down the hallway here with the cane, and catch myself with the wall if it buckles.  

Anyway.  We had a nice weekend.  Char, Cam and I watched season one of Fallout, Char hadn't seen it, I think Cam and I watched it while she was in Germany.  The second season is half out, so we started that, and are caught up.  It's entertaining, and it's fun to watch with them.  

We have a lil baby in the house.  Miss Kaia Jean spent the night, Charlotte Claire and Camille are babysitting while Sonja and Oscar go to NY city to get Oscar's passport, as he officially has his Green Card now, so he can visit his family in Norway.  With the snow and cold and busyness of the city, they thought it better not to take baby, so the girls gladly agreed to watch her.  Of course I have had my share of rocking and singing and talking to her, she's hilarious.  She's four months old now, and she's so bright!  She studies things, and turns her head when the dog walks by, and laughs her head off when we're so funny.  She is busy all the time taking everything in.  Char slept in the guest room with her, and it's still quiet at 8:30 am, so she must be getting some sleep, although I did hear crying in the night, but only for a minute. 

We had a houseful on Sunday after church.  Evelyn and Nate, Kathryn and Darius and their four kids, Margaret and Adrian and their three, and the four of us who live here.  I had a pork loin roast  to go in the oven, sprinkled it with lime juice, then lots of seasoning, covered it in olive oil, a bit more seasoning, and into the oven fat side up...I sliced up apples and chopped onions, and added those half way through roasting.  I peeled five pounds of red skinned potatoes, and Nate made them into delicious mashies when they were fork tender.  We also put a five pound package of chicken breasts in the oven, seasoned and olive oiled, so there would be plenty of meat.  Paul also cooked up some goose sausage from one of his hunter friends.  Nate made roasted carrots with spices and maple syrup.  So we had a really nice dinner.

On Sunday, the girls were talking about our upcoming trip to Norway, in two months.  I need to get moving!  I really want to be able to go.  Then the next month, a trip to Phoenix!  Then camping season begins, and yes, we do have three or four reservations already!  So I need to work and work and get walking!  

Oh, remember me complaining about a new year, new deductible, and paying for PT?  Well.  Surprise!  Our insurance covers therapy at 100% when it's following a surgery!  So not only do we have 40 sessions for this year, if needed, but we get refunded for what we were paying for the previous 20-something times we went.  Shh, I do NOT want to have to go 39 more times this year!  

Anyway.  You all have a really good day!

good afternoon, second post in one day!

 

This city didn't even get much snow in the last storm!  But it certainly piles up!

After my doctor's appointment, we were planning to go to Aldi, as we were really running out of a lot of things!  Seriously, not having me as a constant shopper shows!  I would run in here just for the chicken, or in there for the on sale ground beef, check for clearances, ect.  Now we rely on the girls, who are extremely busy and not as savvy as me, and our infrequent shopping trips, which include one store, which is Aldi.  Anyway.  I wasn't sure I was going to go in, until I talked to the dr.

Well.  He didn't say I was wonderful and doing fantastic, but what he said, summarized:  Your x-rays look just fine.  He then looked at the leg, the knee, examined and poked and prodded and bent it every which way, and said: It's not a ligament problem, your knee is nice and steady in there.  It just takes time, and strength, you need to keep working on the quads, and keep going to PT, it just takes time.  I asked him about any type of brace, or wrap to keep the knee in place, he said "absolutely not!  you want to strengthen those muscles!"  He said he would see me in three months, and was out the door.  okay.  So this IS a good thing, there is nothing structurally wrong.  No magic wand, just more work.  

So, I went into Aldi with Paul.  The carts are high, and heavy, and I held on and pushed, and my knee didn't buckle, but it wasn't super happy, either.  Paul was so patient with me, and we were able to get what we needed, plus a 69 cent cookie decorating kit.  I think that's the only "fun" thing we got, except for the beef brisket, which was $23 something...meat, especially beef, has gotten so expensive.  But now we have a pork loin roast, and chicken, and veggies, potatoes, cream, milk, all the good stuff.  It is nice, and I am thankful that we can just go buy what we need.  

In other news, my new sneakers came today!  

I am not getting a penny for saying how much I love these.  Allbirds Tree Runners

I think I paid a little less, as both pairs I got were a bit over a hundred with tax, but there was an online code too.    These are for warmer weather, and they're nice, come with white laces too.

These are wool, and are so warm and comfy.  I can't say enough good things about them.  They don't come in wide widths, but I sized up and got nines, and they fit amazingly well, on my weird wide hard-to-fit feet.  If you want something comfy, give them a try.  Again, I am not sponsored by anyone for anything on the blog, I just like these so much.  They are machine washable, too.  

I got my first pair of Allbirds when Aaron and Riley lived in San Francisco.  I don't know how many years I've had them, but the soles are all worn down and smooth, no grip anymore, and I wanted something new for the new way my feet seem to go with the new knee.  I have tried other sneakers, in wide widths too, and haven't felt this kind of comfort.  It was hard to order online without trying on, but I did, and I am so glad I did.  

You get a mirror selfie of me in the new upstairs bathroom.  Because I'm happy.  I know I have work to do, but it's hopeful, and I am happy.  

(As far as coffee mugs go, I do have a travel mug I can use, so as to get my coffee to my chair without sloshing, but for Christmas I got this Ember mug, keeps the coffee piping hot, even the last sip is hot, I love love love it!!!!)

Ah well...time to get up and get moving!  I have not graduated from PT yet, like I should have, but ?  I have three appointments scheduled for next week...it is what it is, right?  Have a good day!

And, happy new year!

 This is also a special date for Paul and I, we met on this night in 1982...that's 44 years ago?  wow.  Yes, that maths.  I was 16, he was almost 19.  

We stopped at the DG on the way to Emily's, Sunny couldn't believe that Paul went in without her. 

It was a blustery night!

So yeah, we went to Emily and Mariel's house for New Year's Eve, and it was so cozy and fun.  She has had the whole upstairs renovated, of her old Victorian house.  She made a nice playroom up there for the kids, and converted one of the rooms into a library, with built-ins and wallpaper, and a coffee bar with a sink.  The grandkids had so much fun, running around the house and up and down the stairs.  I didn't attempt to go up and look around, as I was certain I would get knocked down:)

Our drive home was not fun, I was glad Paul was driving.  It was snowing like crazy, windy, and cold.  We drove over a ridge of snow left by the snowplow, but we were not going very fast at that point, as the turn-around is in town...there was at least four inches of new snow on the road, then bam, there were two deer in the road...they were on the edge, and if they decided to continue, we couldn't have stopped, but they stayed put...it was nice to turn on to our unplowed road, and into our driveway.  Paul was so nice, he jumped out and got the shovel, so I didn't have to bump through as much snow on the way to the front porch.  

By the time we got into the house, I was very chilled.  My sneakers had gotten soaking wet near the door, as the grandkids had all gone out to watch Jonny set off fireworks, they must have flung wet boots everywhere, as children are apt to do, ha.  Anyway, a hot shower and off to bed by eleven...we're old.

Paul took the tree down yesterday, wah.  Most everything is taken down, but not all of it yet.  We have to pack away the throw pillows and Christmas tree blankets.  I decided to leave the lights in the front windows for the winter, as it makes it so cozy in here, and they're still programmed to my phone, so why not?  

In half hour, I'll start getting ready to get out the door for my ortho appointment.  The sun is shining here, the lake snow has moved up north, but it's very cold out.  I was kind of hoping for a snowstorm so we could cancel, but we're going.  I'm hoping for some answers.  Here's what I want him to say:  The x-rays are perfect, there is nothing wrong with that new knee...just keep working on strengthing the quads, and you;ll be walking in no time.  You're doing great, and you're not a big baby.  What I don't want him to say:  You are a big baby, just let go of that thing and walk, you're not gonna fall.  Or:  the x-rays show that new knee is all messed up and you need more surgery to fix it.

In any case, it is a new year, so new deductible to be met, each visit is so expensive, PT is going to cost an arm and a leg, but that is life nowadays, isn't it?  I shall be thankful we have modern medicine and good doctors, although shh, I have not quite reached the point where I'm glad I had this done.  I'm getting there, but it'll be more when I am walking by myself.

The new grandbaby is doing well, she's back to birth weight all ready, and settling in with her family, keeping her mama up at night, like good babies do.  

So sadly, my son Joseph's sweet doggy Bucky passed away unexpectedly this week.  She was, as Joseph said, sweetness embodied.  

She lived the happiest pup life though, very spoiled and tons of attention, lots of walks and adventures.  Joe said she went peacefully.  It's so sad.

In hum-drum news, this is the chair I ordered, looking forward to summer and camping...Aaron gave me his Kohl's cash, and I perused the site, and what did I really want that I wouldn't just buy?  This!  It's sort of a rocking chair without the rockers!  

The girls went to the big mall this week, and who did they see working?  Jonathan!  

Anyway.  I'm finishing my coffee, doing a few exercises just to warm up this stiff knee, and getting dressed to go to the doctor.  I'll check in this afternoon to let you know if he says:  Actually, I have just the thing...this magical knee brace!    Or:  Oh, just click your heels together three times and say I can walk!

Have a good day!

more and more and more!

This is the window over the kitchen sink...

The deck...

The Orange Guy...he has the right idea.

My favorite local coffee...if you go to their website, they'll ship it, no matter how many bags, for five dollars...Suzanne and Zech left the bag I got them for Christmas here, and they live an hour away, so I ordered them another bag.  Well, two, to be exact, because why not?  It's a win-win, because now we can enjoy the one they left here.  I had ordered 12 bags for the kids for Christmas, and the guy made the nice labels for them!

The snow keeps on snowing.  The thing about lake effect snow:  you can get pounded, and four miles down the road, the sun is shining, depending on how the band sets up from the lake, wind direction, ect.  We have been in the direct path and have gotten SO much snow, well over a foot, probably closer to two.  The wind has calmed down a bit, but it was just whipping around the house last night and earlier today.

 

So I went to PT yesterday, and it went well...as well as it could, I suppose.  My leg is straight, therapist surprised and pleased, the flexion was 121 with minimal effort, and I did all my exercises.  The bummer:  on the way down the sidewalk to the car to go there, the knee did a buckle...I didn't fall or anything, but jeepers, if I was walking unassisted or with a cane, dang.  It shakes my confidence.  It's like the knee is on such a swivel, such a hinge, it goes forward too much.  

Anyway, I go to the surgeon on Friday, I'll see what he says about it.  In the mean time, I just keep moving and stretching and exercising and working on balancing...I can stand on my feet without holding on and shift weight from one foot to another, and am working on letting go a bit as I walk. 

Paul and I made chili for dinner tonight.  He got the ingredients out for me, then went out to snowplow.  I put chopped peppers and black olives in it.  I don't know why, but he loves those black olives.  :). I don't mind them.  The chili was not bad, it was almost the definition of "plain but nourishing", which was what my father used to say to my mother about dinners she made, which is totally insulting, but I think he was kidding?  In any case, it's become one of those sayings...he always called my mother Maudie, even though her name was Barbara.  So...Plain but nourishing, Maudie, plain but nourishing...  It was pretty good though, for a cold windy snowy night.  I still revel in eating food when it's really hot, ha, after so many years of feeding children first.   

Ah well.  You all have a good evening.  I have PT tomorrow, on New Year's Eve day, but if it's snowy, I already told them I was going to cancel.  Then Friday I go see the surgeon...Emily is having a New Year's Eve party, but if it is the snowy...not sure we'll go.  Anyway...bye for now! 

am I weary?

 I'm trying hard not to be.  It's just been a very different time in life, and I feel like Rapunzel, and can only imagine running through the grass and singing how glad I am that I left my tower.  Yes, I feel like I'm under house arrest.  I've gone to PT (but last one was one week ago, I have not left the house since then!), and to three church events, and twice to Aldi in the last eight weeks.  That is NOT my normal.

Walking:  I am still really struggling, and it's so depressing.  I cannot take one step without the walker.  Well, I can use the cane for a few steps, but the new knee is just still a bit wobbly.  It has gotten better, but...I can't carry my own plate of food, and carrying a cup of hot coffee to my chair is a comedy.  I do have a little pocket in the walker, so when the mug is empty I can carry it to the sink and wash it.  I can manage to pile my dirty clothes on the front rail of the walker, and can get them into the washer, ect.  So it's not like I don't DO anything, but everything just takes longer.  

We did have a really nice weekend.  Sam and Grace came over with their FOUR children!  I did take pictures of the newborn, but a lot of the young moms don't want pics posted of their kids anymore, so that also makes me weary.  I will describe the baby though:  She is big for a newborn, was over ten pounds!  But, she still looks so tiny and fragile!  She's beautiful, and has big cheeks, dark hair, and when she opens her eyes and looks around, she seems really aware and smart, she liked the Christmas tree.  Her name is Samantha Grace, named after both parents.  :).  (I declined to hold the baby, I just feel like with flu season and all, I advised them to not let anyone hold her yet...)(I admired her from afar!)

Margaret came over with Blythe while her boys were at a birthday party, and Kathryn came with her kids too.  Then Darius came, and they all stayed for dinner, except for Margaret.  So it was Paul and I, Char and Cam, Sam and Grace and their 4, although Samantha didn't eat any dinner, Kathryn, Darius and their four...it was impromptu, but I had a brown sugar cured spiral sliced ham in the refrigerator, and a big jar of unsweetened applesauce.  Paul put the ham in the oven, Kathryn helped me chop and season a five pound bag of potatoes, we roasted them with olive oil.  I peeled and chopped some Granny Smith apples, and put them in a baking dish with the applesauce, some brown sugar, and cinnamon, and into the oven that went. It was a lovely dinner.  A few of the kids weren't impressed with anything but the applesauce.  Since when do kids hate ham?  

It was a three ring circus for a few hours, but I don't mind.  I mind that I cannot pick up things that fall on the floor without a lot of effort, and that I can't bring them a coffee, or grab a toddler climbing precariously...I feel kind of helpless.  It's also really hard to clean up the house before and after company.  I'll see a toy under the couch, and meh...can't get it.  I can wash the dishes if they bring them to the counter, but I can't put the big heavy pans away.  I can bag up the leftovers, but ha, getting them back into the refrigerator...

Anyway.  I'm glad when I have visitors, it's what life is all about, being together.  The girls are going to a church camp for the week tonight, so it'll be quiet here, plus we're getting another snow storm starting tonight.  I'm not even going to attempt to start to take down Christmas until the weekend.  

Emily is having a New Year's Eve thing at her house, she has had the upstairs entirely remodeled and we want to see it!  She's having an early celebration, counting down at nine o'clock, ha.  I hope there's not too much snow and that we can make it over there.

I've sat here long enough.  I only peddled this morning, before my coffee.  I need to get up and do heel slides and leg lifts, and and and.  Please keep me in your prayers for stability in the new knee...it's gone on long enough, in my opinion.  I have had some really tearful times, to be honest.  It's ridiculous, I just want to walk!  I have a lot to be thankful for in my healing, the pain is minimal, although sleeping at night is still just a few hours at a time, with a lot of aching and discomfort.  But the incision is healed up nicely, and I can move the leg well.  It's just that it lurches with no warning sometimes...I go to see the surgeon on Friday, so we'll see what he says...

In summary, I am a very optimistic, look at the bright side person.  This whole situation has really leveled me.  I've never had to fight so hard to not fall into depression before.  With all the babies and sleeplessness and trials with teenagers, and all the things that go with raising sixteen kids...this is the thing that has tried me the most.  There are so many aspects of it that rankle me:  having to ask for help.  The dog bed in my way as I hobble to the bathroom, someone's shoes behind the bathroom door so I can't open it wide enough to get the walker in, the step stool left out in the main bathroom so I can't get in without putting it away, no towel in front of the sink so I have to put wet hands on the walker as I go to get one from the front of the stove, no water in the coffee heater, have to bring the kettle over to the sink...just annoyances that seem magnified.  I have had to let most of the things that I would neaten up or straighten go, everyone is busy doing their own thing, and no one else cares if the plant they moved off the coffee table to scrapbook is in the wrong place now.  :). 

Of course this is all weighed and measured, it's happening because I need it, and deep down I know this.  It's a trial, and we know that our faith has to be tried by fire, so that we can be cleansed, purified, like gold.     So with that knowledge, I am not giving up.  I do not want to be miserable, nor feel sorry for myself, so I fight...our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities, (Ephesians 6).  Those sneaky little thoughts of despair!  NO.  

I won't lie though.  I am longing to see the end of this trial!  I am dreaming of walking through the sand up at the lake, and skipping up the steps into the camper!  Walking into Costco, and perusing every aisle with nary a limp!  I won't miss the walker, nor will I miss my time here in captivity, although it hasn't been awful.  The part that makes it really challenging is knowing how blessed I am, while at the same time feeling such discontent...but I choose to believe that I feel that discontent because we are driven to excel, and without that drive, I would just languish here, not pushing myself to heal.  If I felt everything was just hunky dory, then I wouldn't subject myself to PT, or all these exercises.  

In any case, I feel better having vented, and if anyone has gotten this far, wow?  You all are probably pretty sick and tired of hearing wah wah wah from me by now...one of these days, it'll all be just a memory.  You all have a really nice day!  If you're in warm weather, enjoy.  Part of my longing to walk of course involves walking barefoot in warm weather ha....

it was very merry!

Aunt Suzanne with baby Ellis

Opening presents!  Ruth, Rhys..Tenny opening..Jamie...Ben and Oscar in the background...

Paul was so good on Christmas Eve, I couldn't have managed without his help with everything.

Here's Aunt Emily with little Blythe

 Oscar and Sonja with baby Kaia

The gingerbread houses while I made the little pigs in a blanket...Rhys, Ruth, Maeve, Aunt Evelyn, Elise

Kaia!

Charlotte Claire, Sonja, Kaia, and Orange Guy

Blythe

Cousins:  Anya and Achilles

Char, oldest granddaughter Anya, and Emily...

The cake!  I didn't edit out the background, because I wanted you to see how truly huge this was!

Declan, Jamie, Rhys, Ruth, Wulf, Maeve

Evelyn had games for the kids, and she put all their names in a spinning wheel, so Grandpa held up his laptop, and we watched the wheel spin, and each time it landed on a grandchild's name, we clapped for them, and they thought they won a prize, but it was their turn to get their secret Santa gift.  

It did get loud, and there were some meltdowns, but thankfully only from the kids, ha.  There was a good spirit here, and it was so much fun.  I wish I could go back and do it all over again.  It wasn't without trials though, I can't do the things I see needing done, and I can be picky about the details when explaining and asking for help. So the girls sometimes give me a hard time, but overall, they were amazing.  They did everything.  Nate made fried dumplings, and Emily brought chili verde, and there was so much other food...cookies and fudge and cake.  

The kids bought Paul a really nice warm jacket, and we got him these cool compression socks with a rubber sole to wear around the house.  He got me a countertop ice maker, and a Shark hand held vacuum for the couches and stairs, and little messes, it's great.  The kids got me an Ember mug, and I cannot even describe how wonderful it is to have even the last sip of coffee piping hot!  You program it with your phone to your desired temp.  Where was this like twenty years ago when I was knee deep in small children?  Hot coffee then was like the first sip, then I was lucky I could remember where I put the mug, jumping up to deal with things.

Anyway.  I bought 12 bags of locally roasted coffee, which Emily picked up for me last week, for the kids.  She bought some too, and with Mariel made bags for us and the families, with local maple syrup, locally milled pancake mix, the coffee, and bacon, such a good idea!  We dug into ours on Christmas morning.  I did end up having something to give to everyone, but it never seems like enough.  Slippers, gloves, Norwegian chocolate, candles...I got Suze and Zech a candle warmer, and a new electric kettle for Kathryn.  Lotions and perfumes and lip things, socks...a baby scrapbook for Sonja for little Kaia.

The girls got new scrapbooks too, and a printer to print photos from their phones, and lots of film for it, as well as clothes, perfumes, mittens, jammies.  

The most fun was giving the gifts to the grandkids.  Also, the games Evelyn organized were so funny...she dumped a pile of gift wrap bows on the coffee table, and each child took a turn with a bowl and a spatula, blindfolded, to see how many "hot cookies" they could get in the bowl without using their other hand to help get them on the spatula.  She played a game where she sat them all down, gave them plastic cups (which several of them proceeded to crush and ask for a new one?!), then had them close their eyes while she passed out Fruity Pebbles candy bites, or sour candy, or whatever she had gotten from the dollar store, and they ate it and shouted out what it was...not really rhyme or reason, but so much for the kids, and...candy!  Evelyn is an excellent Auntie.

We did have a new baby born into the family too, but I am not going to say anything else, as they haven't announced it yet...she is doing well though!  :). Eighteen grandchildren now!  :). 

Ah well...you all have a really nice day...we are getting snow and more snow later today into tomorrow...brrr!!!!

celebrations!

 

Happy birthday dear Margaret...this is from Thanksgiving, with her husband Adrian.  We had a nice Saturday night get-together for her.  Mariel brought taco stuff, and we had snacks.  Char and Cam went to the bakery and got a dozen donuts, which we put out on the coffee table in the evening with little plates and some knives, so everyone could cut and sample.  9 of my 11 daughters were here, as well as Ashley and Grace and Rosi.  

Kathryn came over a bit early, and helped me make peanut butter fudge.  Unfortunately, I didn't let it boil quite long enough, and it didn't harden up enough.  It tastes heavenly though, so I'll still put it out on Christmas Eve, with a spoon, next to the sheet cake.  I told Kathryn on the phone this morning that I'm getting fat just talking about it.  :). I did make chocolate fudge yesterday, which turned out fine.  

We had our church Christmas celebration yesterday too.  

Margaret, Camille, Charlotte Claire, and friend Amanda, cousin Linnea, and friend Annetta

The nice Auntie Evelyn with cousins Ellis and Kaia

Paul and Sunny, who isn't allowed on the couch.

Ah well.  I'm going to PT in a few hours, which you can probably tell I'm thrilled about.  I know I'm making progress, but not walking on my own yet makes me feel like a failure, to be honest.  I've done my exercises this morning, put in a load of laundry, walked around a bit, and that's about it.  I want to frost cookies, and wrap the last few presents, but the cookies are in the downstairs freezer, the gift wrapping stuff is all in a box in Paul's office, so I need some help.  Paul is having a stressful time with work, and is very busy, and the girls are at work.    

To be clear:  I can walk with the cane for only a few steps.  Yesterday I totally psyched myself out, talked myself into it, and walked like five steps, then that little lurch...ugh.  So I've been walking with minimal weight on the walker, telling myself just take a step!  If only.  I know, it'll come, but dang.  I want to do so many things!  

No pity party though.  Just venting, and being honest.  :). I'll post this later, after PT...

And, just like that, it's "later, after PT."  It came upon us suddenly today, as the appointment was an hour earlier than usual, and I didn't realize it.  Paul got reminder, so out the door we went in a hurry and made it eight minutes late, but Paul did call to let them know we would be a little late.

All the exercises, then the measurement, still 120, which is good...I lifted some heavier weights, and did the bike, and the stretches, and it was all well and good.  I am trying all day to walk without putting weight on the walker, I manage sometimes, sometimes not.  

I frosted all the frozen cookies today!  This is the first time in like 38 years I've frosted cookies all by myself.  There are about 130 of them.  

Some gingerbread...

I sat at the table with everything, Paul helped me bring it over...I started making the green frosting, and it is NOT what I wanted...it's gel coloring, and it's Grinch green!  But...I am not a frosting waster, and I didn't feel like getting back up and getting the regular food coloring and making more frosting, so we have Grinch green trees.  

Ah well....Sunny is being a brat...I let her out a little while ago.  She barked to come in, so I hobbled back over to the door, even though I was all set to sit down after cleaning up the frosting mess.  She ran away when I opened the door, even though I yelled, "Do you want a treat?"  (I'm a terrible dog mom, you run away and don't listen, I give you a treat!).  She didn't fall for the treat, didn't come in.  So I told her FINE.  I am NOT letting you in, once I sit down.  The girls are in their rooms, Paul is in the shower, and she is out there barking...I have my leg elevated and iced, and I do not want to get up.  harrumph.  

But...I'll get up, because she is barking incessantly.  Okay, she's in now.  I did not give her a treat, for the record. 

Ah well.  Life isn't going the way I think it should go, but here I am, alive and kicking.  The fun and festivities begin tomorrow night when Suzanne and Zech arrive, with their black Lab Winnie.  I plan to make popcorn, the real kind, in coconut oil, with butter and salt.  Suze loves it, and I have not made it in months.   The girls and I planned to make a lasagna tonight for tomorrow night, but we are a trio of procrastinators, it seems.  We'll make it tomorrow, if we feel like it.  I was up to my elbows in frosting cookies when they got home from work, and then we had dinner, and I finished frosting, and they have things to do...so, meh.  It's fine.  

I let my Target order expire, so I'll be refunded my money.  I never do that, because it's extra work for them and it costs them money, but I can't drive yet, and Paul worked today.  I am sorry their system was messed up on Friday, but I never would have ordered the stuff for pick up if I thought it wouldn't be ready in four hours.  Anyway, they sent me a $20 gift card, which was nice.  Then Kathryn did a Walmart order, and she added on a few things that I wanted.  :)

Ah well.  Oh, one exciting thing:  the newest grandbaby is going to arrive any day now!  Yes she is, Sam and Grace are having a baby girl soon, a new little sister for Grant, Ruth, and Maeve!  I think she'll be making her way into the world before Christmas, but we'll see!!!!  She is number 18 of the grandchildren!  The girls are winning, eight boys and she'll be the tenth girl, Jon and Rosi are having a girl too, in the spring, so eleven girls and eight boys!!!  (almost like me, I had eleven girls and 6 boys, counting baby Robert).

Well you all have a good night, and I hope you are more prepared for Christmas this year than I am!