Happy New Year

The last day of 2015!  It has been a good year overall.  I'll never look a gift horse in the mouth so I am happy to have had another year.  We had a crazy week since Christmas.  We've had earthquakes, tonadoes, sleet, snow, flooding you name it we've had it.  But that's just Oklahoma.

Today is the game between Oklahoma and Clemson and my football fans are ready to rumble.  Ron and Bella are sporting their OU jerseys and going to Mike's house to watch the game.  My daughter will be dropping by my house later this afternoon.

My daughter Julie is still recovering from shoulder surgery.  The other day she fell on some ice in her driveway and injured her shoulder again.  They took an x-ray and determined nothing was broken but are now playing the waiting game to see if an MRI will be required to see if she tore anything.  It had only been about 10 days since she had surgery.

We tease about how she is a walking accident but honestly she is.  She had two knee surgeries and after one of them she fell out of her jeep and the jeep ran over her.  She needs to be wrapped in bubble wrap!

Life is good and I'm excited to begin a new year.  I wish everyone peace, love and good health in the New Year!

 

Christmas Day 2015

Merry Christmas from Dani, Ron and Boo!

The concert yesterday was very LOUD!  We saw the Trans Siberian Orchestra and though I went to one of their concerts about 10 years ago I didn't remember it being so loud.  There were a lot of flashing lights, lasers, etc.  The lights just about killed my eyes.  I'm so light sensitive I had to put on my sunglasses and still the lights were killing me.  So I listened to most of the concert with my eyes closed.  By the time it was over my head was pounding.  All I can think is that I'm really getting old!  Ron loved the whole show.

I did my grocery shopping this morning and I'm ready to make a big pot of Christmas Soup.  I make it every years for Christmas Eve.   We will be going to Jamie's house about 5:00.  I'm having that nagging feeling that I've forgotten something but I guess if I did it will just have to remain forgotten.

I'm ready to get the party started!

 

Lookin Good Mr. Kotter

Big heavy sigh............the floors are done!  They look great and we just finished putting all the furniture back.  We decided to wait until spring to paint.  I think it was a good decision!

Ron and I are going to hear an orchestra performance in Okla. City this afternoon.  Then I have to finish last minute grocery shopping.  

My daughters half brother, his wife and new baby came last night and will be staying with Jamie.   They will be here until the 26th.  His grandmother lives here and is on hospice.  They believe she will pass away this week so he wanted to bring the new baby for her to see before she passes. 

I'm just so glad to be project free until January 11th!  I need a breather........

It seems we have been busy every day this past week.  We finished all the gift wrapping and mailing.  Christmas cards were sent.  We replaced the sewer line.  A big expense but I think it will definitely outlast us!  We are having a new vented heater put in the bathroom sometime in January.  We had been replacing the existing one every year because they would burn out so we decided to get an electrician and get it done right.  Because the house is so old the wiring isn't suited for a lot of the current appliances.  A little upgrade is necessary.

Today Ron is taking Mike to a basketball game and Bella and I have the house to ourselves.  Not much fun for Bella since she would rather be with Ron.

Tuesday the new floors will be installed in the spare bedrooms.  Can't wait for that project to be finished!  I still haven't made a decision about paint colors so the rooms may just stay as they are!  Too much to do right now.

I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas!  

Losing a pet is hard!

Ron and I took my daughter's dog Sophie to the vet yesterday to help my daughter out.  Unfortunately we received some bad news that Sophie has cancer.  She is my daughter's precious fur baby and on top of the divorce it is devastating news.  The vet said that even with chemo it would not prolong her life.  She has about 6 months.  She can be kept comfortable for awhile with steroids.  Since Sophie is 14 years old that seems to be the most reasonable course of action to take.  I hated to have to give Jamie this news but her vet is a sweet young lady who gave Jamie her personal cell phone #.  It seems she is also going through a divorce and was so sympathetic to the situation.  She is going to come to Jamie's house when the time comes to let Sophie go.  I thought that was wonderful.

Ron and I were so busy yesterday running around getting things done.  Tomorrow I'm volunteering at school to help my daughter Julie with some things she needs to get done before her surgery on the 17th.  Is life always this blissfully hectic after retirement?  I'm not complaining one bit because I love it!

My next project is to make and can apple butter.  One of my favorites.  But the catch is I've never canned anything in my life and I don't want to mess it up and kill someone.   Plus  I don't have a water bath canner or any other canner for that matter.  Oh what a tangled web we weave..........one thing leading to another.  But I'm gonna give it a try.  I have a recipe for Amish apple butter cooked in the crockpot.  Hope it is fool proof!

miscellaneous thoughts

Wow, I've had so many things rolling through this brain of mine that I can't sort them out enough to make sense of it all.  This election stuff just makes me a ranting crazy woman.  I can't believe the stupidity and gullibility of the American people.  It frustrates me to no end.

Yesterday my daughters turned 45 years of age.  That blows my mind.  I guess they will forever be younger in my mind but I think it is because they never had children.  There is no one younger for comparison.  I am not allowing myself to think about how hold that makes me. 

Yesterday was a hard day for Jamie.  The divorce has knocked the wind our of her sails.  She was depressed and broke down a few times and as a mother I just want to fix it for her and I can't.  I just have to love her through it.

She has gone on a few dates and that has put me back to when they were in college.  I told her that she doesn't have to tell me anything about her private life but that as a single woman now she should have a confidant that she can let know when she is going out and where and with whom.  Also to notify when she is safely back home.  That doesn't have to be me by any means but just someone.  With the internet dating it is especially important to be as safety conscious as possible.  So far she has been very responsible about it and her dates have been with people she has been introduced to by friends.  But I'm aware that there are all sorts of internet sites for meeting people and it is probably just a matter of time..........

I've finished all my shopping and wrapped all my gifts so now I can enjoy baking and cooking.  I'm on a roll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did I mention how much I LOVE RETIREMENT?