Posting early again this week, not because of being busy like last week, but because I'm bored! Does that tell you how things are going?

We had a nice Christmas with the family Christmas Eve, although it wasn't without some drama. But, apologies have been made and accepted and we've moved on. Feelings got hurt and lessons were learned, but all now is good.

Our own Christmas was very quiet. We didn't have a traditional dinner since we had just had it the day before. I made lasagna and garlic bread and that was it. We had some munchies to snack on throughout the day and evening.

Our week has been uneventful. We made a trip to Jonesboro to return a gift and look for a replacement. We weren't successful finding the replacement, but it was a nice day, traffic was light and the stores weren't even too busy.

We have no big plans for tomorrow night. Bill had seen some sandwiches made on TV last week and said they looked good, so I'm going to fix those for us, with maybe some other appetizers. We'll probably watch the ball drop in New York (happens at 11 our time), and then go to bed. If we get to sleep fast we can sleep for about 45 minutes before the gunfire starts. That's the big thing here, firing guns into the air. It's really crazy and it's illegal, but they do it anyway. We'll just stay inside and hopefully safe.

I'm ready to take all of the Christmas decorations down. Usually I wait until the 1st, and while it isn't too far away, I've been ready to do it for most of the week. I have enjoyed sitting in the dark with just the tree lights on in the early morning and late at night, but I want everything else put away. At the same time I dread doing it and getting everything packed away again.

That's about it. No medical issues or crises. The 26th it was a year from Bill being hospitalized with pneumonia. It took a lot out of him and he's really never recovered from it, but it also led to the emphysema/COPD diagnosis, so maybe it was a blessing in disguise.

I hope the coming year brings nothing but good things to everyone who reads this! Happy New Year!

Posting a day early this week since I will be super busy tomorrow!

Our week has gone well, and fast. We're both still coughing some, Bill more than me. It's still hard to tell if it is this cold, or his emphysema, or any number of other things to watch for. But, no other symptoms or signs of anything, so I'll just keep monitoring.

He's about to drive me crazy with his oxygen tubing. He has nearly 50 feet, which is the maximum you can have. I don't know why unless it is because the force of the "push" lessens the farther it has to go. Anyway, instead of just letting the tubing follow him, he rolls it up like a lasso. Then we end up with 50 feet to trip over in the bedroom! Or, he'll roll it up and stick it under the handle on the concentrator and then can't figure out why he can't go anywhere! He also puts it underneath his pajama top, which then shortens it. Ah well, gotta love him!

We did have some pretty wild weather over the week-end. The high Saturday was 75 and we ended up with thunderstorm and tornado warnings. When the front went through, we had a 54 degree temperature drop! Sunday it didn't get out of the 20s, and we didn't get out of the house except to feed the cats. It has gradually warmed through the week and by Christmas could be back near 70 again.

Brianna's surgery went well and her therapy is also going well. She's had 2 therapy sessions, and at the second one she went from 45 degree bend to 70 degrees, and this just 3 days post-op! She told her mother that it "hurt like hell" but she did it anyway.

I've been watching the cats and it seems we have 4 permanent ones now, 3 tortoiseshell and a black one. Usually the black one is the first one out to eat after I come back in the house. I watched them the other day and 2 of the tortoiseshell ones were waiting for their turn. Both tried to sneak a bite and the black one head-butted one and swatted the other one. I think I'm going to name that one Bossypants! The original cat, the one with no tail, I've name Lizzie since the first time we saw her she was eating a live lizard. I haven't come up with anything for the other 2 yet. But, last night 3 of them were out to eat, 2 waiting patiently and Big Daddy showed up. This is yet another tortoiseshell, but he is big! And he just strolled in and pushed the others out of the way! 

We were rudely awakened at 5:30 this morning with the house alarm going off. At least we know we will wake up to it. I was up a second before the security company called. She stayed on the phone with me while I went out to check the garage and apartment doors. Everything is fine, the sensor for the garage had fallen off. Time to replace the adhesive on the back! That will really get your heart racing! Bill went back to bed, but I've stayed up, and I was sleeping so good! Oh well, I've had my quiet time this morning.

Tomorrow is our family Christmas at Ryan's. I'm going to be cooking all morning and then we have to figure out how to get everything into the car, without forgetting Bill and his oxygen. We're supposed to take Kayden and Kiyann with us, but there isn't going to be any room, so Emily is taking them and then we will bring them home since we won't be bringing as much stuff back with us. I only have 2 gifts left to wrap and all the stocking stuffers have been bought...I think.

We have a beautiful red sunrise this morning. I know that red signifies rain, and it is supposed to start raining tonight, with more tomorrow night in to Christmas Day. Not supposed to rain all day so maybe it won't be so bad.

I guess we are officially "shut-ins". We got a fruit basket from church yesterday. Almost every Christmas card we got from a church member said they wished we would start coming again. Most of them have/had been told that we probably won't since Bill finds it so hard to concentrate and to follow along in his Bible. He also remembers that it was at the Christmas dinner last year that he got so sick and ended up in the hospital. And that really scared him, I think. They are having service at 3 Sunday so we will have to see if he wants to go, but I probably know the answer.

I think this is it for this week, and this is the longest post in quite a while. I hope everyone has a good Christmas. My side of the family will be gathering at my sister's tomorrow night. I don't know what Bill's side is doing. Shirley will be tied up all day tomorrow and tomorrow night with church services probably. We're breaking with tradition and having lasagna for dinner. I told Bill I wasn't cooking a big dinner, after a big dinner at Ryan's. 

Merry Christmas!

I think we're going to blow away today! It's very warm and windy, already in the upper 60s. We're supposed to get some severe weather late this afternoon and then have a 40-50 degree temperature drop. I think our low tonight is supposed to be about 15 with a high temperature tomorrow in the low/mid 20s. The rain is supposed to change to sleet and snow late tonight but no accumulation. 

We're had a basic week. We're both feeling better, not coughing as much. We haven't gone out much to be with people. We did meet Bill's daughter Aimee and her husband for breakfast Wednesday. They had been to Virginia for a family funeral and their way home comes within an hour of us. They try to time things that we can meet for a meal. So, we were up and out early, had a good visit, and saw some other friends at the restaurant.

Except for some small things Christmas shopping is done. There are some back-ordered things that should be in any time, but everything else is done, wrapped and under the tree.

Our granddaughter Brianna is having surgery Monday to repair her ACL in her knee. We're just hoping she'll be off crutches by graduation since she's a senior this year. So, if you think of it, about 9:30 Monday morning, say a little prayer or think good thoughts. We would appreciate it.

That's about it for this week. I hope everyone stays safe this week-end. The weather all over the country is crazy for the next few days, so stay aware for your area!

Brrr! Winter arrived this week, and according to our weather people it's going to get colder. Although to some of you reading this, lows in the lower 20s and highs in the mid 30s isn't cold. We've actually laughed at the weather people in Memphis when they are talking about the "frigid" temperatures. Since both of us grew up in the north (me in Illinois and Bill in New Hampshire/Massachusetts), we know what frigid is, and this is not frigid! It felt really good to me to breathe in the cold air yesterday, but didn't feel as good standing at the gas station in the wind pumping gas! Oh well, taking the good with the bad!

We're still dealing with these darn colds. We'll have a day with no coughing or snotty noses, and then the next we're both hacking and blowing and sniffing and nothing seems to work to alleviate it. But, we both feel good, no fever, or anything other than the stuffy heads and coughs. And with Bill, it's hard to tell the difference with a cold cough and his emphysema cough. We walk a fine line every day with it!

Almost all of the Christmas gifts have come in and about half of them are wrapped. That's my project for today. All of the cards are addressed and ready to go to the post office. One gift has to be sent off and that needs to be taken in to be packaged.

I found out yesterday that a classmate passed away. She had a disease that caused her brain to shrink. I don't remember what it is called, but it's debilitating. She has spent the past several years in a nursing home. It's sad to lose someone at any time, but seems more so at this time of year. Bill's former brother-in-law also passed away this week. We just pray for the families that are left.

That's about it for this week. I need to brave the cold and go out and feed the cats. They are tucked waaay back under the house to get out of the wind. I feel sorry for them, but I know they won't get into a kennel outside the house so I'm not even going to try. I still don't know how many are under there, at least 2. I think some of the ones that are coming to eat live across the street and just come for the free buffet! Stay warm if you need to!

This week seemed to go very, very fast. I don't know why because we both didn't feel well and didn't do a whole lot, at least at the beginning of the week.

We're still fighting the colds, although I feel much better. It was 2 weeks yesterday, and Wednesday afternoon I realized that I didn't just feel better, I felt good! Of course Thursday is when Bill started to feel really bad. I've already warned him that we are not waiting like last year to visit the dr. But, I think the few days in the hospital with pneumonia scared him. He's not complaining about his oxygen and I think he's decided there is life after oxygen!

We pulled all the Christmas decorations out yesterday and while I was unpacking boxes, Bill was dismantling the mantle and dusting! He then helped pack the pictures and candle/scentsy burners and what-nots and carry the boxes back to the spare bedroom. We both got the tree up and the mantle decorated, but he let me decorate the tree while he supervised! We also tried to start his car, but that didn't work. We charged the battery and everything worked...except it wouldn't start. It's like it isn't getting any gas, and there is gas in it. So, we'll get Bryan here sometime and see if he'll bring his brother-in-law Grady to look at it. We also had to check out the plumbing in the bathroom in the apartment. The toilet needs new innards. We're also going to see if Bryan will do that. Bill was never a good plumber, even before he got sick. If he plumbed, it was going to leak! He also started the generator and let it run for a bit. So we are ready for winter in that respect.

I was so tired and sore from moving all the boxes of decorations around that we both went to bed at 9 last night, and didn't wake up until the alarm for Bill's meds went off! My back is much better this morning and I've got the 3rd load of laundry in the washer, load #2 in the dryer and load #1 already folded and put away.

I've got most of our Christmas shopping done, just waiting for most of it to come in. Ryan and Amanda are hosting the family Christmas this year. This is the first time for them and I'm excited just to not have to do it here. Bill isn't too enthused about going, but I'm making him. He's gotten so he uses his health problems to avoid going places. I understand that, especially being in crowds of people with colds. But, some things he just needs to do. We'll have extra oxygen and I can even take some surgical masks in case we need to.

Guess that's all for this week. The dryer should be buzzing before long and then it will be time for lunch. Where has the day gone!