Football

Watched Mississippi State run all over Rice in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis today. I was rooting for MSU because it's an SEC team. There's more football on tonight but I don't know if I'll watch any of it or not.

I went to the bank and then on to Walmart. Frank lost his watch and he wanted another one. We looked at hundreds of watches on Amazon but he didn't see anything he liked. I bought 4 from Walmart and he didn't like any of them so I'll take them back tomorrow or Thursday. Tomorrow is New Years Day so I may stay home. Won't be staying up to see the new year come in. After 70 years, I've seen it and done it all. I did mark 3 months in the bill book for 2014.

A Little Trip to Sam's

Didn't go to exercise because Trudy spent the night. She had to leave by 8 AM for a PT appointment. She asked me to meet her at Sam's in H'ville at 11 AM. I left at 10:15 and just barely got there by 11:00. The traffic is still quite heavy and it takes time to get through Madison. We both did our shopping there. I got 3 rotisserie chickens. One to eat and two for the freezer. I'll take one over to Karen's January 9th. That's my birthday and I'll make a cake that we can share. Ken will be out of the country again and it will be hard with her broken leg to take care of everything. I can feed the cats and clean out their litter box. I don't know who will take care of the animals. I didn't feel like I could do it all by myself. I could help Karen do it, but she knew what all had to be done and did 1/2 of the work. Maybe the men at church will get together and all help out.

I called Heritage Propane and two men came out;. The firemen smelled a leak at the tank outside and they said it had a little leak and came inside and lit the pilot light for me. We have heat in the basement again.

I thought we would be singing hymns in choir but Summer Rae meant special arrangements of hymns. She gave the site to get the free music and I was able to get copies of the two hymns we will be singing. I'll need to practice on both of them. I've got to keep practicing so I can still be able to play. I got a little tired, mentally, from Thanksgiving to Christmas and wanted a break with just playing the hymns out of the hymnal but learning these two new pieces of music will be good for me.

Frank's getting a bit more forgetful.

A Little Excitement

I went to town to get my hair cut and was then to go by the pharmacy but I forgot and drove home. I had to drive back into town to get the Rx's and then home.

Our carbon monoxide detector has been going off for 3 days and I finally called someone about it. The Clements Fire Dept came out and smelled gas but there was no CO. They turned the gas off and I'll call Heritage Propane Monday for them to come out and find the leak. The batteries in the CO detector were weak and that's why it's been chirping. We just changed those batteries in September but they must have been old. I have to get a smoke detector for the basement. I got two from Walmart but couldn't get them to work. I'll go to Collins Supply next and get them to put it together, working and ready to hang on the wall.

I'm driving to church tomorrow. Karen has to teach the 3rd hour but she might have some pain from her broken leg and I don't want them to have to worry about me if they have to leave early.

Friday

We exercised at the church again. We'll have Monday, Wednesday is New Year's Day and I think or I don't know where we'll be Friday. The senior center may be open, if not we'll be at the church again.

I stopped by to see if Kari could cut my hair today but she couldn't. I'll go in Saturday at 9:30 AM. I'll stop by the pharmacy and get the Rx's too.

Just watched TV with Frank this afternoon. I get in the recliner and fall asleep and he gets up and goes in his room. What a life we live.

Karen had to have her leg operated on and have a pin put it to keep the bone in place. She was to go home today, too. I called Ann to tell her about it and she will take food in tomorrow. I'll call Joy and tell her and we all can sign up to take meals into Karen Sunday at church.

Broken Foot

Saw on fb that Karen had broken her foot. I called her and found that she had been helping Ken with some farm work and stepped in a hole and twisted her foot. I told her I would bring some food over to her today so went to Walmart for some groceries. I got a sliced ham, some potato salad, a bag of Spring greens, some grapes and some munchies. I don't cook except for the weird things we eat so I thought what I got would be good for a few meals. Ken is off work 'til January 5th so he can take care of her. I think she'll go in tomorrow and get it set.

I came home and sat with Frank and watched TV. Trudy did my washing and there's no more music to practice so I have extra time to spend.

We both are still coughing a lot but we must be getting better since we're not getting worse.

Christmas

Trudy and her family came for lunch. We had ham, sweet potatoes, veggies, cabbage and cauliflower and brownies for desert. We spent the afternoon with Trudy and George trying to fix the Roku without any success. They left at 4 PM.

Sadie crocheted me an infinity scarf. It's one long length of yarn that you loop around your neck a couple of times. The yarn I picked out looks good and will go with my black coat.

Dad didn't know it was Christmas. We didn't have any presents to open so it seemed like another day. He forgets what day it is.

Monday Again

The exercise class was held at the Central Church of Christ in Athens. Betty arranged for us to meet there. They have a nice large gym and about 20 people came. We just used the bands, no balls or weighs. It was fun. I came home after exercise.

I cooked a meatloaf using 2 lbs of ground chicken. We can eat it but I don't really like the taste. Maybe some catchup will help. Around 10:30 AM I realized I had a bone scan and Dr visit in H'ville at 2:20 PM. I had forgotten about it and would have missed it if it had been in the AM. I left at 1 PM and went on I-65 to avoid any Christmas traffic. Trudy was going to meet me there at 2 PM. When she got there, I was already getting the bone scan. We saw Dr Shergy afterwards and he was pleased with the results of the scan. He said I had gained 3% of bone and that I was doing well.

Going home, I decided to go on Hy 72 and boy, was that a mistake. It was bumper to bumper traffic all the way to Athens, almost. I'm not going to get out and go to town tomorrow, the day before Christmas. I don't need anything. Trudy's family is coming over for Christmas lunch and I have everything I need. I have a ham, sweet potatoes and frozen veggies and Trudy said she would bring a cake. I do need to get some drinks and I can run to Dollar General just a mile down the road for that.

It's time for a hair cut or just a trim. The dear person who cuts my hair cuts it the same way every time, no matter what I say, but she is a long time friend and the hair always grows back. When it gets a little long (the hair), it goes crazy with curls. It's too thin to use rollers and a curling iron, so I just let it dry by itself and deal with how it turns out. When it's shorter, the curls aren't hard to handle.

Family Christmas

I got up early and baked the apple pie I was taking to Bubba's. Trudy got up and gave Dad a pedicure and then got ready and we left for Faulkville and the White family Christmas party. We stopped by Walmart and Trudy got Uncle Bubba some Blue Bell ice cream. It takes about 1 hour to get to Faulkville and it's mostly I-65 all the way. Bill, Lynn and Will and Jim and Allie and Abigale and Jim's girl friend Rachel were there. Katie and Harrison came a little bit later. After we all ate, we opened gifts. I got a pair of knitted house shoes that Ruth put together from a kit. They are red with tassels and are very cozy plus a ticket to a concert we are going to in Huntsville in the Spring. Trudy got a loaf of homemade bread. She was an extra. We all had a good time. We left early because Trudy's back was hurting plus she had a 45 minute drive to get back to her house. It was good seeing family again.

It's been 63 degrees today-too warm for Dec 21st. A cold front is moving in and we could have tornadoes. The wind is blowing now.

Tomorrow is our church Christmas service. We have to be at church at 8:53 AM to run over some of our songs. I've been practicing the piano for this music for a while and will be glad when the program is over. In January, we will begin meeting at 9 AM instead of the 9:30 AM we are meeting now. I'll have to shift my internal clock to get used to getting ready earlier on Sunday mornings.

Friday

The shot I got at the Dr's yesterday helped my coughing but I still cough. It's bronchitis and I've heard that it's hard to get rid of. Don't ever remember having it before. Taking a Z-pack to help.

Met Trudy in Madison at Dr Alexander's office for the final visit after my hip replacement. All went well. I hope the left hip will last until I'm called home.

Trudy is spending the night here tonight and tomorrow morning we're going to go to Faulkville to my brother's house. His kids will be there and it will be kind of a little re-union or a Christmas get together. It takes about an hour to get there and we'll probably stay 2-3 hours and then come home.

I turned the gas heater in the basement down yesterday and tonight Trudy smelled gas downstairs. I smelled it too so I turned the gas up and there was a big gas ignition. I'll have to call the propane place Monday and see if somebody will come out and check it for us.

Doctor After All

Yesterday I called in for some strong cough medicine and was told to come in to see the Dr. We went this afternoon and got a shot and two Z-packs. It must be bronchitis. It feels strange to have such a violent cough and not feel bad otherwise. Anyway, we got some help for it.

The weather was in the 60's today. It's supposed to rain tomorrow and Saturday and it always warms up to rain. I thought Trudy was spending the night here tonight but I must have been mixed up. She and Sadie are going to GA to visit Mary Kate this week-end. I have a Dr appointment with the Dr who did my hip and Trudy wanted to be there. Saturday, my brother's family will be at his house and I asked Trudy if she wanted to go, too. She said she did and maybe she and Sadie will drive down in their car and visit and then leave and drive on to GA. As of right now, I don't really know what's going to happen. I'm getting a sliced ham, some rolls and an apple pie to take to by brother's since I'm bringing 2 extra people. I'll call Ruth tomorrow and tell her and see if she wants me to bring anything else.

The Christmas program is Sunday. I'm glad to get it over. We hadn't really gone over the pieces in the order they are in the program and we are doing one that we did last year (when I had my hip operation) with the organ, bells on the organ, the piano, the choir and congregation. We practiced it twice last Sunday and I couldn' hear the piano part for the organ and the bells. Don't guess any of my mistakes will be heard.

December is moving right along. I have to stop at Kohl's tomorrow either coming or going from/to H'ville. I have a 30% off coupon and I need to get Ruth a present. I thought I would get her a scarf. I'll get Bubba a Whitman's Sampler when  I go to Walmart for the food. They gave me a jewelry hanger for my jewelry last year and I didn't have anything for them. I gave the hanger to Sadie for she liked it.

Dr. Visit

Got up at 6:30 AM to have plenty of time to get ready to leave the house at 8AM for a Pain Clinic visit at 9 AM. We got going a little late, but it doesn't take an hour to drive to H'ville so we have a little wiggle room. We got the Rx and came back to Athens to the pharmacy. I think I was tired for I was dozing in the recliner when Frank ask if I was getting hungry. We had eaten all the fresh veggies and I had to open a can of peas. I need to make a run to Walmart for some fresh veggies. I have some frozen veggies we can have tonight.

After lunch, I dozed in the chair again. I got up and ate a few M&M's to get some energy and then chased dust bunnies around sweeping the floors.

When I became 70, I was going to write an essay on my feelings at being 70. I put it off and now realize, I'm almost 71! I think the first thing I thought about on becoming 70 was that people start dying off in their 70's. Then, I remember my father turning 70 and I thought how old that was then. It's not that old now...My mom died at 69 because she smoked all her life and then got cancer and died. Dad lived 'til he was 87. He turned 87 in the hospital. He had climbed up on his roof, at 86,  to get the leaves off and he slipped on some wet leaves and fell off the house. He broke his hip, but the Dr's said it had healed. When they took him off the life support, he died the next day. I don't know about any of my other ancestors,  how long they lived. 70 is old. I still have the energy to shop til I drop, trouble is, I don't drop. I get energized at the thought of shopping. I might be slowing down a bit. Since my hip replacement, I have no desire to work in the yard. We pay to have the yard mowed and the older boys and their leader are coming out to do the pruning on the crape myrtles as a service project.  I sometimes wish I colored my hair like a lot of ladies my age do, but Frank likes it grey and I really don't want to fool with coloring it every 6 weeks. I guess that's my essay on becoming 70. This way the girls will have it in my blog book.

I still have my bone rattling cough. It's been going on almost 2 weeks. I haven't felt bad and that's the only symptom I have so going to the Dr would be useless. Going to the Dr may be a luxury in the future with ObamaCare being the law of the land now. I somehow hope it will pass up Medicare people. I believe our drug costs will go up. No sense worrying about it now. 

Monday, Monday

Had a good time at exercise. Went by Hardee's and got a Coke and then went to find Central Church of Christ. That's where we'll be exercising during the two weeks the senior center will be closed. Betty's got permission for us to use the church. I'll have to be sure and go the three or four times we'll exercise there.

Frank has been more confused today. He had forgotten what he wanted too remember. I think he's feeling lost inside and it comes out that way.

Don't know if Dr Walker will be a Dr anymore since Obamacare is messing up things so much. I'll need to call the office and see. Every day on the news, we're told that many have had their insurances canceled and that Obamacare's premiums are higher and that the deductibles are higher and so no one can afford the new health insurance. Maybe we'll be safe with Medicare but I believe our drug cost will be higher.

Failed Computer

I couldn't get the computer to bring up Bing last night when I was going to post. Sometimes it doesn't want to send the email.

The neighborhood breakfast at Diane's house was very nice. Her house was all decorated and we ate off of Christmas plates. We were asked to bring a Christmas ornament and we played the dirty Santa game. I ended up with a large mug. I didn't feel like playing the switching game and took what I had picked out.

I read the Sunday School lesson and the Relief Society lesson and practiced the RS opening and closing songs and the choir music. We are singing, "Joy to the World" tomorrow. I've had it a long time and have been really practicing on it. I'm ready to play it and be done with it. There is this complicated Silent Night piece that we haven't practiced on. The choir did it last year but I was out because of my hip surgery. Shelley thinks we are going to sing it so I would like to run through it sometime soon.

We had the propane tank filled up and it cost almost $800.00. This is the first year that Frank hasn't done it and I didn't know how much to get. I imagine it will last all winter. It hasn't been real cold yet but it's nice to have the gas heater in the basement to take the chill off down there. That leaves the main account low. I don't know how many automatic things are taken out of that account. I have spent a lot of money for food from my account and we still have a little over tow more weeks to go before the first of the month. I love the first of the month! Yeah, get to pay bills and have the vault filled up.

Exercise

Went to exercise and gave Janet a cactus with other succulents with it. She liked it. Being a master gardener, she likes plants and I always know what she likes. It was fun and I'm using the 4 lb weights. 5 lbs are a bit too much since I'm not working out at home.

I have a terrible cough. It's soul racking. Mary Kate coughed so hard she bruised her rib cage. I'm not that bad and haven't really felt bad except for the cough. Frank is about to get over his cough.

Trudy had a PT appointment at 8 AM and left here at 7 AM. It's so nice with her coming over here once a week.

I didn't do anything all day except practice the piano 30 minutes. I dozed in the recliner but that just made my cough worse.

Lovely Lunch

Trudy and I went to the Silver Sneaker's lunch at 11:30 AM and afterward went to H'ville to shop at Sam's. My refrigerator was so empty that I was prompted to wipe it out! We forgot to get the filters for the furnace so stopped at Walmart in Athens to get them. The good ones were pricy but I got four plus a skein of yarn so Sadie can crochet an infinity scarf for me. She's doing one for Mary Kate and I hope she doesn't get crocheted out before she does one for me.

My ipad has been skipping forward when we have been reading the scriptures at night and Trudy said she could fix it. I'm so used to the ipad that it would be hard to go back to reading out of a book. I don't really know how to use the ipad except to read the scriptures and maybe I need to learn more about it. I love my desk top computer and when I want to see face book, I like to sit down in front of it for the messages.

Frank and I have bad coughs. Not been sick except for the coughing. Drinking expectorant like water.
Nothing on the calendar for the rest of the week but next week we have 3 Dr appointments. I'll see the surgeon who replaced my hip. January 10th is the anniversary of the second operation, but December 13th is the anniversary of the 1st operation. My femur broke and I had to have the second operation to fix it. All has been well and I can walk all day, especially if I'm shopping. I love to shop 'til I drop. The trouble is I don't ever drop!

Fill In

Went to exercise this morning to find out that Janet had gotten snowed in at D.C. and couldn't be there. Carolyn asked me to lead the exercises and I did. Everyone helped for I couldn't remember what all Janet does. We didn't have any music. There were 16 people there and many had left after they found out Janet wasn't there. We had a good time and exercised for 40 minutes.

My CD player died last night and I called the company and they said they needed a sales receipt. I was slothful and didn't save any of the materials other than the owners book. Looks like I'm left with and CD player that's only 3 months old and it won't work. Trudy is coming over later on this afternoon to spend the night and go to the Silver Sneaker's Christmas get together at a barbeque place on the way to Madison. After that, we'll go to H'ville to Sam's and see if I can find a small CD player to replace the old one. This time I will save all of the papers and put them in the file cabinet in Frank's closet. That's what we do with all the warranties we get but this time I just slipped up and didn't do it.

Both Frank and I have the crud. We're coughing and taking expectorant and hoping not to get really sick. Mary Kate had a terrible cough when she was here for Thanksgiving but she wasn't contagious. I don't know where this stuff came from.

Christmas Party

Didn't do much at home today. I had two sliced hams in the crock pot ready to take to church for the Christmas party that started at 5:30 PM. I got there early so I could take the food. The room was really decorated prettily but the lights were a bit dim to see what the food was. The food was good and I got in line early and had mine eaten by the time the rest of the table got back with their food. I sat with Nancy and a friend of hers from Ardmore. I thought I had to play for the Primary but Sis Everrest was there and she is the Primary pianist now. I'm tired of being taken out of Relief Society to play the piano in Primary. There are other sisters who can play the piano and I need to be in RS to play the hymns there. Enough complaining. I left after I found that I wasn't needed and came home. I probably wouldn't have gone except I had food to bring. Next year, I can bring food and then come back home to be with Frank.

Ring Day

I didn't go to exercise today but slept in. I did go to town and picked up my ring at the jewelers. It looks prettier with the new prongs on it. Trudy's jeweler messed it up bad when he took the center diamond out. I had to stop by the court house and take the deed in to see if there were any exemptions. We already had the homestead exemption.

On the way home, I stopped by Goody's and got a pair of New Balance shoes. They are running shoes and are two shades of light grey with white soles and bright pink laces. I had a $10.00 gift card Goody's had sent me and I used it.

It was raining lightly while I was in town. When I got back home, Frank and I tried to put some air in my tires but put too much on one and drained some air out of the other, so I drove into town to Pep Boys and they put the correct amount of air in all of the tires. They were very nice about it and were a life saver for me. Frank is getting where he can't do the things is used to do. I'm having to rely on outside help to get things done. We'll call Bro Decker tomorrow to see if he will come over and fix Frank's TV. I was on the phone to Direct TV two nights ago trying to get it fixed and finally did, but then last night, the TV wouldn't turn on. We need a warm body helping instead of talking to someone on the phone.

To Town

I got ready to go to town early so I wouldn't have any crowds at Walmart. Had to get some milk. We drink 3 gallons of milk a week and we were almost out. I got the 2 hams for the Christmas party at church Saturday night. When I was unloading the car, I didn't see the hams and later when I thought about it, I realized I hadn't unloaded them.  I checked my receipt and saw that I had purchased the hams and I thought I might have left them at the store. I called Walmart and expressed my concerns. Afterwards, I thought to look in the car again and found them behind some papers. I called Walmart and told them I had found the hams. Saturday morning, I'll put the sliced hams in the crock pot and take them to church warm. I personally don't care for ham but on the list I saw another person was bringing a ham and decided that's what I would bring too. Others were cooking turkeys.

Tomorrow, I'll go to exercise and then to pick up my ring at the jewelers and I have to go by the court house. I got a letter from our lawyer today saying to take the deed by the courthouse and see if we have any exemptions. I don't know what he is talking about but I will take his letter and the paper with me and show the clerks and see what's going on.

I mailed two packages at the PO today. There was a line and wait time. There were only two clerks waiting on people. Mary Kate had forgotten her jacket and a gluten-free book I had bought her. The package wasn't full enough so I put 1/2 a large package of coco-pebbles in on top of the contents to fill up the package. She'll have a sweet surprise when she opens it. I sent Frankie and family a furniture mover that had been sitting around here for months. They needed it when they moved into their new house but I didn't know where it was then. I hope it has some instructions with it so they'll know what it's for. I had thought to mail the packages tomorrow when I'm in town but it's supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow and I decided it was prudent to go into town again and mail the packages when it wasn't raining, so I did. 

Wednesday

I went to exercise today and then to the bank. I went to Lowe's and bought a cactus plant to give to Janet. Tomorrow I'll need to go to Walmart to get milk and a ham for the Ward Christmas party this Saturday.  I guess I'll be playing the piano for the Primary children to sing. I'm not the pianist anymore but they come to me when their pianist is not there. I'll have to direct them to Sis Cone or Sis Schwendiman to play for them.

I got Bobby and Brenda to sign our living wills today and then I made copies of them. One goes to Dr Walker and Trudy and Mary Kate will get a copy. Now, when the Dr's office asks if we have a living will, I'll get to see what they say when we answer, "yes"!

It was over 70 degrees today. It was nice to go without a coat, but there is an Arctic blast that is coming our way in a day or two. Also some rain. At exercise today, word was that the Christmas parade would probably be rained out.

Relaxing Day

Trudy had to leave early this morning. Sadie called and said she needed to go to the Dr because her throat was sore. She had a temple trip tonight but since she was running a little fever and had the sore throat, she wasn't able to go. Trudy washed all the towels and my clothes so I didn't have anything to do today. I cleaned in the kitchen this morning and cooked supper this afternoon. I wrote 4 Christmas cards and took them out to the mail box at 4 PM. The mail hadn't come yet so they will go out today.

Will go to exercise class tomorrow morning and then to the bank. Goody's sent a $10.00 cash card as a Christmas card and I may stop by there. I don't need any more clothes but I could use another pair of shoes. I have two pair that I switch back and forth with. One pair my toes touch the tops of the shoes and make my toes sore. Both pair of shoes are New Balance.

Expensive Ring

Went to exercise today. We will be having a Christmas get together next week at a barbeque place and I invited Trudy to go. I know a few names of the ladies but there are so many that I don't know especially since I sit on the front row in class.

I took the ring that Trudy gave me to Hobbs Jewelers to see about a loose stone. It has three stones across the ring and the middle stone had been taken out and replaced with a CZ, in fact all three stones are CZ's but the setting is gold and is pretty. It only had one prong holding the stone in place and will cost me $240.00 to get fixed. That's a lot but I want the ring and I want the stones to be secure.

Trudy came over at 11:30 AM to help get Dad's bed ready for the new mattress I bought. They took the other new one away with them. I think he likes the new one. I told him if he didn't like the new one that I would give him my bed and I would take the new one but I love my bed and would hate to have to give it up.

We turned the TV off tonight and all three of us sat around and talked and shared some pictures Trudy had on her ipad. It's been a nice evening. Mary Kate called to see how everyone was. Her dogs were excited to be home from being boarded. They are such members of the family. Trudy has two dogs and I love to see them when I go visit her. Dogs rule...then birds.