Friday, December 13

I wonder if we "make big" over the holiday season just to keep from getting the mid-winter blues.  Seems like there is too much going on.

Last Sunday night I played with a keyboardist at the Christmas party for the neighborhood.  I have to admit it was a great party.  Good food, over 100 people and I had a good amount of wine.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the musical presentation.  It was mostly put together by the keyboardist who is a former music teacher and very talented at this sort of thing.  We did a special Texas version of the 12 Days of Christmas and the audience loved it.

Monday we went to the home and played the same program for the men in the memory unit.  We passed out little bags of goodies and tried to give them all a hug.  It went very well.  We stayed and had lunch with Cowboy and then headed on home.

On Tuesday I played at the local senior center with the dulcimer group.  There were more in our group than those present.  I am sure that was because it was downright cold outside.  But they enjoyed themselves and we did too.

After we were done I went to the Souper Salad to get a plate of vegetables.  You never get enough when you live alone and I try to do this every now and then.  I was going in and I tripped over a stupid cement barrier that they use to keep the cars from barreling into the buildings (I guess).  Got a skinned knee and came away a little sore but no real harm done.  Call me lucky.  I sure felt stupid though.

Wednesday I went to lunch with some close neighbors who are good friends and we went to a local eatery that was really good, then we hit some new stores in the area.  I ended up buying a Santa and two trees as a replacement for the regular tree.  I just can't handle setting up a big tree anymore but I really like my new Santa.  He is about 3 feet tall and the two trees are about 4 foot tall.  Who says you have to have a tree anyway?

Thursday I went to the home to see Cowboy.  He was feeling pretty chipper but it was too cold to go out so we mostly stayed in his room and visited and watched TV.  I talked with some of the wives for a bit.  We are planning on decorating the tables a bit for Christmas and trying to make things festive.  I am chipping in, as well as several other wives.  We are kind of becoming a "club" all our own as we try to support each other through this trying time.

Today I slept in, much needed.  Then I got up and got dressed up and went to lunch with the neighborhood ladies to a "brewhouse" called TJ's.  It was very good and we had a good time.  Then I headed down to Barnes and Noble to pick up some gifts for the grandchildren.  The traffic was awful and when I started home there was a wreck in front of us on the interstate and it took forever to get home. ...and it was raining !  Why do we humans torture ourselves this way?

Have dulcimer practice in the morning and then hope to get some cards done and make a shopping list for my cooking.  The kiddos like my fudge and sugar cookies so I always try to do that.