THANKSGIVING LONG WEEKEND

November 30, 2008 ~ Sunday
I'm not done being thankful... music. Just close your eyes when you hear music and you can hear so much more...all of the instruments...all of the voices...the beat...just takes a person 'away'! I have a neat friend who shares with me the playing for our worship. Today the choir sang and she played and I closed my eyes and...floated. Afterward, I gave her a hug and told her how much I appreciated her talent. Have you ever watched Victor Borgia play? Just awesome, as an entertainer and a wonderful pianist. My uncle used to just sit and have the best time watching him with a quiet deep chuckle that shook his whole body. There you are...I'm also thankful for my aunt and uncle, my mother's brother and my dad's sister who married and had no children of their own. My sisters and I were their children. They also lead us down the road of faith...and...taught me to drive grain truck when I was just 12 hauling wheat/barley/oats into the elevator 3 miles away. My uncle was quite an inventor...he and a cousin made a 'snow machine' before there were snow machines. He also made a hoist for his International Harvester pick-up...everyone wanted to see how THAT worked when I was in the elevator unloading.
And...I'm thankful that our oldest son and his family could come up for the holiday. We had a really fun time visiting...shopping (yup, at 4am on Friday!, then again on Saturday, but not as early)...watching the two little ones...and just enjoying each other. Schmitty...the kitty...survived two big dogs behind two 'kid's gates' and now is back again in part of HER domain, still gated off from Rainier.

THANKSGIVING DAY ~ 2008

There are so many things for which to be thankful ~ my parents who, through the grace of God, brought me to believe in Jesus Christ through baptism and The Word ~ my sisters who are also very close friends ~ my husband, who gave me four awesome children ~ my sons who gave me two beautiful daughters-in-law who then gave me 7 wonderful 'grands' ~ my Christian family ~ my friends ~ shelter ~ food ~ sight ~ sound ~ taste ~ feel ~ love ~ all I need to live ~freedom ~ His whole creation to enjoy...how can anyone feel deprived!!!

UFF-DA~~~

November 22, 2008 ~ Saturday
~~~OK, OK...the GRIZ won by a whopping 35 to 3 and I will 'pay' on Monday and Tuesday at lunch for being (STILL) a CAT fan. That's alright because now I have more time...a year...to guide those middle-schoolers in the right direction.
A busy busy week with social security papers/calls (25 in less than 2 hours on Monday morning)...and now the yearly medicare decisions with the older person who lives here. It'll all come together...everyday a new experience!
No snow, but feels like it and is predicted. It's time to bring wood in and pet my kitty.

CAT/GRIZ

Thursday ~ November 13, 2008
It feels like winter...windy, cold, some flakes at times. This is the time, when it's windy and cold, that I don't like to stand on the corner and help those little misguided (most of them because they are GRIZ fans!) little people across the street...but do it willingly and with a smile because that's the job God has given me at the moment. A week from Saturday is the CAT/GRIZ game...and most of the middle schoolers seem to be on the wrong side. Every chance I get I try to set them straight...alas...most are stubborn and keep wearing the sweatshirts/hats that have some 'bear' logo on them. BUT...next week...those who have salad will have to eat off of gold and blue plates...AND...since I make the bulletin for worship those members who are also misguided will have to read off of gold paper with blue lettering as will the wiser Bobcat fans.
Kelly is doing well after surgery; however, the back pain and fibromyalgia are still debilitating. Her drain will come out on Monday, hopefully...and we'll go to GFalls the first week in Dec. for a follow-up appointment.
The cat (not Bob) and the dog are now eyeing each other from about 20 feet with a gate between them, with Schmitty emitting low long m-e-o-w-s voicing her displeasure. Wondering if they'll ever be friends...sigh! She misses going outside, whenever, during the day...I MEAN!...the deck was HERS before this other thing came here...so...she goes out several times during the night...and, last night was just awesome with beautiful moonlight, almost bright as dusk!
GO CATS!!!

SUNRISE IN GFALLS...

Thursday ~ November 6, 2008
A b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l sunrise this morning...right now, in fact...over GFalls from my motel room window. We...Kelly and I...have been here since Sunday...had her surgery on Monday and yesterday, finally, the pain was manageable. Not pain so much from her incision as from her disk degeneration and fibromyalgia. She's on clear liq....not sure when she'll be released, but will probably head home the day after since dark comes early. If I'm not with her I'm seeing the sights, taking photos and enjoying seeing the history of Lewis & Clark. Went to the Interpretive Center yesterday for 2 1/2 hours...2 films...displays that can be touched and photographed! How many museums allow you to do that! An awesome place...
Today I'll attend The Christmas Connection...a Christmas 'bazaar' at an art gallery...very similar to 'our' Conrad Mansion's Christmas display. And...tomorrow if we are still here will go to the Charlie Russel Museum...or maybe even today.
I must say...my stay at the LaQuinta has been wonderful! Pillow-top mattresses...feather pillows (or what feels like feather)...hospitality...and a 15% medical discount!

THE DOG...AND, THE CAT...

Saturday ~ November 1, 2008
Rainier has NO clue there's a cat in the house, BUT the cat KNOWS there's a dog living here and isn't any too happy about it. She has started to come out of the sewing room, but scoots back in the second she hears Rainier's tags. There is a gate between them at all time because Schmitty will use her claws and teeth...not fond of dogs since one tore her leg muscles several years ago...and...she's older, almost 12 years old, so is very set in her ways.
Tomorrow our oldest daughter and I will go to GFalls for her surgery on Monday...don't know how long we'll be there, but if all goes well will probably be back at least by the end of the week, maybe sooner. SSI has started for her and SSDI will begin in a month or so. Have to stay on top of all that...making sure I write down all expenses. I can always call the lawyer who represented her and ask him questions...which I'm sure I'll do!
The fall has been fantastic...mostly sunny with 50's for the temps. The 'rumor' is that we are to have a 'hard' winter, but...that's been said before...just have to be prepared for anything and my car is always full of extra clothes, boots, candles, etc.