So...

A short tree tale...

 

The tree is in the living room and in its proper stand. It's funny because when we first built this big house on the pond...other neighbors built big houses around the pond, too. All of the houses had one thing in common...big open vaulted sunrooms with really high ceilings. If you could see the house you could see everyone's big huge tree! We all put our trees in the sunroom which was open to the rest of the downstairs but if you were in the family room you really couldn't see the tree. But...we did this for years...struggling with a huge tree and struggling to get it in its stand. My job was to try to hold it straight while Den tried to screw the huge bolts that held it...it seemed to take forever.

This year's tree tale...

Yesterday we found a lovely Fraser Fir...a beautifully shaped smaller version of the giant Fraser Fir we used to buy. We put it in the middle of the living room where it will be stuffed with white lights and cherished ornaments. It took two minutes to pop it in the stand and we can see it from the family room. Today we are decorating it. Den is down there right now struggling over the lights but he loves it...I just know he does!

Back to books...

Of all things not wintery I am totally engrossed in this book...it goes against my firm belief in seasonal reading but it's so delightful I can't put it down!

Sigh!

The rest of the day...

Tree decorating...Christmas card writing...plus I connected with an old friend I used to teach with...it warmed my soul!

I think we are staying in today.

Hugs,

Patty

 

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Life...

My life right now...

I stay home other than doctor appointments. I must admit to being afraid of the unknown germs that are out there in the world. I never in my life had a year where I didn't need or want to buy a ton of clothes...sigh!

But this year is different...Den doesnt shake hands in church and we keep Purell everywhere!

My gingersnap cookie story...

I was on the phone Saturday ordering Christmas cookies. Ginger snaps, iced sugar cookies, gingerbread men, oatmeal raisin, and chocolate chip pecan from Talulah's Table. Of course I was sad and I was telling the sweet girl I was talking to that I couldn't bake this year and why...she was amazing and helped me lots and when she took my name and number she said I taught her brother in second grade and that every student who had me as their teacher never forgot the year with me in second grade. I tell you this just so you know how much I loved teaching and to hear this now just about broke my heart. It's amazing how meaningful simple words are.

Decorating...

We did it! Not all of the treasures we usually put out but lots of the big stuff!

The tree...

Bundling up and going to get it today!

 

Presents...

We were going to skip presents totally but after living with that idea for a few days we couldn't do it...so what we did was order stuff...the same number...for each other. I think Den did not even look at my list...and we used only Nordstrom's but I snuck in a little Sundance, too. So when the boxes arrive we will tie a ribbon around them and open them randomly...I think it will be fun...not our normal Christmas but a different one for our different times.

I will let you know how it turns out!

Books...

The three I read over the week end...ick...I didn't love them...at all!

New books...

I must admit to picking this up and reading it now...

 

That is my Monday...tree, more decorating and baked tacos for dinner! The first day of our festive week! Hopefully?

Hugs,

Patty

 

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What's Going On...

Books...

Finished this long and complicated yet intensely interesting book...the book is really good but seriously I never thought I would finish it! It is not a book to read quickly!

Up next...

One of these...

Weather...

It is really freezing cold here! No snow just freezing cold weather!

Dinner...

Baked rigatoni that will taste like lasagna. Den and I will make it together! It will have ricotta cheese and fresh mozzarella cheese and a lovely meat sauce...then we will bake it in the oven to get all melty and cheesy. And it actually tastes like a really yummy lasagna.

Slouchy beanies...

I love these and wear them all of the time...I think I am more comfy in these than a wig...I am getting lots made by by sister and I am buying lots from Nordstroms...

So we are going to decorate differently this year...just taking out the bigger Santa's...and not as much as we usually do...but we have talked about it and it will work for us this year.

So...Den is at his Office Christmas party, the girls and I are relaxing and waiting for the nurse to come and change my pick line...

The Weekend is decorating and cleaning and trying to stay warm!

Hugs,

Patty

See you with more book news on Monday!

 

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Here I Am!

Blogging...

 

I think my blogging is going to be sort of "straggly" during chemo...I have amazing amounts of energy on certain days and then I am in a total slump on the third and fourth days. I am just so tired. My oncologist says that you function at 75% on the bad days. Plus no real appetite. That one is hard for Den who has that "feed me" gene. Sigh! Please know I still read everyone's blogs and comment when I can!

Hats!

I have a huge number of hats to wear on my outings. My sister just keeps knitting them...one after another. Friends send them. Den buys them...the hats are fun and keep my fuzzy head warm!

My Bronco hat from Den...the first hat he bought me!

Fun!

Today after treatment we went to get wreaths! They are beautiful! It was almost like a normal day!

Doctors!

Have I ever said that I love my doctors! My oncologist is literally the best in his field. I see him before every treatment and he and Den and I talk. He doesn't scare me so much any more! He tells me stories of past patients and is so encouraging. I don't cry so much when we chat any more!

Finally...books!

Loved loved loved this one.

Lukewarm on this one.

 

Now reading and loving this one...she wrote Lacy Eye.

Hugs,

Patty

 

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Quirky Wins!!!

So...I am not reading this...at this time...

Nor am I going to start this...at this time...

 

But I have jumped right into this one! It has not only one very quirky main character...Kate...but a ton of other quirky characters. Kate is sort of stuck taking care of her father and sister...she's stuck in a nursery school job where the kids love her ( she doesn't love them ) and the parents don't have much love for her either...and her father has a plan for her life that is not very appealing! Loving this book!

Perhaps this book will be next? But who knows...

Or...

 

Okie dokie...off to do stuff!

See you Monday!

Hugs,

Patty

 

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