Christmas Season 2025/2026 -The Tenth Day of Christmas: Eggnog, Livvy, Old Fashioned, Mom

 Saturday, January 3, 2026

Had some eggnog left. Added a splash of rum. It was delicious and the eggnog to rum ratio was perfect. 

Listened to a little Livvy. 

Dale and I went to lunch at The Howe. I had an Old Fashioned. It's nice to be feeling well enough to have a cocktail. 

Dale and I went to visit Mom at the hospital. It was my first time there since she was admitted on Sunday. They use this chair to help move to her lounge chair. She's doing well. 

Christmas Season 2025/2026 -The Ninth Day of Christmas: Mom, Old Fashioned, and Kylie

 Friday, January 2, 2026

Finally starting to feel well enough that I'll be able to see Mom tomorrow. She had a tough day emotionally although she's making lots of improvement physially. This whole thing is just emotionally draining for her. 

Dale got home from the hospital around 2:00 pm and we were both starving. We went to The Lowbrow and I ordered an Old Fashioned, my first cocktail in a while. 

Listened to Kylie when I got home. 

Christmas Season 2025/2026 -The Seventh Day of Christmas: New Year's Eve

 Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Mom's doing marginally better. Her spirits are up. I'm hoping I'll be well enough in a couple day to visit her. Listened to the Carpenter's today. Comforting, nostalgic, familiar. Exactly what I need. 

Speaking of comforting. 

Since I'm sick I've been in my robe since Sunday afternoon. Actually got dressed today and put on my boots to be extra dressy for New Year's Eve. 

Quiche for dinner. This is the most low key NYE we've ever had. I'm exhausted from being sick and we've both been dealing with Mom being in the hospital. Today Dale visited her on his own due to my illness. She's maintaining and making respiratory progress slowly and steadily. PT came to visit her today and gingerly had her sit up and slide her legs off the side of the bed. It was taxing for her and she ended up nauseated and her blood pressure dropped so that's as much as she could do today. She was very upset that she could not do more, recognizing that progress is going to be slow and incremental. Otherwise once she got comfortable again, Dale had a nice conversation with her and her spirits perked up a bit - even got her to laugh a little. 

We were planning to spend tonight with Mike and Charisse and couldn't cuz, well, I'm sick. This was 2015.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Season 2025/2026 -Christmas Eve 2025

Wednesday, December 24, 2025

Arrived at Grace around 5:45 pm and got Mom settled while Dale parked the car. Also got myself robed. Choir rehearsal started at 6pm. 

The Choral Prelude started at 6:50. We sang:  As the Dark Awaits the Dawn by Chris Aspaas; Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers by Michael Praetorius;  Gloria, Et in terra pax, Quoniam Tu solus Sanctus, by Antonio Vivaldi; and People, Look East! arranged by Donna Archer.

I thought we sang beautifully. 

Other hymns throughout the service included: O Come, All Ye Faithful; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; What Child is This?; I Wonder as I Wander; Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming; O Little Town of Bethlehem; Silent Night; and Joy to the World. Fun to sing ALL OF THEM.

For our anthem we sang The Christmas Lullaby (Away in a Manger) by Dan Hustad. 

Susan's sermon was quite well done, I thought. She made it clear how easy it can be to lose track that the time in Palestine during Jesus' life under Roman occupation was authoritarianism to the letter but also how many similarities there are to now. 

So many folks were happy to meet Mom. She said the service was meaningful and had a wonderful time. 

We dropped Mom off back at her place afterward then went home and had ice cream.

\

Holiday Season 2025 - Cocktail Hour

Thursday, December 4, 2025

Had an Old Fashioned tonight for cocktail hour while Dale had some wine. 

Listened to Ultra-Lounge Christmas Cocktails Volume 1. That's always a milestone in the early part of the holiday season. 

Thanksgiving 2025 - Good Morning!

Thursday, November 27, 2025 

Thanksgiving is here and were getting a little sun to go with it. Snowed yesterday overnight. The above picture is the view from our front stoop.

This is the view from the back stoop. 

Tuned in to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade at 8:30 am. Some highlights:

Cynthia Erivo opened the parade.

Debbie Gibson sang my favorite Debbie Gibson song, Only In My Dreams. 

Darlene Love sang Christmas (Baby Please Come Home). 

The Rockettes performed. 

And, as always, Santa showed up at the end. 

We got the turkey in at noon. 

The dog show came on after the parade....

Which was my cue to play Puppies Are Forever by Sia. This song drives Dale nuts but I usually play it for him to help ring in the holiday music season with the promise I won't play it again until next year. 

Also got started on the Stribs turkey coloring contest. 

Shopping with Noel

 Saturday, November 16, 2025

Lunch with Noel. She was playing Christmas music in the car. I think it's too early for that but I didn't say anything. 

                    

We stopped at A Rare Bird Antiques. Kelly had lots of Christmas stuff out. 

We also stopped at Chloe. She was selling these Shiny Brite ornaments she aquired from a 90 year old man. These ornaments get more and more rare each year. 

Noel found this old dime store nativity set. She said she had one just like it as a kid. 

We both remember satin balls. Noel's family had a lot of these as they'd hang them at the bottom of the tree so if their dog's wagging tail knocked them down they wouldn't break. 

We also stopped by Bachman's.

Christmastide:MLK Weekend Tuesday - Gingertopia

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Yep, pretty darn cold this morning. Good thing they called off school. 

Dale's workplace was closed for the day so he worked. from home. Sylvester was very active this morning and started to terrorize Dale while he was trying to work on the computer. The little guy finally settled in behind Dale's computer and calmed down. 

Dale's building opened up in the afternoon so he decided to go in and get a little more work done. I decided to have a cigar upstairs.

And a little port.  

Afterward I got some reading done. I'm now halfway through this book on Swedish American foodways and holiday foods. 

Dale stopped by the store on his way home from work. He picked up some gingery things like ginger snaps and some raspberry jam to go with them. 

They go really well together. 

Listened to some music. 

I had a gingerbread cake mix which I got ready just before dinner. 

After dinner Dale mixed up some whipped cream and we had the gingerbread cake for dessert.