Champagne Day

Woo hoo!!! This is the last blog of 2016 and I definitely plan to celebrate with champagne tonight. One of the neighbor ladies is having a party and although I'm sure I'll be home by 10, it will be fun to celebrate with friends. I haven't seen my buddies since the 19th, so we'll definitely have some catching up to do.

And after much thought and few ideas, I've decided to continue the blog, but only on Sundays. That way I can make them a little more interesting than, "Today I blah blah blah." Of course, the hard part will be remembering what I did during the week. We'll just have to see how it goes. But tomorrow is Sunday, so I'll be here. And now to all my faithful readers (and occasional ones, too)...

Bacon Day

This one really should have been when Rob was here because we ate bacon every morning. But I made the sacrifice and bought some this morning. I also bought some black eyed peas since I have to eat them on New Year's Day. So for lunch I had black eyed peas with bacon and it was perfect. All I needed was Mom's cornbread to make it even better. Okay, so Mom used Jiffy mix... it's still not the same if I have to make it.

I visited Brianna this morning and heard all about her trip to Grandpa's in San Antonio for Christmas. She was very nervous since he wants to adopt her and she hasn't really ever been around his girlfriend and her son. Also for Christmas day there were lots of other relatives there that she didn't know. But she said it went pretty well except that she doesn't like her grandpa's girlfriend and he makes Brianna call her Grandma, which makes matters worse. I explained that the girlfriend is probably a little jealous because now she'll have to share Grandpa. And I added that maybe they'll warm up to each other slowly. But I was especially happy to hear that she and the girlfriend will be having family therapy on Skype. Baby steps.

Tick Tock Day

Tick Tock Day reminds us only 2 days are remaining in the year and to use them wisely. I chose to take down my Christmas tree and other accoutrements. It took most of the day, but since I've decided to go to a table tree starting next year, I'm so excited that I filled up two bins for give away next November. I've gradually been cutting back, but this one was the hardest. Choosing ornaments to part with was difficult. Obviously the really big ones had to go, but I definitely kept all the sentimental ones, whether or not they were the prettiest. Ornaments that I painted when I was young, some that Andrea made for me when she was young, and all of the family photo frames I made were definite keepers. I can't ever throw those out, so whoever is in charge of my belongings after I've moved to a better place will have to make that call. 

Chocolate Candy Day

No surprise... another favorite. I had two Christmas gifts of chocolate, peppermint bark from my cousin, Emily, and dark chocolate covered walnuts from a friend. The nuts probably don't count as candy, although it certainly is to me. But just to be covered, I ate both. Let's face it, I have to get rid of this stuff before Jan. 2.

We just set a high temperature record for the fifth straight day... all above 80. Although I was a little annoyed on Christmas, I've realized that one of the reasons I came back to the Houston area was to escape the cold. And it's hardly been miserably hot. So now I've pulled out some hot weather clothes and am enjoying the break. Actually, the next three days will be cooler, but then back up into the upper 70's. And I won't complain.

Fruitcake Day

I came so close to making it until the end of the year, but didn't. I have had no fruitcake, have none now, and never will. So nothing got celebrated today except another day of leisure. Okay, I did do some laundry, but that was it and I'm proud!

And just so you know, as we approach the end of 2016, I'm at a serious crossroads about this blog. I'll be thrilled that the daily celebrations will end (as I may have gained a pound or two because of them), but am stumped as to what to do now. I debated a random act of kindness each day, but decided you aren't supposed to be kind so you can write about it. Plus it would probably be really hard. Then I thought about a word of the day and realized that's pretty boring. My third choice is to just write one or two days a week because my life just really isn't that interesting. So at this point... still thinking.

Candy Cane Day

Well, who doesn't have a candy can laying around after Christmas? I don't love 'em, but did have a bite of one after dinner.

Rob left early this morning and although I was sad to see him go, it's awfully nice to start getting back into my routine. I was really ready to get back to exercise classes today, but the Y was closed and yoga is canceled for the week... the week I need it the most! My goal is to get the Christmas stuff packed away and my closet cleaned out, as well as some other odd jobs. But it sure feels great to have NO obligations for five days. We'll see how long it takes me to get bored.

Christmas Day

We had a perfect day today! Rob and I picked up Kitty about 10:30 and then set out. First we stopped at Cathy and Mike's house where they were with their five children and maybe 12 grandchildren (lots of kids... I didn't count). We had a very nice visit with all of them between their breakfast and Christmas dinner.  Next stop... Sharon and Jim's. Sharon was cooking in preparation for their big meal with their kids and grandkids, but Mary and her son, Todd, were there, too. We had appetizers and an adult beverage (not Rob because he was our driver). Our last stop was Charles and Adrienne's house where it was so very quiet compared to yesterday. Trudy was there with her three kids and two grandbabies. Adrienne had made lentil soup, tortilla soup, and some incredible cornbread. We ate there and sat outside by the pool before heading home. It's so nice to spend Christmas with family, although we did miss Joe, Mary Jane and their gang who are all on the west coast. And then of course, there's Charles and Karen in Tanzania. A merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Christmas Eve

What a wonderful day Rob and I had! Cousin Charles hosted the whole family for Christmas Eve, with just a few missing. There was a face painter for the kids, a balloon animal maker, and a magician and I have to say the whole day was magic. Granted the temperature had to be 80, but at least the kids could play outside without getting cold. Adrienne puts on quite a spread, everything was amazing, and they even loaded us up with leftovers to bring home.  Aunt Kitty treats us as her own and it's absolutely the next best thing to being with Mom and Dad.

The Texans play tonight (fingers crossed) and tomorrow there will even be more Lyons family fun. Can't wait!!!

Festivus

Festivus is the day celebrated by George Constanza's father on Seinfeld. He called it "Festivus for the rest of us!" A Festivus Miracle is a frequent if unimpressive miracle. And we had a miracle today, but I think it was actually impressive. Rob came in this afternoon and we went out to dinner with my friend, Patti, who went to high school with Mary Helen, and her husband. We had good food, beverages, and conversation. As we were walking back to the car, I tripped on a small step in the sidewalk, but there was a maybe 12 or 13-year-old boy standing there and I caught myself by putting my hand on his shoulder. And to make it all better, his dad even told me that another son had also tripped in the same spot.  Here's to Festivus! 

Mike Frank's 80th Birthday

What a great party tonight to celebrate Cathy's husband, Mike's 80th birthday. It was at Federal Grill and was amazing. His children all spoke about what a great father he is and others (including me) also talked about what an incredible role model he is. I told him that whenever I don't want to exercise, I think of him and his dedication to taking care of himself, and then I go. He has been a wonderful husband and father and is one of the greatest men I know. This photo is with his daughter. Amanda, from his first marriage and of course, Cathy, his rock. I'm so blessed to have them in my life and wish Mike another 80 years. If anyone can do it, he can!

Winter Solstice

Oops! I jumped the gun yesterday and today is actually National Crossword Puzzle Day. But I had yoga this morning and didn't have time for two. But as far as Winter Solstice goes... our winter ended yesterday and today it was a beautiful day, sunny and 71 degrees. And nary a soul is complaining.

We went back to Krause House this afternoon for more tee shirt painting. We were in a classroom today instead of the cafeteria and it was much less chaotic. One of our ladies suggested it may just be due to their mindset in the classroom versus the cafeteria. Whatever... it was a great deal more pleasant (the newspapers were for covering the tables).

Crossword Puzzle Day

I normally work one puzzle every morning, but to celebrate today, I worked two! The rest of my morning went downhill after that. I had to make a run to Costco and I wanted to get gas at their pumps first. All lanes were full, so I stopped to purview the situation. When I saw a lane opening up, I headed over and then heard a loud bang. I was bumfuzzled as I couldn't imagine what had just happened... until I saw the car immediately to my right that I had hit. This has been my biggest fear as I age. Not major accidents on the freeway, but rather fender benders in parking lots. Let the games begin! The Asian lady who I hit really wanted to call the police, but fortunately the attendant came over and said that all we needed to do was exchange information. I told her that I took full responsibility, but she was so wary. I finally got away, finished my shopping, and came home to file the claim. Then I called her to explain that my insurance would handle everything. I did dent her front fender and only scraped the bumper on my car. I haven't filed an auto insurance claim since maybe 1982, so was happy to learn there's an app for that. I upload photos, they make an estimate and send me a check. Sounds like a plan!

I spent the afternoon at Krause House painting tee shirts with the girls, which was just what the doctor ordered. Then home to walk the dogs before heading to a neighbor's for a glass of wine. Now I'm happy to be home and looking forward to bedtime. Roller coaster of a day!

Oatmeal Muffin Day

Well, I certainly fell into this one. At yoga this morning someone brought oatmeal brownies for the class. I realize that brownies aren't muffins, but it was close enough for me. And truth be told, regular brownies are much better, but I don't look a gift horse in the mouth (especially at Christmas). I also went to my exercise class at the Y today because I have to atone for all my eating transgressions over the last week. And I really felt accomplished afterwards!

This evening one of the Winettes had a holiday happy hour at her home and wouldn't let anyone bring anything. She really wowed us as she made all of the hors d'oeuvres and they were amazing. She also provided all of the wine, which in this crowd isn't just a bottle or three. This may have to be the beginning of another tradition. I love this place!

Answer the Phone Like Buddy the Elf Day

When the phone rang, I had to say, "Penny, the elf. What's your favorite color?" Fortunately, Kay was the only one who called and she doesn't even react to my crazy days. It could have been an embarrassing situation, but it helped that it fell on a Sunday.

The big news here is winter!!! Yesterday it was over 80 degrees and when I went out with the dogs this morning, it was 34 with a wind chill of 22. The wind was very strong and I was completely bundled up, as was Simon. But Glory absolutely loves the cold! She has a pretty heavy coat and wanted to go in and out all day. And our afternoon walk wasn't a whole lot better because the wind is still kicking butt. Tomorrow will be worse, but then the warm up begins. Man, I don't know why all those people in the north don't move south. This sure makes me appreciate summer a whole lot more. So if you're in very cold weather tonight, as most of the country is, stay inside!!!

I took Brianna her Christmas presents today and I have rarely seen such joy on a teenager's face. All I gave her was a pink fluffy robe, a stuffed dog, a calendar, and a pair of socks, but she acted like I gave her a pot of gold. She immediately put the robe on and as we colored, she held the dog the whole time. It really feels good to make someone that happy and for that, I'm blessed.

Wright Brothers Day

In 1903 on December 17, Wilbur and Orville made their famous flight at Kitty Hawk. My hat's off to these guys as well as all inventors and innovators. Gotta love 'em!

I met Allison and Roy at Federal Grill for lunch today. We're definitely old now because we had to move into the bar area due to the loud noise level in the dining room. We couldn't even hear each other talk. But the food was great, as usual, plus bottomless mimosas and a giant chocolate chip cookie with three scoops of ice cream. I shouldn't have eaten dinner, but of course, I did. Monday I'm going to two exercise classes to atone.

Chocolate-covered Anything Day

Katie, bar the door! So much to choose from, but I aimed for something a little healthy and bought dark chocolate-covered walnuts. And I wasn't disappointed. With a glass of red wine, perfection!

Our large dinner group has been put on hold until after the holidays, but a few renegades decided to go to dinner in a small group for a change (okay, I was the instigator) and it was wonderful. Having a meal with six people is sometimes so much more pleasant than dinner with 16 to 20. Better service, conversation, and ease of hearing definitely has its strong points. We had a great time with outstanding food and wine... a perfect meal!

Free Shipping Day

This came at the perfect time! I'd been procrastinating about ordering a gift for Mary Ellen, Mom's 91-year-old cousin who now lives in Missouri with her niece. So this was perfect since Harry & David was one of the free sites. And that was all the motivation I needed. Mary Ellen... check.

And I was absolutely thrilled that I had nothing to do for the rest of the day. I did run a couple of errands this morning and then binged on The Crown on Netflix this afternoon. I love history in entertainment form even though I have to realize that I can't believe it all. Too bad Queen Elizabeth didn't write it. But it's great!

Yoga Day

Today is the day one of the original yoga teachers was born. And I went to yoga this morning! She's giving us new poses to do during the holidays to reduce stress and help our digestive systems. I feel like a pretzel sometimes (okay, often) but always feel better when it's over. We're trying to get a new class started after the first of the year on Fridays so we can go more than once a week. That will help a lot because once a week isn't enough and most of us don't do it at home. Of course my problem is that when I get down on the floor, Glory thinks it's playtime. So I play with her and forget what I'm supposed to be doing.

I mentored my fifth grader this afternoon for the last time until January. I hate to say it, but I am excited about a two week break. And in a few minutes, Bella will be here for her last tutoring session before her math final tomorrow. Then I'll have some time to do nothing. Yay! Actually next week will be busy with Christmas happenings, but the week after Christmas will be my wind down time. And that is definitely something to look forward to!

Ice Cream Day

I know... doesn't sound right in December, but it's true. This is also National Cocoa Day, but since it's been the 70's here all day, I just didn't want to drink cocoa. I didn't really want to buy any ice cream either, but I lucked out. One of the Winettes had a wrapping party this afternoon. She made a big pot of soup (thinking it would be colder today) and we brought over our gifts to wrap, along with wine and munchies. This was definitely the beginning of a new tradition. I only had a few presents to wrap for Brianna, my 15-year-old mentee, but I really don't like wrapping anymore. So one of my friends did it for me! We ate, drank, wrapped, and played a game... it was great! But back to the ice cream. I asked if anyone had ice cream at home and was actually surprised to learn how many did. But my closest neighbor had some Weight Watchers bars in her freezer and after all I had eaten, decided that was the best choice. Fun day!!!

Green Monday

This one was new to me, but it's the second busiest online shopping day before Christmas after Cyber Monday. It's always the second Monday in December, so I felt obligated to shop. I ordered some long underwear in preparation for my New York trip in February as well as some steps for Simon to get on the bed. His arthritis seems to be getting a little worse and even though I have a bench at the end of the bed for both dogs to jump up on, I think steps are the inevitable next step (get it?).

I tutored Thomas this afternoon for the last time before second semester. He's not going to have any more homework and his excitement level for Christmas is kicking in. He told me that his family is going to spend the first week in San Diego with one set of grandparents and the second week in Florida with the others.  Tough life for a kid!

Noodle Ring Day

I thought this was just about ring-shaped pasta, but it can also be any pasta formed into a ring. So I took my leftover shrimp from wine night and placed it into a ring of edamame pasta (and I finally finished it... no more of that for me). Because of the shrimp, it was delicious!

I tutored Sharon's granddaughter, Bella, this afternoon and Emily, her mom, brought me a bottle of wine and a tin of homemade cookies. I'm going to try to save them until Rob gets here for Christmas, but it's dicey because they're really good! My doctor told me it's okay to gain five to seven pounds over the holidays as long as you lose it afterwards. Sounds so simple, but I know better, so will try to keep my added poundage under five. We'll see how that pans out.

Dewey Decimal System Day

Today is Melvil Dewey's birthday and apparently the Dewey Decimal System is way more important than I would have thought. It's been in use since 1876 and is the most widely used classification system in the world,. The DDC is found in 135 countries around the world and translated into 30 different languages. Who knew?

Today was also Family Day at Krause House and I spent over two hours there this afternoon with Brianna. We decorated cupcakes, played games, and I watched as she had fun in the two bouncy houses set up in the gym. It really was a great time for both of us. I can tell she's always so proud to have someone there for her and I love for her to be happy!

Weary Willie Day

Turns out, it was not what I was thinking. Men of a certain age whose willies get weary are not what this day is about. But it's actually still funny... This holiday was named for the character made famous by Emmett Kelly, who was born on this day in 1898. Weary Willie Day celebrates the art of clowning and the impact that it has had on our lives. I'll just bet you didn't know that! Clowns have gotten a bad rap recently, but it seems to have died down. I've never understood the fear of clowns, maybe because of Bozo and Clarabell, but I hope kids can get back to loving clowns like Ronald McDonald. They're supposed to be fun!

We celebrated two birthdays at dinner tonight and it was a great time. Good food, good wine, and good friends can only equal a fun for all. There were 18 of us and as we were leaving, the family behind us said they really wanted to buy us all a round of wine, so obviously they were enjoying our antics. We're not a subdued group and it's nice to know the people around us are entertained, too.

Brownie Day

I had such good intentions for today. I didn't want to make brownies or even buy a package at the grocery store because I didn't want them in my house. So my plan was to go to a bakery and buy just one. And this is what I found. It's huge! I debated for a short time, but it was past time for lunch and I was hungry, so bit the bullet and bought it.  It was a terrible mistake but I'm happy to report that I did cut it into fourths and only ate one piece after lunch. However that one piece was so good that I know it had to be at the very least 500 calories. And then after wine night, I came home and ate half of another piece. I'm still not quite down to my pre-Thanksgiving weight and I'm certain I'll be back up a bit tomorrow. But my doctor did just tell me that it's normal to gain five to seven pounds during the holidays as long as we lose it again afterwards. So I'm going with that!

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

In 2016, we recognize the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7. There were more than 3,500 Americans who died or were wounded on that solemn day. I very recently saw a woman on TV who was a child then and remembers actually seeing the faces of the pilots in the fighter planes. I suppose I've heard that before but it never hit me like it did this time. It's hard to imagine that she even survived. It's just a reminder to always remember what happened that day and how it shaped our country.

My happy news today is that I got a new electric fireplace/media center and just in the nick of time. The next few days will be very cold here (by Houston standards) and I need all the heat I can get. My circulation seems to get worse every year and so I'm thrilled to have a place to warm my hands whenever I need to. Just hoping this won't drive my electric bill up, but I may just bite the bullet and pay up. And I'm going to New York in February?  

Microwave Oven Day

Oh my goodness, what would we do without them? I use mine almost every day of the week and I'm so grateful for it. Remembering the days of the earliest TV dinners that had to be baked in the oven and, let's face it, tasted like crap compared to today's frozen foods, I think microwaves are one of the best inventions of modern times. I celebrated today by making frozen mashed cauliflower, which I added some horseradish to, for an absolutely delicious vegetable. I even made it at Thanksgiving and am proud to report that Rob, who very rarely eats veggies, liked it. I was thrilled!

I went to the elementary school to mentor Aiden, the second grader, this morning just as his class was headed to recess. Normally he doesn't have a problem missing recess, but today was the first beautiful day we've had in a long time and I could tell that he was conflicted. I asked him if he wanted to go outside and he was hesitant to say yes. But I knew and told him it was no problem for me, so off he went. I'm guessing his teacher was probably thrilled for him to get out and run off some energy... he definitely has trouble sitting still.

Blue Jeans Day

I celebrate this day every day from November through March (with days off for temps above 70) and today was no exception. Add a sweatshirt or flannel shirt and sneakers for my total winter look... I'm turning into a hippie.

However, I dressed up for our holiday luncheon today. This was my table, but they're all decorated differently with even a Hanukkah table or two. It's a sight to see!

Then when I went to tutor Thomas this afternoon, he asked me if I had on makeup. I generally don't wear it if I don't have anyplace special to go (remember the previous hippie comment), but because of the luncheon, he got me. I told him I was surprised that he noticed and he said that he likes it. Oh dear, now do I have to wear makeup for an 8-year-old?

Cookie Day

I was excited about this one, but didn't plan ahead. Kay and I went out to lunch before heading to the theater in Houston, but the restaurant didn't have cookies on their dessert menu (although we did find something else we liked). So my plan was to stop on the way home to pick something up. However, it poured down rain all day and I just wanted to get home as fast as possible. I had some Girl Scout cookies in my freezer which obviously aren't my favorites or they wouldn't still have been in the freezer. So I had one after a small dinner because I really wasn't hungry after lunch.

The show, Honky Tonk Angels Holiday Spectacular, was good but not great. And the theater was freezing so we were both pretty miserable. I also had to get home to take the dogs out because when it's raining they won't go out in the backyard. So more cold and rain and now I'm toasty inside. More rain tomorrow, so we'll have to play this game again in the morning. Not sure if this is harder on me or the dogs, but we manage.

Roof Over Your Head Day

This one was created as a day to be thankful for what you have, starting with the roof over your head.  There are many things that we have that we take for granted and do not stop to appreciate how fortunate we are for having them. The previous sentence was copied from the website, but I'm happy to add that I have never taken this for granted. As a matter of fact, I thank God regularly not only for the roof over my head, but for my mom and dad who provided my education and work ethic so that I could have a nice home. Unlike many kids today, we started at the bottom and worked our way up. Small apartments with several roommates to slightly larger with only one roommate to living alone in a nice apartment. I still remember when I moved into an apartment with 600 sq. ft. I thought I was rich!

I've also been lucky by buying low and selling high while renovating and decorating to make my homes exactly what I wanted. And for all of this, I've always thanked God for my many blessings. And now in my retirement home (hopefully my last), I couldn't be happier. God is good!

International Sweater Vestival

This one seems weird, but I wore a sweater vest to our Friday evening dinner. Luckily it's cold enough now to do that (upper 50's) so it felt good to finally be pulling out a few winter clothes.

I stayed home today to try and get my outdoor Christmas decorations up before the rains came. I felt like this was the best day to do it because Elia, my cleaning lady, was here and able to check on me periodically to make sure I didn't fall off the step stool. There once was a time when ladders were the problem, but I've been demoted to step stools. Anyway, I never know how it's all going to look until nightfall, but I'm happy to report that it looks pretty damn good. But since the rain has started, I can't post a photo until another day.

I also stayed home because I'd ordered an electric fireplace/entertainment center from Costco that  was scheduled for delivery this afternoon. When I ordered my TV from Costco, they came in, set it up, and made sure it was working, so I was really excited for this delivery. But I'll be damned if UPS only unloaded three big boxes into my garage. Thankfully Elia could help me (or truth be told, I helped her) get them into the house. We started unpacking the boxes only to find that the entire thing has to be assembled. Dammit! So I made a call to my handyman and am waiting for him to call back and let me know when he can put it together. And then, that's another pic I'll post. I feel like a kid getting a big Christmas present that Mom and Dad can't put together.

Eat a Red Apple Day

You're never going to believe how this one worked out (or maybe you will).  The Winettes went out this evening and since this is also National Pie Day, I had every intention of ordering a piece of pie for dessert to share with the table. So imagine my surprise when I saw that apple martinis were on special today. One of the ladies suggested that I ask for a little red food coloring to be added, but I wasn't going to be that picky. So when I saw a piece of red apple actually floating in the drink, I was so excited! And I might add, it was quite tasty. I only had one as a before dinner drink and then a glass of wine with my food (we actually all order only appetizers on wine night for some unknown reason), so it was a perfect meal. I just might have to try that again sometime.