Merry Christmas!

 

                                                                                                                                        December 25, 2020

 

 

Dear Debra:

 

                Good Morning and Merry Christmas!  It is nearly 7 in the morning and I have been up or awake since the normal 5:30.  The normal routine has been completed and now the cats are beside me at either end of the bed.  Tiger is on a pillow beside me and Sky is under the covers at the foot of the bed.

As it was predicted it’s raining.  It’s been raining since early yesterday evening.  It has washed away most if not all the snow from last week’s storm.  Some neighborhoods in town lost power.  Happily I am not one of them and neither is the complex.

I have been surfing the net and avoiding the one thing I haven’t looked at in what seems like days.  I haven’t gone over my budget.  I want to update it before the year ends and I start the next year.  I have a feeling once the new year starts Liz, who has made it known to me she wants to be the trustee, will want to check my budget and she will criticize the way I have been doing it.  I really don’t want to hear it or have it.

This morning besides updating and making sure bills get paid, I will be finishing some housecleaning that I started with yesterday.  I didn’t finish it because I was getting tired and fighting another headache.  I can’t complain about the house cleaning there are not that many rooms here.  It’s the Livingroom that is left.  The office is still a mess so that’s not going to be a factor just yet.

I am expected around 1 at Liz’s and it will be quiet dinner.  The menu will be Ham, and sides, and dessert and a card game and puzzles.  We are not exchanging gifts or so I have been told.  As it is Liz has spent a lot of time with me at the expense of her own holiday preparations.  She has repeatedly told me that they are not in the Christmas spirit this year.

So Christmas Eve Day was spent doing some house cleaning, TV watching, and getting a hold of the plumber.  So I set up an appointment for Monday morning at 9 am.  I will need to go to the bank over the weekend. When I spoke to Frank he did say not to use Raps plumbing and heating that they are not good. 

Liz had done a search or something for their website and sent it to me.  I had heard of them and seen their ads but didn’t really think much of it. When I called to tell her about the appointment she conceded to the President’s experience with them.  So for now that’s a good thing.  Although I just read some of the google reviews and there were only two negative/critical reviews. 

 

I also called my 2 of my three remaining aunts.  They were both short (the conversations).  Actually my call to Aunt Betty may have been a little longer.  When she starts to criticize what the Governor of CT does or says I have to roll my eyes. What he plans, or decisions he makes for our state doesn’t affect her all the way in TX.  I wasn’t able to speak to my Aunt Rosemary.  Her phone was busy. 

I had a late dinner from McDonalds.  I didn’t feel like cooking and I still had the headache.  It was a double cheeseburger, Fries and a shake.  I had spilled a little of the shake on my rug but it’s cleaned up.  The cats thought they could have my dinner. 

I went to bed early and took no time at all to fall asleep. 

Well I am going to close for now.  I Hope you and your family are having a wonderful day….

 

Joy to the World

Did you know that the song Joy to the World is the most popular Christmas song?   It heralds the birth of Christ and calls for all to celebrate the love and happiness it should bring.  I found this very interesting article on the origins of this song.  Love it.

I was up at 6:30 that morning and thanks to a persistent Sky I made sure I fed the cats and went back to sleep for a little bit.   I did put the TV on but nothing really interested me.  The kitties went back to bed after I fed them.

To be honest it was a fairly quiet morning.  I cleaned off the windshield of the car and it was much better and of course safer.  I would have to make time later to clean out the car.

I was to be at my niece Cheryl and her husband’s home around 1.  I showered and dressed and started to leave for North Haven.  That is until I saw my neighbors next door.  Actually I saw the husband and chatted with him.  I hadn’t seen them much in the last few weeks.  So as usual I had to catch up with them.

When I finally did leave got some gas and headed on the highway.  It was unexpectedly a smooth ride all the way.  I followed the instructions to the t-but I must have missed the street because they had me come up another way.  I went home the normal way afterwards. 

I was the first one to arrive.  Everyone else that was coming was all running late.  I believe My Niece J and her family arrived first.  They exchanged gifts and I even got one.  IT was a Plush throw with kitties on it.  I was so surprised (and extremely guilty ridden). 

Eventually everyone arrived and chaos ensued.  The kids were having fun with the playing and talking and eating.  Of course my battle with food was lost again.  I ate almost everything.  So I knew I would have to work at it some more.

My nephew Adam got the Yeti tumbler that I brought as the Yankee swap.  Whenever I bring a gift or food and it’s the last thing to be picked I was nervous.  So when he chose it I was very relieved.  I know it sounds lame but I remember when I brought a gift many years ago to my cousin’s birthday party someone else brought the very same gift (the latest Spirograph game or toy) I was crushed.  Oh what did I get for the Yankee Swap?  Trump Toilet paper it was from my sister.

It was sometime after 5 when people began to leave.  It was kind of funny because in the far distance the sun was just setting that night and I could look to one side of me and could see what I can only guess as being North Branford, or even Northford.  It was so beautiful.

It was a beautiful and fun night and I was exhausted when I got home.  I did make some calls but only got one of my aunts on Mom’s side.

The rest of the night I watched TV and then went to bed.  The kitties soon followed we were listening to the programs on Public Radio.

Christmas Morning 2018

Dear Debra:

Sorry for the double send last night.  I didn’t realize I had already posted it when I added more to the entry.  So for the third time this holiday you may be getting old news.

We got word last night the Neighbors daughter got engaged yesterday.  Don’t know the details but I imagine I will soon.  This should be interesting.  Will share the details when I get the 411.

Preston seems to be in better spirits this morning.  He was much more cooperative.  We even went for a walk at 5:30 This morning and managed to go back to sleep for a short while.  I am still not happy with him overall.  He bit me hand last night and I am not sure what I did but  I just scratched the top of his head the way I do all the time.  I do get tired of his stopping every few minutes to sniff and explore.  I don’t mind if he has to pee every few minutes that’s the whole point of the walk.  My honest opinion I don’t think he is well trained for his age..  I was cursing him out under my breath a lot.  The abrasion or the bite is still a little red but it now doesn’t even look like there was a break in the skin. 

Everyone there who needed to be fed this morning has been taken care of and I got ready to come back to the house and spend time with the kitties and get ready for the day’s activities.  To be honest these two did not cuddle up to me they are more interested  in going back into the old bedroom and sleep.  I did let them in there but they decided they didn’t want to go in.  Their loss.  I am not sure where they are at this moment. 

I have picked out an outfit (black denim with a floral print top) for today's activity.   I have the hostess gift (or what i call the hostess gift) and the gift for the swap and I will have a third one.  I am giving to Liz.  Not because of the holiday or what has transpired nor to appease her but  I know she is upset about Uncle Pete’s passing.  

I need to leave here at quarter of 12 It starts at 12:30 and dinner at 2.  Here I thought it was going to start at 11:30.  Man it's a good thing I read the messages again.  I can do a few things before going like cleaning out the car, napping, emptying out  chewy boxes, and dia boxes.

I don’t think I have any letters to write while I am here because most if not all of them are over at Nancy and Pat's house.  Along with the rest of the Christmas cards I haven’t sent out.  I haven’t finished the family ones yet.  I don’t have that many left but for some reason ever since I found out my uncle died I stopped filling them out.  I don’t think I should be sending one to Rosemary right now.  Then again she may not remember either.  However, I will finish them later when I get back from dinner this afternoon.

On that note it's time for me to get ready.  I haven’t had anything to eat and I know its going to be tough with all the food.  So I better get some water in me.

I had a great time

I had a really great time yesterday at my niece’s home for Christmas day activities.  The ride up was nice.  Most of the snow along the shoreline had long since melted but not in North Haven.  It made walking a little dicey.  

Cheryl’s immediate family (sons and family) were there and eventually everyone else arrived.  I got to hold my great niece Mia who is probably not even a year yet.  She was smiling and happy.  Eventually everyone arrived.  The only thing that wasn’t a good thing is I had given presents to the kids at different stages and Liz was annoyed with me that I should have waited.  

There was a lot of food  finger foods, then the main meal (posta, ham, chicken, rice and beans) and of course variety of side dishes.  A few desserts.  I look forward to seeing the family photos.  I haven’t even seen the one from Thanksgiving yet. (No judging).

It was nearly 4 when I left.  Stopped at home to check on the kitties and then came back here and fed them and watered everyone and took Preston for his walk.  

Spent the rest of the night in bed watching TV.  i can’t remember exactly what I watched.

Today i got up later than usual and figured my two would be a lot more hungrier if I was later.  I watched TV and then walked Preston.  I fed Vlad and preston and then headed back to the house.  Did make a pit stop at DD.  

I spent the next few hours doing a little more laundry, making some necessary calls, trying to fix the HD TV and failed miserably.  Looks like I will be watching TV up in my bedroom until I get it straightened out.

I made the call to the insurance agency in town.  THey were updating their database and wanted to make sure they had my correct infor.  Then Tom and I talked about getting the house in my name.  I told him I would have to talk to Lawyer Bob.

Shortly after that conversation I called Lawyer Bob.  He explained to me (probably for the millionth time) how the house situation was set up.  It's in a trust and when he is retired being in charge of the deed will go to either of my siblings. Unless i decide to move out of the house.   So Insurance Agent got this explanation sometime today.

I called my 93 year old Aunt in Georgia today.  .  We go through the niceties “are you working”, You are doing such a great job taking care of the house etc. Well i got the feeling she was trying to rush me off the phone.  She does it every time I call and I wonder why I don’t call her.  Maybe I should send her letters more?  She doesn't do email.

I finally called the handyman about the upstairs toilet.  He came around lunchtime and says he needs to get the mechanisms for the inside.  He gave me instructions on to get it to flush and I tried it and it didn’t work.   Think I was supposed to turn the water back on.  He will be meeting me tomorrow and replace it.

I let the kitties into the computer room and their they stayed until I came back tonight.  I took the opportunity to close the door.

I could have sworn I had the heat turned down again and it automatically went up to 70.  This time I held the hold button on it so i am hoping it won’t be so hot when I get there tomorrow.

It was really cold today in the low to mid 20’s and it is supposed to be even colder tomorrow.  There is some question as to whether or not we will get snow by the weekend.  I just hope its not the days I am working this week.

I am hoping that sometime before I go back to work Liz and I will go see the Hugh Jackman movie the Showman.  It is about BRidgeport’s very own PT Barnum.

I think I am going to bed.