Sunday, December 23, 2019

I do miss receiving gifts from DH. He used to get so much joy in choosing them though I think he still did a lot of shopping last minute. In retrospect he was already beginning the Alzheimer's when he started having trouble choosing gifts. Prior to four years ago he would usually surprise me to some extent (often with jewelry). Four years ago he bought what I asked for. Three years ago he basically bought out all the creams he could find at Bath and Body Works (a long lasting gift, LOL), two years ago he got me (and everyone else) some chocolate truffles (his brother brought him), last year I got myself shoes and something else (I don't remember) but at least he knew that he was giving them to me. This year he doesn't really understand, so I got a bunch of things for our Florida home and told myself some of them were Christmas gifts from DH.

Gosh Liz, so sorry that your DH also can't choose gifts anymore. Yet another difficult aspect of his illness. My DH is not much for gifts but I do treasure every little thing he does like dishes. Thanks for the reminder. DS

At least he remembers people and enjoys visiting with them. I think he still understands it is Christmas and is looking forward to seeing everyone. He keeps asking when our daughters are arriving (tomorrow). I expect the next two days to be enjoyable for him and the rest of us (and that is what counts).

Hope you begin to feel better....it has been a long haul!

Hey, I did a bit of hydroplaning today and thought of you and your heavy electric car.

Your lavender sky paired with the yellow solstice moon sounds lovely. Mother Nature knows how to wow.

Weight 175.2

I should have filled in the food hole I crawled out of so no one else would fall in it...

Today is food shopping day. I have already hit Trader Joes for a few things I couldn't get elsewhere and BevMo to get a couple of those tiny booze bottles of bourbon for a shallot dish I'm making. No sense buying a regular bottle when I just need 1/4 cup.

Fergus got a bath yesterday and for the first time in 11 years jumped out of the tub mid-soap/rinse and shook. What a mess! He's normally so good in the tub, but apparently reached the end of his patience yesterday. But he's clean and smells nice for Christmas, so yay.

Ann, I totally get your Christmas vibe. No kids, grandchildren, partner, or big family leaves me a little hollow at the holidays. What's left is a lot of work and anxiety!

Off to the grocery store to get Christmas dinner stuff as my dad and his wife are coming to me Tuesday. Take care all!

Uh Oh, my neighbor (the one with all the christmas yard art) brought over a big plate of homemade yummies. So thoughtful of her but goodby to two pound weight loss. I took her a bottle of rose wine as I know she drinks it by the boxful. So things are merry in our neighborhood indeed. I just a choc covered nut drop. Going back for another. Peace. ds

I went, I saw, I shopped! Got gifts for Pop, his GF, my BFF, Ron, Ron's step monster, and Nephew in just under an hour. Whoo hoo! Brother's was already ordered online and delivered. Still need to get gift card for SIL and Niece. EASY PEASY!!!! Was able to sneak in a fancy trashy chic hemp hoodie for Ron under his less than attentive eye! LOL! Too bad he saw it and mentioned how much he liked it. I would have gone back after Christmas and got it for myself! Hahaha!

Clearly none of you ladies understand the joy of being a man doing Christmas shopping at the last minute. It is joyful and spirit lifting. Some of us work very well under the pressure of having to GET IT DONE! As a matter of fact, Ron and I found a sweater for my dad's girl friend we loved. But, Hmmmm.... that sweater was nowhere to be found - folded or hanging. So....... Excuse me, ma'am? Yes, we'd like the sweater on the mannequin. Yes, we checked the size. Yes, we'll take it. Do you need help lifting it down? No? Okay. Thanks so much! Then I found a great matching clutch to go with it.

Then we're chit chatting it up with the sales girl (yes she was a very young woman barely in her 20s). She was having so much fun with us, she started giving us discounts on items, just because "I want to". Can't argue with that. By the end of her discount extravaganza she had lopped off $50 from the bill! Merry Christmas to me!

See, last minute shopping does pay! Not only do you get good deals, but if you're nice and cheerful, the retailers are so appreciative they reward you with more savings!

I choose not worry about Christmas festivities this year. My house looks festive and pretty. Found the dog pee smell and it is now gone. Sneaky *******s! Anyway, I'm down to washing walls tomorrow. That means I'm doing pretty well with Christmas prep. Yes, I'll have to go grocery shopping in the morning, but that'll be fun, too. Unless they are out of beef stock. Then I will have a cow! But, they've never been out of beef stock before, so I'm willing to risk it.

I am sorry that so many of you have journeyed down the Food Hole. I spend more time in the Hole than out of it, so it's familiar territory for me. I do know though how stressful it is for those of you who are otherwise never in that damned Hole. I am comfortable in the hole until Christmas is over. Then I will be uncomfortable and struggling to climb up those slick sides yet again.

We are driving into the Big City tonight to go on a trolley tour called Holiday Lights and Sights. Hope it's fun. We decided not to join Ron's family for dinner. The place his sister chose to make reservations serves hamburgers that start at $22 a la carte. Fries with that burger will cost you an extra $10! Add on to that a soda or iced tea, tax, tip, and 3% SF subsidy fee and we're looking at $50 per person for a burger fries and a coke. (And that subsidy fee....yes, diners have to pay an additional fee to pay for sick days for tipped employees who are non compensated when sick.Gotta love the unions for getting that one through. Impressive, especially considering it was an initiative upon which citizens voted!)

Happy almost Christmas!

I'm getting a contact high from your shopping enthusiasm!

Ditto on what Cecily said!

I wanna go shopping with you next year! I'm so happy to hear you happy. It fairly exudes off the screen. As I type this I'm watching White Christmas and telling my husband its trivia and thinking you'd probably appreciate that :)

I just cannot get over how happy a feeling it was to read your happy post. I hope you get to keep this feeling for Christmas...and beyond hopefully!!!

Yay Peps for a fun post. Yep some people love the thrill of last minute shopping. My mother did that. She would go our the afternoon of Christmas eve and not come home until the stores closed which in those days was early evening. Last stop grocery store. Then we kids unloaded it all.

Speaking of food holes, there is a grocery store here called "Ray's Food Place". We think its an odd name so we call it "Ray's Food Hole"!!! Have for years.

Peace on earth.

And I have already eaten 3 of the chocolate nut clusters.

Diane