December 16 - 31

December 16 Thursday Laundry or go naked day! Sure miss the nice Laundromat in Marshalltown! Woke up to 66 degrees; the low last night was 63 degrees! Cold front coming thru this evening - going back into the 40's at night. Oh, well, take the warm sunny days when I can! LinCare delivered an oxygen concentrator. My, they sure don’t waste any time around here!

I had planned on going to the potluck 'friendship supper' but I've still not re-covered from my CPAP-less nite! I bought some olive, pickles, etc to make a relish tray but they will keep until next week. Besides, don't want to get over-tired -- ladies lunch coming up on Friday!

When the cold front blew thru, all of a sudden it was cloudy and the winds from the north. There was not doubt it was cold from the north!

Woke up to 53 degrees on December 17th! Must be winter! Ladies lunch Friday at Key Allegro. Windy down on the harbor -- white caps on the water -- even the cranes and pelicans are huddled together! Had grilled flounder and rice pilaf! Now wasn't that healthy! AND --HOT TEA!

The local weatherman has been lying to me -- told me that it was going to be in the low 40s Saturday nite and in the 30s Sunday nite -- well, it's been in the 60s both nights, maybe I need a new weatherman! At least I have had plenty of practice moving my plants in and out!

Sunday I put my last piece of Iowa pork in the crock pot with some mushroom onion gravy -- made spaetzel with my potato ricer! Just like going to the Amanas -- well, not quite but close! I even fixed some cottage cheese with chives. Didn't fix any saurkraut or mashed tators!

Li'lBit and I spent about an hour at the picnic table -- she loves to lay there and get brushed.

Woke up to 63 degrees Monday AM - some fog, but with a little breeze, the fog doesn’t stay around long. Sure do like that oxygen at night -- don't want to get out of bed in the AM! Only one problem...I'm not as tired during the day and not taking as many naps -- and Li'lBit doesn't like that at all!

Li'lBit and I took a run to the fish market to get our oysters for oyster stew for Christmas Eve.

I started thinking about doing steak & lobster for Christmas dinner. I had a small ham, but can eat that anytime....they had a good price on fresh lobster tails at the market....except steaks down here are so high and it isn’t Iowa beef!

Highs in the 70s, lows in the 60s all week, then a chilly Christmas - highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s-40s thru the weekend. Bummer! Still a lot of empty spaces in the park. Wonder if they will fill up after Christmas or if folks just aren't traveling.

I missed the eclipse on the first day of winter, saw the first part of it – went to bed, when I got up a couple of hours later it was too overcast. Guess I'll just have to plan on seeing the next one - someone said the next total eclipse to coincide with the winter solstice will be in 2095. Not sure I'll be around then!

Picked up my tamales. That's the TX Christmas Eve tradition -- yummy -- oyster stew & tamales! WHEW! Some traditions probably shouldn’t be merged!

Maybe I should have avoided the coffee Tuesday AM - got myself into baking cookies and nut bread for the New Years Eve 'finger-food' get-together and the New Years Day breakfast! Sure wish my oven worked better - or was bigger -- nothing seems to cook even.

December 22 Wednesday AM Weather alert for fog. 61 degrees! Air is heavy but at least I can still breathe. Ran some errands (can you believe the grocery store did not have cranberries!) As much as I hated it, I braved the crowds at Walmart to get some cranberries and then met Deryl & Elke for dinner at Pepitos.

Terry was by and started working on the roof. While up there he noticed a vent cover missing so he picked one up the later. He has the patch on. I certainly like this “home repair” and not having to take it in to the service department for repair. That’s such a hassle.

December 23 Thursday Christmas is really exciting in the ol' folk's RV Park -- had pot luck supper in the acitivities building, Christmas Eve was 'finger foods' and a white elephant gift exchange, and Christmas day after church, Christmas dinner. Since I Went to Deryl & Elke's for Christmas dinner, I fixed my steak (which ended up being a small standing rib roast – cheaper than the steaks – for Christmas Eve dinner. Rib roast complete with Yorkshire pudding! Yummy – saved the lobsters for New Years.

Christmas Day Deryl & Elke had all the trimmings and smoked turkey. Ate entirely too much and sure I'm gonna hear from it from the doc next appointment.

On Monday Li'lBit and I headed out to the grocery - forget CAT food - Holly was POd this AM when she had to eat DOG food! Now I have one happy kitty! She will probably puke on my floor now 'cuz she will gorge herself. I only put a little down – thankfully she took the hint!

Can't say the temps have varied much here -- yesterday low was 44, high was
48, last nite low was 45 so far today only up to 47!!! Guess I didn't go
far enough south!

Have a pot of "buffalo hunters stew" going in the crock pot. No, I don't have any buffalo meat, I use sausage! Maybe I should change the name to 'pig hunters stew.'

Knock on wood - I haven't been down and out like usual with the respiratory crud I always get when I move. Have had some stuffiness that lasted a few days and slowed me down some, but nothing that resembles pneumonia!

Tuesday Dec 28 Busy, Busy day! Ladies coffee at 9AM, propane truck is in the park and I had an tank! AND, get to see Doc at 2PM! YIPPEE! Lab work OK -- EXCEPT -- she thinks my fasting blood sugar was too high - 128. So Jan 11 we draw it again along with the A1C and then a follow up appt Jan 13. Oh, and she told me I should be more "diligent" about loosing some weight - I'd feel better! After the appointment, I headed off to Hammerheads for some alligator bites! Tinga and I love alligator bites. I’ll work on getting ‘diligent’ tomorrow!

Li'l Bit fell down the steps when we went out and I heard her head crack on the concrete. She's been kinda listless that evening, but did get up and move around. Spent time in the recliner and her bed most of the time. Watched her closely during the night.

Wednesday the 29th Raining! Started the night before - 61 degrees and humid in the AM. Li'lBit was back to being her own self again. I think I woke up a dozen times to check her. We will probably both need a nap this afternoon, 'cuz every time I checked her, if she was in a deep sleep, I woke her up.

Finally got my nails done – been since before Thanksgiving when Chevi did them – boy, did they need some work! Because of the dark red glittery stuff I had on (it wasn't polish, it was in the acrylic), she had to put on a really dark red -- almost a vampire blood red! In two weeks most of the glittery stuff should be gone.

Picked up some Cajun sausage for Jambalaya for New Years Day. Need my black eyed peas. Gotta keep that TX tradition going!

December was drawing to a close. Spent the 30th taking down the Christmas tree, packing it away – even left the decorations on it when I stuffed it the box! So, that job is done – all shades of Christmas have been packed away in the under compartment. Well, all shades of Christmas except some gifts from my sister. She is doing the 12 days of Christmas so I have a gift for the 12 days starting with Christmas, Day One. She is so clever! And I get to enjoy it!

Kathy and Donna both pulled in today – quite a bit of wind so I’m sure it was a tiring drive for both.

Cookies and breads baked for the New Years Eve get-together and New Years morning breakfast. Even made a pan of gingerbread (for me!) while I had the oven going. So I just kicked back watched December go by the wayside.

December 31 – New Years Eve – Happy Hogmanay! A trip to the laundry – at least I’ll start 2011 with clean clothes! Had a nice visit with Kathy and with Donna. Bonnie and Cleo brought me some scalloped ham and potatoes. They had much left from the potluck last nite. It was really good. Even Tinga let out with a "mmmm...good"

Used the last of my oysters for oyster stew – it’s not a New Year’s tradition – until now! Started the crock pot with the Jambalaya – now to kick back and watch 2010 wind down and hope that 2011 will be a year of promise!

Haste ye back, we loue you dearly,
Call again you're welcome here.
May your days be free from sorrow,
And your friends be ever near.
May the paths o'er which you wander,
Be to you a joy each day.
Haste ye back we loue you dearly,
Haste ye back on friendship's way.

HAPPY NEW YEAR - HAPPY HOGMANAY