Friday, December 11

This is a special day...my daughter's birthday. Happy Birthday, Daughter!

Got up early this cold morning to go to water aerobics. Only eight of us showed up on this last day before winter break. The water in the pool was very pleasant, but we decided to cut the session short, since we wanted more time to get ready to go to the "Water Babes" luncheon at 11 a.m.

Mother went with me to the luncheon, held at a local Italian restaurant. More ladies showed up for the luncheon than were at aerobics. My gift basket was the first thing chosen in the Dirty Santa game, and then it was stolen by the second person up. After that the gift was frozen and no one else could get it, though all of them wanted it. The gift I got was a bottle of hand soap and a bottle of body lotion in a stainless steel carrier, which is very pretty.

Mother and I both had lasagna for our meal, along with a side of mixed fruit. By the time we'd eaten garlic bread with marinara sauce before lunch was served, though, we were only able to eat half of our lasagna, and none of the fruit. So we brought our leftovers home.

As we left, each of us chose Christmas ornaments from a box full that our aerobics leader provided. For Mother and me, I chose silver and blue sparkly stars that are suitable for the white Christmas tree.

We were back home about 12:30 p.m. At 3 p.m., we went to a reception at an investment office downtown, where a table was laden with foods like thin slices of hot beef, along with rolls and spiced mustard for sandwiches, cubed cheese, dips, and various cookies, brownies, and chocolate pretzels.

For the secretary at the office, I put together a gift pack in small gold-colored metal bucket that I'd gotten at a yard sale. I included a can of chocolate straws, a few homemade fruited chocolate cookies, and packets of apple cider mix and hot chocolate mix. I put the bucket in a cellophane bag decorated with gold stars, and tied it with silver ribbon.

Back home, Mother went to her house, and Hubbie and I changed clothes to go to a hunting lodge for the home medical services Christmas party at 6:30 p.m. Before we left, a staff member called to ask Hubbie to offer the prayer before the meal, and he agreed.

Instead of a full meal, as we have been served in the past, tonight's fare was heavy hors 'd orderves, consisting of barbecued buffalo wings, roast pork and rolls for sandwiches, country style fried potatoes, little deli meat sandwiches, raw veggies and dip, hot artichoke dip and crackers, along with brownies and chocolate dipped strawberries.

After we'd eaten, staff members made presentations, including presenting me with a gift basket containing jars of muscadine and peach jellies, peanut brittle, slabs of chocolate with peanuts, a package of roasted pecans, and small white chocolate fancy candies.

We left the party shortly after that, and got back home about 8 p.m. While we were at the party, I took snapshots of staff members enjoying themselves. If there are any decent shots when I upload them, I'll send them to the regional paper for possible publication.

Later, we watched a movie called, "Ace of Hearts," a PG movie about a K-9 dog who is accused of attacking a man without provocation, and is sentenced to be euthanized. The dog escapes and is eventually cleared of the charge. Good family movie.

Sad: the lady who runs the hunting lodge and cooks for all the parties, told us tonight that she lost her nephew a couple of days ago. He was killed in an automobile accident. He had just returned from a tour in Iraq, and he was only 23 years old. The funeral is tomorrow. Our hearts go out to this lady, who, despite her grief, worked all day today to put together the wonderful dishes for tonight's party.