Saturday, Dec. 4

Today is Great-Granddaughter's birthday. Happy Birthday, Great-Granddaughter!

Up at 7 a.m., but skipped my exercises so I could get ready to go to the art gallery downtown to conduct a graham cracker cookie Christmas house workshop. Daughter, Granddaughter, and Great-Grandkids arrived in time to follow us downtown to the gallery.

Eleven kids created houses at the morning session, and seven showed up for the afternoon workshop. As much icing and candy went into the kids as went onto the houses, I think. But there were some pretty creative results, and the kids obviously enjoyed themselves. Great-Granddaughter's creation turned out to be the best of either session.

Once two-year-old Great-Grandson had completed his "very creative" house, Daughter brought him home, because he was getting bored, and we were afraid that in his romping around the gallery, he'd knock a breakable artwork to the floor.

After the morning session, we realized we needed more supplies for the afternoon session, so we made a quick trip to a grocery store and to the WDCS.

Back home, Mother had heated the potato soup, salmon chowder, and 11-bean soup, along with the barbecue, for lunch. We didn't tarry over our lunch, since we needed to be back at the gallery by 12:45. Great-Granddaughter opted to stay home with her brother and grandmother this afternoon, but Granddaughter went back to the gallery with us to help out. I was grateful for the extra hands, since Mother wasn't up to it this year.

At home afterward, we visited for the rest of the afternoon. Granddaughter is interested in doing some crafting sessions with her children, neighbor kids, and others during Christmas break from school, so I gave her several handmade ornaments simple enough for young children to make, as well as some burned-out light bulbs for Daughter and Granddaughter to make Santa and Mrs. Claus ornaments with.

They also took some milk cartons and candies, etc., leftover from the Christmas house workshop, so they can make more houses at home during Christmas break.

Around 4 p.m., Daughter and family left for home. For supper, we heated more of the potato soup, which we had with toasted hamburger buns. Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 2010, R-rated movie, "The Informant!" starring Matt Damon, and Scott Bakula. Based on a true story, Matt Damon plays whistleblower, Mark Whitacre, at the agri-industry giant, Archer Daniels Midland, who erroneously fancies that he'll get a big promotion for championing the common man. The movie becomes comic as it follows Whitacre's bipolar dysfunctionalality that befuddles his company, the FBI, and his wife.