Monday, Nov. 28

Up around 7 a.m., but since I'm still coughing my head off and continue to have laryngitis, I didn't go to the pool or exercise otherwise.

After breakfast and getting ready for the day, I asked Mother if she wanted to go to her house. But she didn't want to (it has been bitterly cold today). Instead, she preferred to stay here and decorate a graham cracker cookie Christmas house, to be used as a display example when we do the workshops on Saturday.

I spent the morning putting away fall decorations and doing other things related to getting things back in order after Thanksgiving, and getting ready to decorate for Christmas.

After lunch, we waited for the physical therapist to arrive, which was around 1:30. He decided that it was just too cold out for Mother to attempt walking to her house, so he helped her exercise indoors. Although we didn't see any of the predicted snow flurries today, the therapist ran into them on his rounds to nearby towns, and he said the snow/rain was accompanied by a cutting wind.

We learned today that the 38-year-old therapist, who has two young children and a baby on the way, is privileged to get free tickets to the games of our favorite college football team, thanks to a mother who is married to a member of one of the wealthiest families in our capital city. In fact, he and his wife had seats on the 50-yard line of the game played this past Friday. His love of the state team gave us a common ground for conversation, so we really enjoyed the visit today.

After the therapist left, I snapped photos of the Christmas ornaments Sis painted, and a Christmas totem that Daughter painted, then uploaded the snapshots, plus a shot of Mother doing the cookie Christmas house, a picture of Mother and the therapist, and pictures I'd taken of family last Saturday, to my social network page.

Around 3 p.m., I put together a casserole, using Thanksgiving leftovers, layering mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, a can of mixed vegetables, sliced cheese, and topped with crushed crackers. It was good served with leftover sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce, plus hot rolls. Had hoped to finish off Thanksgiving this time, but about half the casserole is left, so I guess we'll have it one more time.

Not tomorrow though. After supper, Mother washed a bag of pinto beans for beans and ham tomorrow. They'll be a welcome change from the rich Thanksgiving fare.

Later, we watched the ABC movie, "Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith," that I'd recorded on DVR. Mother went to bed shortly afterward, around 9 p.m. This is the longest she's stayed up in the evening for a long time.