Friday, Nov. 30

November gone...staight ahead to Christmas.

Up late, 8 a.m., and did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Sis accompanied Mother to our house, and while I was getting ready for the day, they diced onions, carrots, celery, banana peppers, and ham, for 11-bean soup.

Back downstairs, I set two pots of beans simmering with the veggies, ham, and various spices, as well as Rotel.

It was close to lunctime by then, so I heated potato soup. Sis and Mother ate as soon as the soup was heated, but I waited a few minutes for Hubbie to return from running errands.

His main errand was to stop by our Internet service provider office to find out why we are not able to access our e-mail. He was told there is some sort of glitch that they are working to resolve. By late evening, it still wasn't resolved.

While we had lunch, and afterward, we watched the movie musical, "Scrooge," with Albert Finney. Before the movie was over, though, I could see that Mother was drooping, so I encouraged her to go to the couch for a nap.

But I don't think she was able to sleep, thanks to my making so much noise with the blender, as I made a big batch of chai tea. The tea is a late birthday gift for Daughter-in-Law. Her birthday was in October. I didn't get to see her then, but she and Son are coming for visit Sunday, so that's when I'll give her the tea. She dearly loves chai tea, so she'll enjoy the quart I made for her.

It wasn't long before Mother was up and about again. Since she was awake, we watched the Rockefeller Center Christmas and tree lighting TV show that I had recorded on DVR.

Later, Sis and Mother had a supper of leftovers from Wednesday night...dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce. After that, Sis accompanied Mother to her house, where she visited for a little while, before she left for home.

Around 6:15, Hubbie and I went downtown to attend the home medical services Christmas party at a popular restaurant. There were a lot fewer folks at the party tonight, thanks to so many being absent to attend our local high school football team play in the finals at the capital city. Others who were absent have fallen victim to a misrable virus that is going around, that includes strep throat, fever, and a horrible cough.

The meal tonight was a choice of chicken cordon bleu, with mashed potatoes, and green beans, or pork loin, with rice, and green beans. I opted for the chicken, while Hubbie went for the pork chops. Dessert was a choice of cheesecake topped with glazed strawberries, or chocolate cake.

Following the meal, there was a drawing for cash prizes for employees of the medical services, and each member of the advisory board received a gift card to a popular steak restaurant.

Of course, a big part of the fun of the party was getting to visit with other folks... learning from one (the volunteer coordinator) that she and her husband have bought a home in a nearby lake town, even as they are trying to sell their current home; and learning from another (the wife of the medical services owner) that she also has an elderly mother (86 years old), who she worries about, because the mother eats very little, and drinks even less (sounds like Mother).

Met the wife of one of the other advisory committee members, and learned that her name is the same as mine, so of course, we hit it off right away.

Back home, Hubbie and I watched our favorite college basketball team play to an unfortunate loss.

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Note: Daughter called today. She sounds absolutely terrible...she's one of victims of the fast-spreading virus. So she will be unable to visit tomorrow for the graham cracker cookie Christmas house workshop, as she planned. Granddaughter, and two great-grandchildren, are also sick and can't come.

But I called another granddaughter, and she said she and three great-grandchildren can be here.