Friday, Jan. 25

Today is Great-Grandson's birthday. Happy Birthday, Great-Grandson.

Decided against going to water aerobics this morning, since the leader is sick and couldn't be there, and at least one other member would not be present. I figured there would be few if any of the remaining four or five of us there, since the weather was iffy.

So I slept late, until 8 a.m., and then did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and she proceeded to her jigsaw puzzle, while I got ready for the day.

We didn't have anything important planned for today, so Hubbie and I just did this and that for the morning.

As we were having lunch, the mailman delivered our mail and a package to the door. The package was addressed to me, though I didn't remember ordering anything. After Hubbie opened it, I was surprised and pleased to see that there was a 350-piece jigsaw puzzle enclosed.

This was in response to my letter to the company complaining that the puzzle I had purchased as a Christmas gift for Mother was missing a border piece. I asked that either a replacement piece, or another puzzle of the same design, or another design, be provided.

The puzzle we received is of another design, but that's fine. Mother will enjoy working it. And she still has the other puzzle that is usable, if we circle the place where the piece is missing on the picture on the box, so she won't frustrate herself trying to find it next time.

Now Mother has a puzzle featuring colorful watering cans (the one I gave her for Christmas), and another that features cupcakes with colorful icing. She's saving the new one until next week, when Sis will be here to help her work it.

Also in the mail was a letter for Mother from Daughter-in-Law. She really enjoys receiving these newsy letters, since she isn't computer literate and has to rely on me to pass along any family information I learn from my social network page. The puzzle and the letter provided a bright spot to her day.

After lunch, Mother went back to her puzzle, and Hubbie did this and that, like hauling the boxed Christmas tree from the living room out to the garage, where it will remain until family visit and one of the guys can help him hoist it over the rafters. He also cleaned the chaotic kitchen junk drawer.

I spent a couple of hours organizing a 2013 calendar. This is a calendar that Hubbie got from the Extension Services office this week that has nice big spaces for recording birthdays, as well as ongoing meetings, and any appointments as they arise. It's the central calendar for keeping track of activities for all three of us.

Once I finished the 2013 calendar, I went back through the 2012 calendar and recorded the top ten events. I've been doing this for about the past fifteen years. I keep all of the lists in the back of the calendar. They are very interesting to review from time-to-time. Lots of ups and downs, tragedies and triumphs, over the years.

Later, I heated dishes of the leftovers we brought home from the Japanese restaurant last night, along with a dish of whole kernel corn, and slices of French bread, for our supper.

Mother really enjoyed the meal, and after I told her about our experience at the restaurant, she expressed interest in going there sometime, maybe for her birthday in March.

After supper, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched TV, including a 1987 movie we borrowed from the library..."Moonstruck," starring cher, and Nicholas Cage. A woman agrees to marry the friend of her late husband, but then when she meets his estranged brother (cage), she falls for him.