Thursday, Dec. 26

We were up around 7:30, and I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and she chopped up deviled eggs from Christmas dinner to make egg salad for today's lunch.

Once I was ready for the day, I helped Mother work on a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle that Daughter gave her for Christmas. Daughter slept until nearly noon, and then she joined us in working the puzzle. It soon became apparent that the puzzle was too difficult for Mother, so we broke it down and began another one. Daughter decided to take the puzzle to Granddaughter. There appears to be no jigsaw puzzle too difficult for her.

The second puzzle, a 500-piece Christmas-themed one, was challenging, too, but not as difficult as the other one. We spent the day on it, breaking only for lunch. While we did this, Hubbie spent his day reading a new John Grisham novel on his e-reader. It must be a good one, because he had trouble putting it down.

I was hoping that Daughter and I could make wine jelly this afternoon, but the canning jars were in the dishwasher, which Hubbie started running right after lunch. It would be an hour or so before it stopped, so I abandoned the idea until after supper.

Supper was leftover roast beef and trimmings. Daughter really enjoyed the meal. Afterward, once the kitchen was cleaned, I gathered ingredients and supplies, and we made the jelly. I measured the ingredients, and then Daughter finished the process. I helped put lids and rings on the jars she filled, and then I put them in the water bath. All the jars sealed except one, which I gave to Daughter to take home to Granddaughter.

This was Daughter's first time to make jelly, and she had a really good time doing it. I gave her the recipe, along with specific instructions about the supplies and ingredients she would need. Granddaughter has canned pickles and such, so she won't have a problem making jelly. Daughter is looking forward to doing this with her.

When the jelly was done, we returned to the puzzle. Mother worked on it while we were in the kitchen. She usually likes to participate in jelly making, but not when I make wine jelly. She doesn't like the smell of it.

Later, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then he, Daughter, and I, finished the evening watching TV.