MERRY CHRISTMAS


Hello From Rockville

I don't know what happened but I have not been able to get into my blog I hope I can publish it.

Sue came home for Christmas we enjoyed a week with her. She took me to St. Paul to spend time with Doris and Bob we went out to a wonderful Chinese restaurant and had a great dinner.  It was so good to spend time with them.

I had Christmas with my family Christmas Eve day.  Rick & DeeAnn and Becky, Walt, Luke and Kate joined Denese, Sue and  me for a 1:00 O'clock dinner on the 24th.  We had so much to eat - ham, twice baked potatoes, corn casserole, green bean casserole, rolls, pumpkin pie, apple crisp, ice cream, cookies, milk, hot apple cider, coffee and I'm sure I forgot something, we played that "famous" game Take A Gift Away.     

Christmas Day (Sunday) we went to church and was treated to a light breakfast, rolls, juice, milk and coffee.  We had the Christmas story acted out with a real baby - he slept through the narration and play this was followed by a candle light service.  

Sue and I were invited to Rick and DeeAnn's for a 4:00 O'clock dinner on Christmas Day which I missed - I slept through it - explanation.  I have been having a runny nose (allergies) and commented to Sue about it and she suggested an allergy pill she carries with her would help, I took it and we headed down to Ricks.  We did some snacking and chatting and I sat down to visit and at that point I was so tired I went to the basement and snuggled into a recliner and ZONKED out, missing out a wonderful dinner - no more allergy pills for me I'll put up with the sniffles!!!  

Yesterday I meet Earlene and Dorene for lunch in St. Cloud also enjoyed the company of Dixie, Heidi and Joni, we chatted and chatted and ate and passed around lots of hugs.  I went home with a gift of Christmas cookies from Earlene and a box of candy and a calendar from Hawaii, a gift from Dixie, it is always fun to spend time with family.  I hope we do this again sometime.

This was not like my Christmas's have been for the last several years as they were spent with Harlan at the VA and I miss him, it has been 6 months (December 14th) but this was a good Christmas as I had my family with me, I am truly blessed.....Fran

No Snow but much rain

Hello From Rockville

The last I wrote was when Sue went back to Georgia, a fast but a fun time with her.  That evening I went with Marylou to a woman's program at her daughter's church, a good program with cookies, punch and coffee.  

Last Friday was our Christmas party at church a fun dress-up time.  Marylou went with we had great food and a lot of fun games got home about 1o:00.

On Monday I met Marvin and Lynnett for breakfast before they headed back home.  We had a great visit and they shared some pictures with me some to share with family.  Even if I had just spent time with them it was fun seeing them again.
Tuesday was our second annual "Trek Through The Neighborhood," we went to as many apartments as we were invited to here in our building to see the Christmas decorating done by our neighbors and ended the time with cookies and coffee in the community room.
Today my place was cleaned, I did my laundry and three of us "girls" went shopping to Cold Spring needed stuff for our pot-luck.
Tomorrow will be our annual Christmas Pot-luck, ham is furnished and we'll "pot-luck" the rest.
It's hard to believe but Sue will be back for Christmas next Wednesday, oh the year is just flying by.
If I don't write again before Christmas have a Very Merry Christmas........Fran

Sue's visit

Hello From Rockville

It is cold had temps right around zero but it is going to warm up to around 32, oh well we know spring is several months away and it will be warm again.

My toe is still sore but getting better which is good.

Sunday was Denese's birthday, we had a family gathering and a wonderful meal planned by DeeAnn with everyone contributing, topped of with birthday cake and Culver's ice cream cakes.  Sue flew in from Georgia to help celebrate it is so good to be together.  She left today but will return for Christmas.  Again we did a relay thing to get her to the airport her and I drove down to the Albertville outlet mall, met DeeAnn and Becky for lunch and Becky took her the rest of the way to the airport and I headed home.
To regress a bit Sue and I spent all day yesterday shopping, stopped for lunch at Five Guys, they have great jumbo hot dogs, then all over for shopping, hitting many different shops and met Denese for dinner at Perkins, I think we "Shopped Until we Dropped" literally, nice to relax after being gone for about 8 hours.
Tomorrow it's a hair trim for me and tomorrow evening we'll have Carolers sing in the hallway and treats in our community room.
Denese had worked very hard to decorate in here and out side, it beautiful.
If I don't write again I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and please remember it's NOT Happy Holidays it's MERRY CHRISTMAS.........Fran

When the cell phone meets the toe

Hello From Rockville

Thanksgiving has come and gone and we are now in the Christmas mode, life goes by so quickly.

I have so much to be thankful for - my family, my home, my country, my health - SO MANY BLESSINGS!!!

Wednesday Denese and I went down to Becky's we stayed over night and had a great Thanksgiving dinner - turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, rainbow jello, green bean casserole, rolls, pumpkin pie, apple crisp and I'm sure I missed something.  Rick & DeeAnn, Denese and Becky, Walt, Katie, Kristin and Luke made up a table full, it's great to be together as a family to meet around the table to chat and chew.

Early Thursday morning I used my cell phone as a flash light and dropped it on my toe, the results a very sore toe but I didn't have to help just enjoyed the food, you have to look for the positive in even "bad things" and I was pampered.

We spent another night at Beck'y left there in the morning headed for St. Louis Park, Denese dropped me off to spend several hours with Mark and Betty, I had lunch with them and a great afternoon.  Denese picked me up after her visit with Paul and Megan and we headed back to Rockville and a restful evening.

Saturday Denese started my Christmas decorating and finished up yesterday, it is so beautiful.

Rick and DeeAnn came up on Saturday and brought lunch - subs - they were good and we finished the day off with pizza.  Rick replaced my car battery, I am thankful for that as I don't want to be anywhere this winter with a car that won't start.

Tomorrow I go help with reading at our school and Wednesday we decorate here and I am making lunch for the helpers.  My cleaning lady comes in the morning.  Thursday we celebrate December birthdays and Bill is our host. 

Sunday is Denese's birthday and we'll have a family gathering to help her celebrate.

I'll write again when I have something "important" to say......Fran

  

It's official Winter is here

Hello From Rockville

We had our first snow of the season and the snow on my patio table  measured just short of 5", I shoveled my patio and it was light and fluffy not a back breaker job.  The temps are to be in the 40s later this week so I hope it all goes don't need this on the ground all winter.

Because of the snow I stayed in all day just to the P.O. for the mail then to the garbage, so nothing exciting to talk about.......Fran

A cool windy day

Hello From Rockville

Yesterday was my day at school to help with reading, always a good day followed with some needed shopping.  Just as I was ready to leave church the fire alarm went off I grabbed my coat and left.  Then I was off to the dollar store to try and find things to decorate for our dinner on Thursday, an early Thanksgiving dinner, there was not a thing just Christmas stuff (too early for such stuff) so I went to Party City and picked up napkins, dessert plates and place mats in fall colors, the tables should look nice.  After a trip to the bank I went to my favorite place for lunch, Park Diner and had a hamburger.  My hamburger greeted me with a happy face made from olives and pickles thanks to the cook.  I had a happy face on my morning coffee from McD too, smiles all around I love it.

Today Sue (cleaning) shaped my place up and I had my hair cut this morning then I'm off to the VA to meet with the support group.

Tomorrow will be busy, a luncheon at noon then home to roast the turkey for our dinner tomorrow evening.  Will talk later......Fran

Several weeks of update

Hello From Rockville
It has been so long since blogging I hardly know how to do it.

Several weeks ago Denese and Becky did a relay driving thing and took me down to spend a week in Owatonna with Lucille.  This trip was very short lived as Lucille was sick, she thought she had a cold but ended up with pneumonia then another relay run to bring me home, this time DeeAnn picked me up and Denese went to St. Michael and picked me up, there was concern for my health and the pneumonia was contagious so it was a good thing I came home.  I hope to try spending time with her again when she has her health back.

Last Monday I again was able to spend a day with Joyce and Jim thanks to Cheryl and Shirley we had a fun day and enjoyed our time together.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and our pot-luck social is Thursday, two of us will make the turkeys and everyone one else will fill in with the rest of the dinner, this is fun and we all eat well.

Tomorrow it will be 5 months since Harlan has been gone and I do miss him and my trips to the VA, I miss getting him ready for church and out for a Sunday dinner.   Life does go on and life is good but I will always miss him......Fran