Days 21 to 24

 Well, the big day is almost upon us so I wish my blogging friends the best Christmas ever and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

XXXXX

Click the link below to se my Christmas card to you all

Merry Christmas everyone

Days 19 and 20

 I know it is cheating to do days at a time, but it's this or nothing, as my days are very busy.

I am still not fully feeling the Christmas vibe, but I am trying, I really am!

Yesterday I had to go for a follow-up appointment to my dermatologist.  All is good right now.  No precancerous patches and no excema. Great news. 

I also had a urine test and no signs of the UTI, so more great news.

Most of the presents are wrapped, just have a couple more to do.  Trying to get all the jobs done so I can enjoy Christmas and the days after.  Having the aide come in is really helping.  

Christmas baking will get done over the next couple of days.  Fingers crossed I don't need to shop again until after Christmas as I picked up a grocery order yesterday while I was out for the hospital appointments.

Hopefully back tomorrow with some baking photos.

Hope you are all getting sorted and are feeling the vibe.

Off to watch my favourite Christmas music video, that does help

Drifters I'm dreaming of a white Christmas cartoon video newer version

And here is the original version:-

Drifters I'm dreaming of a white Christmas original cartoon version

Grateful thanks to the creators of these videos.

Today's photo.

Blogmas Days 16, 17 and 18

The young lady aide is a godsend.  She helps out with anything we ask.  Today she did a bit of housework and then we sat down and wrapped Christmas presents. She helps my husband shower too.

She did a great job on the Christmas wrapping.  For me it is enjoyable to have some female company for a change.

My husband is in the middle of writing another book, so is pretty much up in his office most of the day.

The procedure on Monday worked and for now his heart is back in normal rhythm. I am so glad for him.

Yesterday I made a big crockpot full of ham and bean soup with corn muffins.  Plenty left for today and there will be some to freeze too.

This guy went off to England with Santa in his sack.  Hope it makes it in time for Christmas.

Blogmas Days 13, 14 and 15

 It has been an interesting few days.  My husband was recently assessed by the VA for some home care which was approved, and the first visit from them was Friday, day 13.  A very pleasant young lady who will help him with showering etc. and will do some light housework.

Day 14 was the usual Saturday type day of watching some sports on TV and meal prep. Nothing Christmassy happened. I took Maggie to the boarding kennels as they do not do intakes on Sundays.

Day 15, today, we are packing up to go to the VA hospital.  We will go today, stay overnight and he gets the procedure done tomorrow morning, which hopefully will work and put him back in regular rhythm.  

The young lady will come next Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

It is doubtful that I will be posting tomorrow as we will be in the hospital part of the day and on the road for the rest of it.

Today's picture is Christmas tree photo ornaments of the grandkids through the years. There are another 2 on the other 2 corners but you can't see them in the photo.

Blogmas Day 12

 We were contacted by my husband's cardiologist yesterday as he has a loop recorder implanted in his chest which records his heart rhythms and transmits any bad episodes to them.  We have to go on Monday for them to shock his heart again to try and get it back in rhythm.  Last time they tried that they did it three times and it didn't work.  Then he had the ablation surgery and that lasted 2 weeks before the afib came back.  They say there is more chance of success this time because of the recent ablation.  We will keep our fingers crossed. We have to be there at 7.30am on Monday so we will go the night before and stay in the Fisher House.

On the Christmas front, not much done today.  Yesterday I ordered gift vouchers in little gift tins to be sent to all my family in England.  Today I am scouring Amazon for ideas for the family here in the US.

We received a very nice fruit cake in the mail yesterday from one of the family, so that was appreciated.

No need for lights on when the sun is shining on the Christmas tree, it glistens in the sunlight.

Days 10 and 11 combined and ho ho ho Santa is on his way!

Day 10

Tuesday was a better day, I completed the online form and took it and the parcel to a different Post Office.  The clerk was a heavily pregnant young lady who really should have been home resting but she was a treasure.  I gave her the parcel and the form, and yes, you guessed it, she said you have to fill out this customs form here and handed me the form I had requested at the other Post Office yesterday.

I told her about my visit to the other PO and it seems that person just didn't want to process the parcel.

Day 11

Today, I have to do some online shopping for gifts.  Thank goodness for the likes of Amazon and Walmart who deliver to the recipients.  In the good old days I used to buy, wrap and deliver or mail the gifts myself.  That is not cost effective anymore.

Bit of a late morning today, we slept in.  It's going to be quite cold today so I am glad I don't have to go anywhere.

We are up to date with our chocolate advent calendars and I just opened the Jacquie Lawson ones for today.  I have three of them on the go, 2022, 2023 and 2024.   I had no idea you could reset them from previous years until I read it on another blog.

Day 9 was a disappointment

I took the parcel with Santa in to the Post Office today to send to England. The post-person asked if I had attached the customs form. I said “No, can you give me one please and I will do it.”  To which she replied “You have to do it online, and print it and attach it then bring it back.”

I was gobsmacked, I have been mailing things to the UK for years and always got the form at the post office. Not to mention the 70 mile round trip to go to the Post Office. What would happen if I didn’t have a computer and printer?

It wasn’t a total wasted journey though as I picked up some groceries and my medication.

I also got some more lights for our Christmas tree.

I will be back tomorrow….

 

Day 8

I made it back for day 8, and I have written my Christmas cards and packaged up the new Santa to send him off tomorrow. I did not send any cards to my Canadian friends and family, though, as they are in the midst of a postal strike. Even if it gets resolved, they will be so far behind that there is no chance they will get there in time. They have been on strike for several weeks, apparently.

Elfie showed up on our Santa's lap, I guess he has a wish list too. The smaller Santa is one my mother in law made many years ago.  He comes out every year too.

We are up to date on our Choceur advent calendars; the chocolate is very nice.

Going to make a big pot of chile next, which will be most welcome in this cold weather.  We will eat it for a couple of days, then freeze the rest in single servings for other times.

We are enjoying the cheery lights, Christmas tree and decorations.

Be back tomorrow.....

Day 7 of Blogmas

I made it to day 7! Go me!

Every year I buy something Christmassy in the Boxing Day sales for the following year.  A decoration of some sort, and usually cards if I haven't made any.  And this year I have not made cards.  Things have been too hectic with our health issues and slowing down due to age.

My 90% off purchase last year was this Merry Christmas bunting.

Not sure if bunting is the correct word as the letters are actually metal.

Be back tomorrow.....

Day 6 and I am here to post!

 I am pretty amazed I am still posting and only missed one day.

And,🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁, tada, I finished Santa last night.

He will fly to the UK in the next day or so, hopefully arriving in time for Christmas. My two great grandsons will love him, I am sure.

We got the lights up completely yesterday around the room.  Now we have our cheery lights back.

I put up the tree, it does not look as good as I remember from last year.  I still need to work on it.

Will be back tomorrow......

Day 5 and here I am again!

Yesterday we got the outside lights and ornaments up.  It was a bit warmer.  Today it is bitterly cold.

I have another tote of Christmas decorations etc. to bring down and sort through, I am looking for a new set of lights I bought last year.  The sticky hooks are great except on two of the walls which are log-sided, and the hooks do not stick to them very well. They were stained and I guess the adhesive on the hooks just doesn't stick to it. We compromised and strung the lights around the curtain rods and paintings.  I was a little disappointed but it's OK.

Today I hope to finish the inside and bring down the tree.  

Then maybe I can start on cards......

Day 4 and yay I am posting!

Well, day 4 is here.  The antibiotics are kicking in and I am feeling a bit better.  Yesterday, between us, we managed to get the sticky hooks up on the walls.  Today I will hang the lights.  I hope I have enough as I broke one set when I took them all down earlier this year when we had the house up for sale.  I may have an extra new set stashed somewhere.

This guy will make an appearance today:

It has warmed up a little and I will put up the outside decorations and lights.

The Santa I am knitting for my great grandsons is near completion.  All the knitting is done and I have started sewing it all together.

Christmas cards are running late.  That is unusual for me.  I may not be sending any to Canada this year as they are in the midst of a postal strike and they are unusually slow at the best of times, even when they are working!

I can pop some of the English ones in the parcel when Santa is finished, and it shouldn't take long to do the rest.

So Christmas is now underway here, albeit a bit behind.....

Not a good start

 Well, it is day 3 so not a good start eh, missing day 2.

I have recently been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. It seems I have had it quite a while. A recent test indicates a UTI so I am on antibiotics. I haven’t been at my best but hoping the meds kick in soon.

So yesterday I had to go into town to pick them up and I also found some stocking stuffers, so some Christmas things done. Today I will try and get some decorations out.

I am even 2 days behind opening my Jacquie  advent calendar.

Not really having a good start to the season.

Upwards and onwards!

Can I do Blogmas???

 Can I do a post every day?  Not likely, but I will try.

Christmas is my favourite time of the year. For a few years, I was a tad disillusioned because my husband didn't enjoy It, but over the years, my enthusiasm has rubbed off on him, and now he quite enjoys it.

Today, for the first time in our twenty years of marriage, we started on chocolate advent calendars.  I opened the Day 1 windows, and we each ate our chocolate treat.

He has not been very well for some time.  Nearly three weeks ago he had another heart procedure to try and stop the Afib.  The first one worked for about three years before it came back.  He was on the table for 4 hours this time while they scarred his upper chambers to try and prevent it.  It worked for just over two weeks!  He has been back in Afib for a week now.  Last night he had a really bad session but it calmed down eventually.  It doesn't go away but it gets to a tolerable stage. This surgery really took it out of him, it would have been worth it had it worked. 

When we put the house on the market last year, we took down our Christmas lights, which we had strung all around the living room. They were hard for us to put up, so we left them up year-round, and on dull, dreary days, we would put on the 'cheery lights'. This year, I have bought some sticky hooks to put around the top of the walls, and we will be able to put them up and take them down much easier now.

Well, that is it for Day 1.

More tomorrow, hopefully....