A New Year Advances

Wow, 2007 is almost here! This is both an ending as well as a beginning for everyone, not just myself. In looking back on 2006 I can see a good deal of change in my life, both good and bad. This year there wasn't too much overly bad or good, so it was balanced. The writing has taken off in word flow and people are wanting to see my novels for consideration which is a big jump from 2005.

Goals for 2007
Let my darling Hubby know just how much he is loved by me!

Getting Novel #1 out to the publisher on time.

Getting Novel #2 out to the publisher on its time.

Eat healthier.

Move more.

Just be happy.

Write that fantasy novel I keep promising myself to write.

Knit like the wind and enjoy it. It reallys isn't as hard as I thought it was in my head.

Go to the local knitting club meetings. (Yes, I am seriously considering this.)

Work more on the house.

Cook more.

Enjoy my life with my dear Hubby even more.

Enjoy my life with my friends even more.

This year I am not going to number anything. I am just going to list things I believe I can accomplish and will accomplish.

The Greatest Christmas Poem, a Wonderful Thing to Do for Others, and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! All in One!

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads. And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.

When out on the roof there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash,tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the lustre of midday to objects below, when, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came, and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:

"Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky so up to the house-top the coursers they flew, with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof the prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head and was turning around, down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot. A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow. The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath. He had a broad face and a little round belly, that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk. And laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

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If you would really like to get involved with a wonderful project for the troops, check out The Ships Project. This is a wonderful project where knitted and crocheted caps and slippers are sent to the soldiers overseas, and the sailors. I am going to knit at least one cap for this project, but plan on doing more. There are also projects to do during the hot summer months as well. They are called "cool ties" and helps the soldiers stay cool, or cooler than otherwise they would be. Again, these are made and sent out to the troops. Check out the web site.

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Well, my dear friends, Christmas has almost arrived. So, for me, this is the last post until after Christmas Day unless something absolutely wonderful pops up you all simply MUST know about! So, Merry Christmas! And just in case I don't see some of you until after the first of the new year, "Happy New Year to you and yours!" Be blessed, my friends.

Can't You Just See This?!

I admit, it is Garfield, but can't you just see some kid's face during the very same moment? Oh, how this makes me laugh!

Christmas, All of a Sudden

Today began a little rough. I ate some things last night I should not have eaten, so my gall bladder was not happy with me. This means for the next few days before Christmas I have to be extremely good and careful to stay away from all of the bad-for-me foods and eat only the good-for-me foods. This isn't going to be a really difficult thing to do - the only thing I have to be extremely careful of is to stay away from nuts for a little while longer.

Later on one of my really good girlfriends came over with her sister and worked wonders on the front room. I am stunned by how pretty it is now! There is room! Good room! They understood exactly what I wanted to do and just went to it. I love them!

Yeah, it is feeling a lot like Christmas all of a sudden.

Scrapbooking and Coupon Books

OK, I have fallen victim to a desire to do something really cute for Hubby for Christmas. It involves paper, cute stickers, and cute, multi-colored (probably gel) pens!

I have been absolutely dying to get into the flow of scrapbooking and documenting our life together, but now a friend has given me a fantastic idea,so I am going to make sure an follow through with it because, well, it will just be nice to see Hubby smile and know I went a little further and did this for him. When it is finished I will scan it in and show you all.

Remembering a Landmark - Carl Sagan

We humans are ones for anniversaries. We have anniversaries for the day of our birthday, happily (usually) called "birthdays"; first kisses, first dates, wedding days, but What do we do with the dates of deaths? Deathdays is a bit on the morbid side. In the Orthodox faith we have a tradition for this. It is simply called a remembrance, or memorial. So today, we have a memorial of Carl Sagan, gone for ten years now.

In Leslie County, Kentucky where I grew up, there was nothing of advancement in science. My Dad was a coal miner and my Mom was a housewife. My sisters, by the time I could fully remember, had pretty much all married and had lives of their own. This left my Mom and Dad to deal with a very sick child. Me.

The community we lived in was small. Close knit. Paranoid of strangers. It still is one of those rural places where you can still end up being an "outsider" even after living there for twenty years. (Trust me, an "outsider" is better than being labeled a "Northerner" there to this very day.) There was a big danger of growing up to believe there was no other place in the world. Yes, we had television, but we didn't have cable. Whatever was floating about on the air was what we received. There was contact to other worlds, other cultures with the television, but I can still remember hearing my grandmother and older people stating, quite solemnly, "I sure wouldn't want to live there" when seeing New York City or some other place. Those were "heathen" places.

I was pretty much growing up to believe much like this, until I asked my Daddy one night while looking up at the stars, "What's out there, Daddy?" I guess I was about four at the time.

"I don't know, buddy," he said, "but I'm sure there is something." We fell silent and just looked at the night sky, and I wanted to know what was out there, what made up the world itself, and questioned if life could exist on other worlds and, if so, would it be like ours? Like mine?

Time passed with me being in and out of hospitals and fighting this illness. I read voraciously and when I couldn't hold the books in my hands I listened to them on cassettes and even some were on LPs! Each and every time something about space came on PBS I watched it if at all possible. Carl Sagan always made the most sense to me, during these years and times of exploration and growing up, getting better, getting sick.

There were some people who were concerned in the community because, according to them, I was in danger of forgetting about God because I was so into science of many forms from astronomy, astrology, anthropology, archeology, and paleontology. Yet, the more I discovered the more my young mind was convinced there had to be something, someone directing all of this because "happy accidents" on such a scale had to be orchestrated and governed by, for me, God. Even though Carl Sagan never said there was no God, he never said there was one either, so I felt safe in my belief. What was more, I could understand what he spoke about and it related to my life and being. It was magnificent! He was magnificent!

Carl Sagan has left us. But he has left behind a body of work that is truly expansive in the questions it answers as well as the questions it encourages. Throughout my life, when it came to science, Carl Sagan was my landmark, one of the bigger guides to helping me explore a world far larger than the little place I came from.

For more information on Carl sagan visit these check out the blog-a-thon for Carl Sagan, Carl Sagan.com, and his son, Nick Sagan a wonderful SF writer.

Christmas and Sudden Domesticity

Today has turned out to be quite on the chilly side, at least for me. It is 41*F according to the little temperature stamp on my homepage. Yesterday I did not have to turn on but one heater, and, since it was close to the computer it kept me perfectly happy and warm. However, today it is chilly and I have had to light the kerosene heater and turn on the little electric heater that is very close to the computer so as to keep warm and keep the arthritic pain at bay.

Despite the chill, I am moving quite well today and even have plans for adventures in cleaning. It isn't strenuous today, just some dusting with the long handled fuzzy thing. My "long handle" is from the bamboo outside. Since it is extremely long, and I am extremely short, it works splendidly.

The coolness is making me really think more and more about Christmas. It is only FIVE DAYS AWAY! For a moment today I almost panicked because one of my darling Hubby's presents has not arrived yet. Nor has the Swiss Colony things I ordered. They promised - Swiss Colony promise - the packages would arrive in time for Christmas. I am holding them to their word, and if the packages don't arrive, well, there will be some very polite words with the company's shipping department. Yes, Swiss Colony has never failed me, but this year is the first year we have not received the packages at the beginning of the week before Christmas, and there was absolutely nothing done differently this year than last year. Sadly, the Swiss Colony order is not the order I am waiting on for my husband. What the Christmas holiday be without stress of some sort?

Nor, do we have any of the packages wrapped. Still, this is the least of the worries. We have always had quite a number of packages to wrap on Christmas Eve, so this year is no different from any other in that respect. Although I would like to go paper shopping and get different paper to add to the collection from last year.

*sigh* Yes, I guess I am feeling very domestic at the moment. Do you want to know something almost disturbing? I am enjoying it!

Christmas Cards

The Christmas cards have reall been picking up. Day-before-yesterday we received two Christmas cards and yesterday we received two Christmas cards.

I love Christmas!

Computer Problems and Christmas Thoughts

It is hard for me to accept there is just a week left until Christmas. There aren't that many decorations up in the house, and no Christmas tree. In fact, I highly suspect there isn't going to be a Christmas tree. Not because we don't want one. Of course. But because this has been a hard month or two for me physically and dear Hubby has had to go to work, then come home and take care of a very sick wife. Now that I am feeling better it is a wonderful possibility I am going to make it to Christmas and passed it virus and illness free (OK, any more new illnesses). This makes my heart and head very happy, because, as I have forgotten recently, that half the battle of getting better is in your head as well as your body.

So, the Christmas decorations are really not present. No presents are wrapped, as of this date, but that will be corrected within the week, and Christmas music has been playing almost constantly all day, almost from the time I get up until the time Hubby comes from work, and then I shut it off almost sadly. At the same time, it is warm, extremely warm, like Spring, not Christmas. I never ever expected to say this out loud, or even think it, but, it would be nice if the temperatures matched the season and it was cooler. It doesn't have to be horribly cold, but I wouldn't mind seeing just a little snow flake or two the day after Christmas, or perhaps even Christmas Day.

I have actually wanted to write about this all of yesterday and share my music, musings, and just general chat with you all about how the Christmas tide is swelling in this heart of mine and making me look forward to Christmas service which celebrates His birth and is the reason for this season, BUT, the computer had other ideas. Actually, the ISP has had other ideas and decided it was not in the mood to permit me to update Blogger or even my little LJ. So, for most of the day I was fluctuating between remorse at not actually sitting down to write because I was having computer issues, anger at trying to do a bit of research on the internet and being dropped like a hot rock every five minutes or so, and feeling all Christmasy in the good periods before another dropped moment. Yes, yesterday was a bit on the testy side.

So far today everything has been moving quite comfortably and surprisingly it is much cooler than it was for the weekend. I wonder how many children and adults are praying for snow and a white Christmas? And, just so you know, no, I haven't been praying for a white Christmas. I have been praying for people and events far beyond my control and needed to give their problems to God. So, I've been doing the hard prayers for the past few days. Now, everything appears to be looking up.

More Christmasy thoughts later.

A Kind Hearted Giant

The story about the tallest man in the world saving two dolphins almost made me cry, especially since the river dolphins in China are now listed as extinct. There are more pictures of him here. His name is Bao Xishun.

INK! I GOT INK!

Yesterday, when darling Hubby checked the mail, I had a package. No, this isn't so astounding since it is Christmas and most of my shopping this year has been done on-line (a trend I plan on keeping up, by the way). But this wasn't a package for someone else - this was a package for me. It was two bottles of ink. One is blackest black and the other is plum purple. How can you go wrong with those sorts of names. Plum purple just makes me smile every time I see it.

Since writing with dip pens and fountain pens are my preferred means of writing, I use a lot of ink it seems. Yes, I know. I have a bottle of green ink, chocolat ink, rose scented ink, blue ink, and now black and purple. (I had black before, but it go bye-bye.) And, no, I can't use all of that ink up at once, and it takes a while to use ink up as it is. However, does one ever really have too much ink?

My answer, of course, is "No, you can't." And, my inclination is that when a bottle of ink gets down to about half, well, it's time to get another bottle. Black is always something I will probably be ordering. It would be really nice to have an ink shop or fine writing instruments store here in Lexington, Kentucky. I don't mind ordering my ink from Columbus, Ohio at the moment. It gives me such a wonderfully warm feeling when I open the box and have wonderful new ink bottles to open!

Rabbits! ... and birds!

This adorable little fellow is Cinnamon the Disapproving Rabbit. As you can tell he is absolutely wild over pumpkin from a can. If you want to see more pictures of Cinnamon, go to Birdchick's blog and check them out, along with some wonderful images of birds, more disapproving rabbits and wonderful info about birds. And rabbits of course.

Some Linkage and a Quick Thought

Did you know Twisted Sister did a video of O Come All Ye Faithful? They did. I had forgotten it, actually, until roaming on Yahoo!'s LAUNCH today and saw it. It made me smile, so, I give you the opportunity to see it likewise. A really cool thing about this video is that the band doesn't change the words of the song. It isn't "politically correct" or "socially polite" - just the song with all of the words rocked up a bit.

Also, Peter Boyle has passed away Tuesday. This makes me extremely sad. I dearly enjoyed his performances and fell in love with Everybody Loves Raymond partially because of Frank Barone (Peter Boyle)who was Ray's dad.

And, just because, there is a rant up at The Rolling Hills about how men have become overly feminine of late. What has caused this trend? Why is it hip for a guy to be all feminine and gay, instead of being a masculine man? This makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. So, my full rant is there.

Hermitage of the Holy Cross

Several weeks ago, as you know, Hubby and I visited the the Hermitage of the Holy Cross in West Virginia. It was my first time to any monastery and Hubby's second to this monastery. Hubby spoke often since his first visit of wanting to return there for another visit and was overjoyed he was getting to go back. For the life of me I could not understand why he wanted to go back to a monastery. Now I do, but it has taken me time to digest everything I have experienced there and, even through this horrible round of sickness, Holy Cross Monastery has been a quiet place of comfort in my heart and soul.

I saw the monastery itself early on Sunday morning of our visit. Several buildings were here and there, and the Church proper and common hall were connected by decks, complete with steps. The first thing that hit me was the absence of any ramps, which made my heart take a few thunderous thuds inside my chest. My chair, with me in it, weighs about 500 pounds and it was going to have to be carried. Brother Mark came from the common hall and directed me, Hubby, and several of our friends to the Church and, with his help, they carried me onto the porch.

As I was lifted (it felt very high) into the air, I glanced up and there was an icon of Christ. "Oh Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner," I prayed. Then I was on the porch and moving forward. Brother Mark crossed himself and said, "Glory be to God." It wasn't a harsh statement as, I realize, I was half expecting, but one of true thanks giving and happiness we had arrived, safely to the Church. I felt humbled. And quite thankful.

Service was Orthodox, which is one of the most wonderful things about Orthodoxy: No matter where you go to an Orthodox service, you will know the service, even if it wasn't in English. It was familiar and loving, warm to my very soul. Holy Cross gives service in English, and, I later discovered, it is the largest English speaking Orthodox monastery in the world.

After service I was expecting to leave, but the friends and another gentleman I was never to know his name, helped carry me up more steps to wait for all of us to be called to breakfast. It was there that our dearest friends introduced us by our Christian names of Mary and Moses. From that point on I was called Mary and Hubby was Moses. It was the most wonderful, and eventually quite normal part of the entire experience.

At breakfast the women were off to the side at a couple of small tables. We ate in silence while a brother read. I am not sure, exactly, how each of us conveyed our needs at the table, but it was done. Jokingly I told another friend it was a mixture of telepathy and mime, but now I am almost convinced it was telepathy. Breakfast consisted of eggs, biscuits, and hash browns and coffee (the best coffee I have ever had!) As I said, we ate in silence, and, much more amazingly, we ate in peace. It was the first meal I had relaxed at in many months.

After the wonderful breakfast, we all sat and talked with Father Seraphim. He is a convert to the faith, just as we were, and he is such a kind and well-spoken, soft spoken gentleman you are either going to fear him immediately, or you are going to adore him. We adored him, and still do. We did talk of spiritual matters, and we learned some very interesting things, but it was almost an aside. There was laughter and a wonderful sense of stillness, and peace on the large deck as we passed the afternoon. Some of us strayed to visit the goats and kittens and some of us stayed to continue talking with Father Seraphim.

There was a point when a helper came and brought out coffee and cookies for an afternoon snack. It was wonderful and calming. I had not expected to be having afternoon coffee at the monastery, and it was wonderful.

Finally the time came for me to be carried down two sets of steps to be leaving to the small store the monastery has. It went smoothly on the first set, but the second set one of the friends lost his grip and I almost tipped, but the most wonderful thing happened. I didn't panic or spazz or feel the least bit threatened or in danger. I even helped right me and the chair and then I stood for a moment while the chair was righted and we proceeded on.

At the store I could not enter, but I was not left outside alone. I was able to speak with Brother Mark for a considerable length of time. He is a novice, not a full monk yet, and he has such a wonderful spirit about him. He has an easy laugh and quiet manner about him. He has become very dear to me and Moses and we pray for him, and for all of those there at Holy Cross every day.

You want to know the strangest thing about the day at the monastery? The monks, everyone who passed by and met me, thanked me for coming and giving them such a blessing. It wasn't false, faked, or mere politeness and something they should say to someone in a wheelchair, but truly genuine. Even the Mother there thanked me for coming and being with them. Being in a wheelchair, I am quite used to the politeness that comes from most people, as well as the very much unwanted pity, but these greetings and departings were genuine. They were real, and they were quite humbling to my fighting spirit. Why? Because there was nothing to fight there. I was accepted happily and lovingly which made it so very easy to let the cares of the world fall from my shoulders, which rarely ever happens with me. Because of going there, being able to rest my soul, body, and mind there for a time has helped me fight this last battle of illness, and still is, while preparing for the celebration of Christ's birth upon earth.

Them Bones, Them Bones....

A complete skeleton of a pleisiosaur has been found! You can read about it here. I love paleontology - the study of ancient bones and remnants. Now they say they have a complete skeleton. Yay! Yes, I know it is dorky and nerdy but I like such things. Have you ever sat down to think what people are going to think about us in, oh, let's say, a thousand years or a million years by now when they are toiling relentlessly through our garbage dumps and trying to make sense out of what we were like? I don't envy them, and, sadly, I sort of hope to leave behind some landmines so they won't have a single clue what the earring on the fish hook means. Heck if I know! But it would be funny for the anthropologists to try and figure out, especially if I can be in Heaven and hear what they say. I wonder if it would make me laugh, or make me sad that, perhaps, human kind has seriously lost its humor.

Thoughtful Saturday

Today I slept late because my dear Hubby let me. I needed it I believe, and even enjoyed it. Before falling asleep last night, however, something important hit me.

This Christmas is important. It has felt important to me for quite a while but I haven't let myself look to see why it is so important. Last night I finally let myself and was startled by what came: It was a simple question of, what if, as in, What if this is the last Christmas Hubby and I ever spent together.

No, I am not saying I am keeling over anytime in the next year, but if you really love each day and you love the people in your life, you really should live each and every day as if it is the last day or year you have with them so they will always know just how much you love them and how important they are in your life. I want to show Hubby just how much I love him, how important he is to me, not just today but for Christmas and for every day we have from here on out. The same goes for my friends, of course, but Hubby is at the top of the list. He rightly should be there, too. So, this Christmas is important, and every day there after. It is almost a pre-New Year's Eve resolution thing. It is that important to me. He is that important to me. My life is that important to me of late.

Sometimes it seems I let myself get all caught up in writing and pushing toward getting things published and the daily grind I forget just how important this life is to me, and, sadly, I forget just how important Hubby is in this life of mine. I don't want to forget or let it slip to some segment in the daily grind I don't give much attention to, or merely glance at throughout any given day. This life of mine is something that is extremely important, even if it is important to no one else but me (and my darling husband).

I am not sure why I thought of this exactly, and, I suppose, it doesn't really matter. Each and every day I should be looking at my life in this manner and not just taking it for granted I am going to wake up the next morning and continue forward with my same old daily routine. Because it just might not happen, and if it doesn't happen I want to leave the people I love with enough of myself left behind for them to know just how much I love(d) them and just how important they are (were) to me.

Some people may look at this and say this is a morbid way of thinking, but, it isn't really, not if you seriously give it a thorough examination. I have just examined my life and found several areas lacking. Instead of making me feel depressed or stressed, it has made me take stock enough to say, "I want to change this. I want people to know just how much they matter to me." And, quite honestly, I believe this is good. If we don't examine our lives every so often we, as humans, have the habit of forgetting we even have one, and all we become then is a combination of meetings, paychecks, bills, and taxes, not a lived life. I believe I would much rather have a lived life that than other sort.

Since people have asked...

Since people have asked...no, there aren't going to be any updates about "The Sleepy Hollow Inn" until after the first of the New Year because, well, this is a happy, non-vampire sort of holiday so I am not putting up anything about it until then. I was quite surprised with what happens in the story. I believe you will be, too. So, now you know.

It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas...

Today I am feeling better, just as important as feeling better is, something else important happened: it snowed. It wasn't a huge downpouring of white flakes, only my back ramp and part of my back yard had white stuff to speak of having even a slight dusting of snow, but it was enough to give my big, four-legged girls a wonderful romp and roll in as much of the white stuff as they could possibly find. Tails wagging, ears perked, tongues lolling, they went out with a new spring to their step and a new mission it appeared - to get as much of the snow on them as possible. Sadly I did not have a camera available, because I would really have loved getting a picture of them all gleeful and happy with that tiny amount of snow they had.

The temps are quite cold here, too. It is currently 11*F and feels as if it is in the single digits with the wind chill factor added in. There could be a wee bit more of snow tomorrow. The cold combined with the little snow has given me the wonderful boost to the Christmas spirit I needed. After letting the dogs back in from their romp I bundled up with my nice red lap cover and hustled me to the computer where I shopped like a mad woman. I shopped via computer/online and actually had an absolutely wonderful time. Besides it being quite fun, it was also quite successful in the accomplishment of the purchasing of gifts for the giving. It was so successful that, except for one present left for me to get, everything else is in the stocking stuffer areas and, of course, cookies and candies.

Packages have been arriving at the house all week and today there was an absolute plethera of them on the porch when my loving husband went to get the mail. It was wonderful! It felt...well, it felt like Christmas and it felt good.

Since the pain has decreased mightily, and despite the weakness I am still having, I am feeling better and feeling more like it is indeed Christmastime!

So, sing carols and lift that cup of coffee, tea, and cheer in general! It's Christmas and it only comes once a year! It is the time of hope, the true beginning of another year!

Merry Christmas!

The Faith of Every Day

Today has been one of those days when my illness of the past few days has made me give in to the body and just relax and trust and be quiet. I have slept far more today than I feel like I probably should have while at the same time helping me to feel better.

The quietness of the day with the dogs lying beside me and comforting me with their warm, happy brown eyes and gently thumping tails against the bed was the best medicine I could possibly have asked for. Since there was much I could have done around the house, or attempted to do, and nothing was done, I found myself praying often. The prayers were quiet, sincere and genuine. They were prayers for my friends, for my family, for my most beloved husband, for life in general, for my dogs. They were the prayers of constantly asking for this or that, but thankfulness they existed and were part of my life.

Since I have had to be quiet for the past few days, I have noticed just how much I actually do pray throughout the day. It was quite a surprise. It was very humbling.

Another humbling experience I want to write about in a just a couple of days is going to be going to the Hermitage. It was an experience far different than what I expected it to be, and one I hope to have again in the future, whether near or far. Right now I cannot sit quietly for very long and type because, well, it hurts, however, I will write it and then I will post it. Going to the Hermitage of the Holy Cross has been one of the greatest blessings of my life.

Betterness and Viruses

I am better!

The pain is better in my chest, but, of course, since I went to the doctor yesterday and had to sit in the doctor's office for a short amount of time, both Hubby and I picked up a nice virus that makes stomachs nasty and heads hurt. What is that line from the old HeeHaw show? "If it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all...." So, yeah, I am better in many ways and worse in others.

Oh, and one good thing was discovered at the doctor's visit yesterday. I do not have pericarditis. Instead, I have costrochondritis which is inflammation of the cartilage in the chest. Still most painful.

The gall bladder problem has been resolved. I do not have to have surgery to remove it. Again, really good news for a body weary with the pain.

If all goes well the pain of the body will diminish and yours truly will be singing Christmas carols and shopping mightily before you know it! Right now, I take it easy and life progresses.

There has been some progress made today.

For everyone who has sent me wonderful well-wishes and get wells, I just want to say "Thank you!" If it were possible I would give all of you great big hugs. Since some of you have requested an update about my physical condition here it is:

I am better. I am not much better, but, at this point, any little bit of "better" that can possibly be gained is good. I noticed that today I did not have to take quite as much pain medication as yesterday and I have been able to eat granola bars, but cream of mushroom soup was not a good thing. So, I may leave cream of mushroom soup off of the edibles list for a while, maybe forever.

The chest is still sore to the touch but it is better and the pain has been better in and of itself. Plus - my back has not screamed at me at all today. Usually this means I have been a good girl and gotten the much needed sleep I was supposed to get, the arthritis is better, or the pain in my chest was radiating to my back and that is why it was screaming at me for days.

Thank you, once again, for being concerned and giving me such good thoughts. I truly appreciate it. God bless you all!

And just because it is cute, I thought you might like to see this.

Her bingo habit did it!

According to the news article, the grandmother, aged 61, had the trunk of her car full of pot. It didn't say what she was doing with it - transporting it or selling it. The reason she was in the pot trade was because her bingo habit was out of control. Why does this amuse me so?

*Click on the heading to see the article.