A year ago today...................

A year ago today I was in Deaconess Hospital having had a mild stroke. I was scared and hated all the tests they were doing. Bob never left my side except to go get something to eat. He discovered about l8 hrs. into the hospital visit, when he went to the truck that he had left the keys in it. God took care of it. My purse was in it also. Just had taken my wallet in. He went to get me a book to read and he did and I did. I did not feel sick, just some weird sensations in my right hand and I saw double for a while. I thank God for the brevity of it and the mildness of it. I take more pills because of it to keep another from happening. And I am faithful to take them. I have lost the 20 pounds the doctor told me I should and until the holidays had been pretty faithful with my diet. Now I will get back to it and not keep the cookies and candy around.

I went out and wandered around today. It wasn't so cold. Katie came and rode Abby. They had a good time. She had to have her father drive her out because they won't let her drive on these slippery roads. They were pretty clear but her dad likes to come out too. That is where we went for Christmas.

The horses all looked fine. Dixie gets a black face in the winter. Or mostly black anyway. I asked her how that happened but she didn't answer me. She has big black circles around her eyes. The rest of them just look like furry mammoths.

No picture today. Just my rambling. Bob will pick up Nikki's princess and her parents at the airport tomorrow. It didn't snow today but it is again tomorrow. Oh yeah :(

My sisters birthday

My sweet sister Sharon. The picture was taken last Easter Sunday when we were in Key West and took a sunset dinner cruise. Today is her birthday. She lives in central Tennessee but is in Mississippi right now visiting her daughter Suzanne and family for the holidays. Have never had any more fun than the week we spent in Key West.

Today I am wondering what else bad is going to happen. Our big dog Maggie went out on the road for a reason known only to her I guess and a speeding car - yes speeding on an ice covered road- hit her. She is very stiff and sore but that seems to be her largest problem. It makes me sick though. Bob is sitting with her in the living room. She is laying on a rug. The guy that was driving didn't even slow down. That is hit and run.

Snow is sliding off of our roof this evening and it sounds like we are being attacked by Godzilla. It is really loud but then it means that Bob does not have to shovel it. I have worried all day about him out shoveling and plowing. His 4x4 truck is stuck, at least it was. I think he got it out. It is nasty out.

Remember The Serenity Room's give away. That is such a peaceful blog. I have not met Barbara but have her daughter Linda and she is a sweet person so her mother must be too. Love all the Horse people blogs and I also love Life In a Cordwood Cabin.

December 26

Snow pictures from around here. I was practicing with my new camera. Bob is shoveling off the roof of the barn. Scares me that at 70 he is out there most of the day. He did the garage and horse shed on Wednesday. The horse is Dixie seeing if the outside horses forgot a piece of hay somewhere. They hadn't. I really should have ridden her today in a break in the snow. The other picture is our hitch rail. Maybe we will get to it by spring anyway.

I was so lazy today. Just could not seem to get moving at all. Feel OK, just had Sit-itis. I did finally get the Christmas Eve mess all cleaned up. The kids had sacked up all the wrapping paper etc but more kept appearing from under the couch, from under the recliner or any place ever it could appear from.

Nothing much else going on here. Have a good evening.................

Christmas Day

When I opened my gifts I had a nice little camera that I can carry in my pocket. I love my big camera but wanted one I could carry easily. My brother in law LE (Brownie) Brown had done all the adjusting and set it up for me. When I practiced off and on today and then put the card in my printer/copier etc. This is the first picture looking out at me. He is a dear person, sweet and caring. He has looked after my sister so faithfully since her health has declined and I am so grateful. Thank you Brownie for fixing up my camera for me.

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve with everyone here. We ate until we were stuffed, laughed, the kids played in the snow. Opened gifts. I made the grand kids either empty books or big snuggly pillows. They all seemed to like them. One of Bob's gifts to me was a massage. Can't wait to go have it. It sounds just about perfect. Everything that everyone received was received with enthusiasm and knew that it was given with love. I am so grateful for family.

Today we went into Spokane to some good friends for dinner and games. We spent more time just talking and laughing but the dinner was wonderful and worth waiting for. Katie - their daughter- and owner of her horse Abby which lives at our house- was glad to have us at her house. We have her here so much. It was a different Christmas than we have experienced but a fun day and it was kind of fun to sleep in until I felt like getting up. Don't get to do that too often.

The horses are fine despite nearly 4' of snow. I think 46" at the airport. I wished I had gotten up and gone riding this morning but didn't. I love riding in the snow. I wish we had more stalls. Liberty is looking like she might need some TLC. Bob said when Tyler gets home he will have him help him finish the last stall so she can come in and maybe get some beet pulp. It wouldn't hurt Ditto. With all the babying she gets, she is looking a little down. I don't think her Senior food and special hay is enough. And Pepper is still fat as a toad. I think he could suck air and get fat. LOL

Hope you all had a very blessed Christmas Day. What did you do today?

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas to all................And to all a goodnight.

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care:

Well, not by the chimney because we don't have one but they are hung. Nobody fills them but they are hung anyway.

Our grandson, his wife and one of our great grandchildren are coming out from Spokane to spend the night. They hope to get out on a plane in the AM at 6. Bob will take them to the airport at 4:30. They have been trying since Wednesday. If you are reading my daughter Nikki's blog - Life With Boys - He is Thing 2. Actually Joel. they should be here soon or we will be in bed. At least I will.

It has snowed most all day. Sometimes hard, sometimes not. We must go to the store in the morning to get a few things. We were given a gift card to Yokes and I think this is a good time to use it. One thing I want is paper plates. I don't want to be doing dishes off and on all day.

Bob started shoveling roofs today. The horse shelter shed and part of our garage. Its tough for even a guy in good shape at 70. I worry about him although he seems to be doing it OK. He does come in and sit once in a while. He will need to do the barn soon. Sure don't want anything to fall like it did last winter. We use the neighbors place because he is in Wyoming and last winter the loafing shed fell the night they were going to shovel in the next day. It was frustrating. It slides off our metal house roof and off the main part of the barn but the sides need shoveling at the barn.

Am already to celebrate tomorrow. I thought Coreen, our 17 year old granddaughter was coming out today but she called me and her mother had things for her to do. I have enough fudge for us all to gain 10 pounds. But we will have fun. I do have veggies to cut up yet. I probably need to go do that so I don't get rushed in the morning.

Merry Christmas to alllllllllllllllllllllllllllll. For my new friends I have met thru blogging and those I have known before and kids who read this - to all of you have a wonderful holiday. I may not get here to write tomorrow. Or maybe I will.

More snow.

Finally got outside with the camera. It is very hard to take pictures with gloves on but I seeded to manages.

The top picture is Buster, Tater and George. I think they wondered what the heck I was doing out there. They had spent the night in their shed together. The second picture is Oliver peeking out from his house. He has had that big dog house since he was little. Every year he dings it up a little more playing. He has a real nest in there. He is getting old but is as playful as ever.

The next picture is Sequoia. He is a sweet old pony. We did not need him but we love him. Every family with grandchildren should have a pony like him. The next picture is from our deck. It looked like a Christmas Card to me.

The last picture is some ice chests Bob didn't get put away after elk hunting. I thought they looked like big marshmallows.

I have the fudge done, talked to one of our granddaughters today and made arrangements to pick her up tomorrow afternoon. She will stay till Christmas Eve is done. I had hoped she would come out today but she is 17 and Grandma and Grandpa are not near as important. I have the neighbors baskets ready for Bob to deliver tomorrow.

I wish Nikki and her family were going to be here for Christmas eve. Its been such a long time since they came at Christmas. I understand her reasoning but once more I would love to have all of them together. I continue to give thanks for the Thanksgiving just before Scott died how we were all together and such a fun day and took lots of pictures. There will never be another day like that. I don't mean to be maudlin but just a Christmas wish that all my kids would be here together. Not this year and I will enjoy every single one that can come.

I put the three horses out today while I was taking pictures. Dixie was so sweet. She just was so glad to see me. She cuddled right up to me when I was putting her halter on. Loved it. Ditto just plodded along. And Pepper wanted to play as usual. He makes it hard to walk beside him when he is skipping along. He knows better too. He doesn't do that with Bob but he wants to. Its cold and crisp and he just wants to have fun.

Are you reading The Serenity Room Blog or Nikki's blog Life With Boys or my sisters - Penny the Neighborhood Dog. They are worth reading.