My Week

Christmas eve started with my sons and I going to the 10PM Mass.  We left early to hear the singing and anticipation of the crowd.  I sure do love the music.  Alan stayed the night with me. In the morning I started the roast pork and meal while watching a DVD of the 1st Hobbit because we wanted to see the sequel later in the afternoon at the theater after opening presents.  We went to see the movie at 2:20 and saw the 3D version. If you ask me what it was about, I'd say, swords, arrows, and some pretty fancy beards on dwarfs.

I must admit that Sean really knows how to do Christmas and wrap gifts.  He knows the perfect gift too.
I got
an Oreck OptiMax Air Purifier
books and DVDs
old antique jewelry box
Sony DVD/Blue Ray/wifi player
large scented candle

We all chipped in to fixing our Christmas dinner.  I fixed a pork roast and even picked up a live rosemary  plant that will probably not survive.  Sean even found some good quality cheese and even Usinger sausage.  Alan fixed suckatash like his dad used to make and the mashed potatoes with garlic powder. 

Sean used to like egg nog but doesn't anymore so I guess I'll be finishing the bottle of Evan Williams Egg Nog (and going to bed early)

I've been trying to gather a period dress for a gentleman interested in joining our Soldiers Aid Society.  I found a jacket that I think I can de-FARB.

I had a nice call from a Gold Star Mom because she visited Camp Butler on Christmas Day and knew I was behind the wreath on his grave.  She told me the family was in the dumps and the trip from Effingham made the day brighter.   In turn, she made my day brighter.  She said her grandson, Andrew, got to go on the Snowball Express.  Since she's not on the internet, I asked her to find out if he got to meet Gary Sinese there.

At church on Sunday I was a Eucharistic minister.  Not too many people at Mass and there was a lot of Consecrated Communion wine to consume. 

Sean came over for his usual laundry and helped me with the razor blade replacement which I had cut myself on the night before.  I was trying to cut some fabric off the old couch so that it would fit into my fireplace as it was getting cold.

Later in the afternoon, I went to an After Christmas Party at 3PM by our reenactor friends.  The couple wanted to show off their newly remodeled kitchen.  The house was decorated with 12 Christmas Trees and there was a slide show of the remodeling from before and after.  I knew many of the people there through our Soldiers Aid Society but a few friends of the family were there that I didn't know and one approached me saying I looked familiar.  It was Alice, widow of John Brooks my former supervisor who had died shortly after retiring from the state and was still returning on contract for the transition.  I didn't recognize her so I was so glad she had the nerve to introduce herself to me since she knew I looked familiar.  I had thought of her and had wondered how she was doing.  She was with another gentleman but I didn't ask nor did I desire to know.  I know, that's odd for me.  I was just glad to see her and satisfied my curiosity that she was still fine.

I had trouble sleeping Sunday night.  I had pain in my left hip and I don't know what caused it.

I got this on Ebay Don't think that the folding scissors is period correct.

I probably could make one myself but this is so reasonable.
Brrr!  Sure got cold quick.  It was 57 on Saturday and 3 on Monday.  I had trouble sleeping with a achy lower back pain.  Don't know how that happened.  Unless it's shivering causing pain.
I put an icy patch over my hip.

My Week

Tuesday morning I mailed out all my Christmas cards.  Reminds me of what we used to yell when we played "hide and seek"  which was "Here I come ready or not".

Wednesday I should have gone to a Christmas party at the VFW but since I was feeling ill most of the day I didn't go.  In fact I was so stuffy that I could have blacked out.  I walked in a zig-zag because my equilibrium messed up my balance.

Friday I went to the Old State Capitol for Stories with Santa.  I helped with the refreshments.   The other lady that was supposed to help me was a no-show.

 I left at 8 PM to go to the Committee Ball at the Hilton.  I didn't stay late because I needed to rest up for the ball in St Louis.  Well, I was planning to car pool down with other reenactors from Springfield early Saturday morning and I got all dressed but we decided the ice storm would be unsafe to go there.  I guess it was God's way of saying that I needed to stay home and prepare for his birth.  I did get a few Christmas presents for my sons and bought the meal.

Saturday morning while dressing for the ball that wasn't, I could have sworn my hair went gray in the back over night.  Apparently it was the glare of the lights in the bathroom but it had me going there for a moment.

Sunday morning I went to Mass and at the end, Fr welcomed Lt Dan White who came home for Christmas.  I gave him one of my Soldiers Angels Thank You for your service cards.  
I came home and started (only started) this messy house that has stuff all over from reenacting, Christmas decorating, put off by all the events I go to after work.  This procrastination was coupled by the fact that I've had a head cold dragging me down.  In fact, I slept 11 hours on Saturday night.

On Dec 4th, I ordered a birth certificate from Wisconsin's 3d party provider for an appointment at the SS office on Dec 23d.  It hadn't arrived despite 2 attempts to fax my drivers license so last Friday I had faxed a request for my birth certificate and paid $48 plus $16 extra for priority directly to the archives.  So Monday I come home from work to see if my priority mail containing my birth certificate arrived in the mail for my 2:15 appointment at Social Security.  I cam home before my appointment and my mail arrives late.  I drive around the neighborhood looking for the mail truck, stop at the post office and nothing. So I go to my appointment without it because the appointment was hard to get in advance and my drivers license satisfied the requirement. Well I get home with a note on my door that my package needed a signature and that they'd try again tomorrow - while I'm at work. Geez

So I found this elf hat at the Goodwill for $1 and took a chance that it would work with a few batteries. I couldn't get it to work. So I took it to work and Michael showed me where the button was to turn it on. The button seemed to float between the fabric so I sewed a semi circle around it to keep it from moving and also to find the little button. That bell was so annoying too. I took it off and replaced it with a green sequin strand/tassel.  I also put green sequin strand around that button because it's hard to find.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6JvUEBhwP4#t=15

Well I'm starting to bring a few things home from my desk of 13 years at work.  It becomes a home away from home and lots of stuff.

I just want you to know that I believe!  Santa was a parents way of teaching our children about the magic of Christmas miracles that will transfer into a more mature reality about miracles about our Savior. I believe!

My Week

I found this on facebook from last week's honor guard.  You can hardly see me there with the POW flag.  It's not because I'm short but there's a man in the way.

I went to an AmVets Christmas Party on Wednesday and on Thursday I went to the Christmas Party for the Catholic War Veterans.  While at the Catholic War Veterans party, someone told me they saw Les (in the photo above with the American Flag).  There are many different dining rooms at the Chesapeake Seafood House, so while I waited for my food, I went looking for him.  I went to all the rooms that I knew.  So I had to ask a waiter.  He said there was another dining area on the front porch.  As I went down the hall, a waitress asked if she could help me.  I told her I was looking for Santa (AKA Les).  The look on her face was priceless but I went in and there was Les.  He was in a business suit with his Santa hat.  We were glad to see each other there.  After dinner he came out to greet everyone, not just my party, in his full Santa suit.  He told everyone that Rose was good this year.

Thursday my coworkers gave me an early "happy retirement" party.  I was pleased it was a little different than those rich cakes.  I had gourmet cupcakes and Christmas cookies.   I got a very nice card with $.  I must admit it felt weird to be on the other side of retirement parties that I've attended.  I would be happy just to slip out which may still happen because my last day is New Year's Eve and staff will be down.  I hinted that it may be better to celebrate my new life in January rather than the end of working.  That could never happen.  It's not traditional.  I gave a little speech reflecting on my years at FPR including a laundry list of IT directors, where I was on 9-11, and affection for the support of my coworker support during my life's tragedies.

I know there were more there than the pictures show but they were on the other end of the camera.  I've been busy showing others my job.

Friday I went to my dental cleaning.  I probably shouldn't have told my hygenist that I didn't like her daughter's homecoming dress on facebook. I thought it looked childish if you add wings and a pixie crown.  I guess I hurt her feelings because she paid $150 and was originally $400.

Weather had predicted snow and since I had the rest of the afternoon off, I stopped at Walmart for a few.  When I came out the snow began. 

I figure that I will be "snowed in" so I put lights on my tree.



Wow moment at Wreaths Across America Camp Butler NC when Megan Lowery impromptu spoke of her best friend who was a helicopter pilot died in Afghanistan in Apr 13.  She only referred to him by initials of RJ so I tried to look for someone who died in that time frame to help.  
 http://icasualties.org/OEF/Fatalities.aspx
 There was an un-named loss during that time frame.

Then I put a wreath on my husband's grave and another on Christian Porter who is KIA from the first Iraq War.  As before, I dusted snow off the stone and discovered a few pennies on top of the snow signifying a friend had visited.
Here's the link to the news media:  http://www.wics.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_14696.shtml

I had lunch at the truck stop with the veterans on the burial detail and then came home to change for the Holiday Home tour.

I decided not to change between the Historic Christmas Holiday House Walk and the American Legion Christmas Party.

 Lee plays a Civil War Santa like the one published in the January 3, 1863 edition of Harper’s Weekly, featured Santa visiting dejected Union soldiers. Civil War.  Lee is really good with kids.  Even the curator of Edwards Place mentioned that her little son was still afraid of Santa but Lee relaxed the little feller.  I was impressed.

Sunday I went to Mass and it was Gaudete Sunday (3d Sunday of Advent).  Today's homily asks us if we are "joyful". Are you?  I fixed a Mexican style lunch that was really good. 

 

 

My Week

Well I caught a mouse in a trap on Wednesday.  They mowed the corn field and it's getting cold so mice are looking for a hideout.

Wednesday I put in a resignation for my job to retire.  That is stressful but by coincidence it was the day that Illinois voted for pension reform.

Watched the new Sound of Music.

My son had to have new brakes on his car putting him back $ 800

I was part of the Chatham American Legion honor guard for this event on both Friday and Saturday.  We got a free meal for it but I still don't know how they could put on such a nice show for $20.

http://app.landoflincolnchorus.org/winter-show/

I found a new home through freecycle for 3 TVs, a rubber window seal for an old car, and a new box of Tarot cards.
Saturday morning was a good day to start all those twigs and stuff in the fireplace. I've been waiting for a day like this...well ... not really. It's friggin' cold. At least I didn't smoke the house up.

I'd like to give a shout out to my nephew who graduated from bootcamp.

I was a reader at Mass on Sunday and prayed that I wouldn't run up one of my coughing fits.  I was OK.  There were donuts and coffee after Mass to welcome newcomers.  I didn't see any new folks...
I lit two candles on my Advent Wreath.

Sunday I went to see the Nativity Festival at the Ciara Center.  There was a booklet to describe each Nativity but we had to turn this in at the end of the tour so I can only share the photos that I took.

Monday I went to Mass for the feast of the Immaculate Conception. 

I got a Victorian hat and carpet bag delivered that I had ordered.  Great items.  The hat came with a hat box but it seems the box is too small to get the hat back in it. I'd like to wear it for the upcoming Victorian Tea at Edwards Place on Friday.