My Week ~ Christmas Edition

sWell as we emerge from last week's ice storm, I'm surprised at the comments that the Village of Chatham should have done more to clear the side streets.    Facebook was full of comments about the Village not salting the side streets but complaints came in despite the the text alert regarding the effectiveness of salt in low temperatures:
https://www.chathamil.net/press-release/12192016-road-conditions
At Powerworks on Tuesday morning, a woman wanted to know if County Market had any liability for the ice in the parking lot.  Impatience grew as another facebook post complained of waiting in the prescription line at Waltreens for 10 minutes saying "your prescription isn't ready".  Later someone posted "doesn't anyone say anything nice on the page?"   followed by nice things. 

For Christmas I received a gift card for Olive Garden, and Amazon.  I got a case of fireplace logs, 2 bottles of wine. I got a thermos shaped like a bullet. Set of queen bed sheets. Rechargeable flashlight.  Voice activated speaker by Google. lottery ticket (not a winner), Neutrogena hand cream, Burt's Bees essentials kit.  Portable sewing machine.  A sewing buddy arm rest. A jar of Sweet hot Mr Mustard.  Hillshire Farm cheese and sausage box from my brother.  I got a leash dispenser for pick bags that's light weight.  I got a Greenworks electric pressure washer. flashligt

Sophie got 2 dog sweaters from the activity director at the nursing home and my sister sent some too.  She really goes through squeaky toys.  Some toys that fit her mouth are hard to find.

I see that there's a dog named Munchkin with the same outfit in the Therapy Dog International newsletter here:
http://tdi-dog.org/images/Holiday_2016.pdf
Tuesday I went to an Advent lunch and learn at church and I invited Marilyn to come along on Sophie's visit since we discussed visiting the sick.

Thursday I went to a funeral Mass for the husband of one our members of the Soldiers Aid Society.  Jim Hoffman had been ill for quite some time and his wife held up most remarkably well.
Later, I cleaned Sophie for a visit but when I checked in at the nursing home, someone noticed a red spot on her head (looking like an injury under the fur). I looked and realized she wasn't hurt but I remembered I kissed her as I placed her in her booster seat in the car and closed the door. I usually don't wear lipstick that smudges like that but was cleaning up my cosmetics earlier and decided to use some old stuff up. I think it's humorous now.

Friday I felt the rush of Christmas as we exercised to Christmas music and our group instructor brought her 5 year old daughter to exercise with us.  She lifted her legs and curled those weights along with us but was still shy.  I picked up a few last minute things at ALDI for our Christmas dinner.  As I returned the shopping cart, a woman was frustrated looking for a quarter to release a locked shopping cart.  I said "here ... take this.  Merry Christmas".  It's only a quarter and I've lost worse.  She was so grateful.

In the afternoon I stopped by briefly at Reflections for their staff party.

 Sophie is not a fan of her elf outfit.  I put it on and she did a stubborn lay down.  Eventually she moved.

Christmas eve was special.  I went to 10PM Mass with my sons and and the decor was lovely.  The choir and string quartet was wonderful.  I saw my neighbor across the street leave the same time and when I saw her and her daughter (?) looking for a pew.  I invited her so sit with us.  It was nice to see her there at church especially since she was recently divorced. When we got home from church, there was a wrapper on the floor from a cheese ball.  Hank only got half of it off the counter because it was at room temperature and half gone.  I thought he was over the counter stealing habit.

We went to the 2:20PM showing of Rouge One in 3D.  The volume was so loud I didn't need my hearing aids at times.   It was a little difficult to follow at first but then I realized that it was a collateral battle going on simultaneous to the first Star Wars and we was Princess Lia at the end.  I think the whole cast with the exception of the the Red and Gold Squadron leaders, had British accents.  The theater was crowded too.

After seeing Rouge One with my sons, I went to the VFW's Ugly Christmas Sweater event.

Hi tech lighted sweaters always win such a contest (second on the right) with Christmas leggings.

Monday morning I took Sophie on a visit.  Then we went to Petsmart.  I got dog food, a toy, and freeze dried chicken treats.   It wan unseasonably warm at 56 degrees.  I started up both motorcycles.  Wheezer needs motion for the juices to flow since it's air cooled engine needs more than just 10 minutes of running in the garage so I rode it around the neighborhood. 

I watched Secretariat on Lifetime.  Never saw it before.

The 12 Days of Christmas begin where ADVENT left off. While the verses are what most of us associate with the "Twelve Days of Christmas," the phrase refers to an actual 12-day period. The 12 days of Christmas, in fa­ct, are the days from Dec. 25, celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ, to the Epiphany, celebrated on Jan. 6 as the day when the manifestation of Christ's glory was realized. 12 Days of Christmas begin where ADVENT left off. While the verses are what most of us associate with the "Twelve Days of Christmas," the phrase refers to an actual 12-day period. The 12 days of Christmas, in fa­ct, are the days from Dec. 25, celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ, to the Epiphany, celebrated on Jan. 6 as the day when the manifestation of Christ's glory was realized. http://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-christmas/twelve-days-christmas.htm