My Christmas Week

Thank you President Grant for declaring Christmas as a national holiday.
Monday exercise photo.  I wore my holiday leggings.

Tuesday, Sophie went to the groomer and was super cute with her red feather.  It was a warmer than usual Christmas eve at 62 degrees so I had to have her cuteness captured.

Dinner with my sons was great. I picked up prime rib at Humphry's market and some horseradish sauce.
 I decided to bake some cookies from a package just because!

My sons and I went to "Midnight Mass" which was technically held at 10PM.  I was the second reader at Mass.  Note that the whole reading (see link below) is one long paragraph with a period at the end.
http://usccb.org/bible/readings/122619.cfm
We get there early like 9:30 for the fabulous pre-show music and string quartet.   Our sermon was a break down of "O come let us adore Him".  We sang it in Latin and then English.  Fr John was on our recent trip to Portugal so when he mentioned that origin was connected to King John IV of Portugal "The Musician King" (reigned 1640–1656).  Because or our trip to Portugal in November, my ears popped up.

Obviously, I bought myself a gift and that was in my earlier blog and a Black Friday Special: the coat rack from Wayfair.

I also got wine. A gift card for Longhorn from my sister-in-law, a gift card to Walmart from my brother.  My hint for a good quality rake for the rocks in the garden worked and Sean gifted me one.  He didn't wrap it.
Some really awesome pajamas.
cutting boards
kitchen knives
neck scarf
lotto ticket that was a zero
A circular saw
candle
outlet light and charging station
Book about dog tricks (I almost got a book from Chewy but missed since supplies were limited)

After presents, lunch, afternoon walk in 63 degrees on Christmas Day, we went to the movie: The Rise of Skywalker.  The movie time was 3:30 but the actual movies started at 4PM after a half hour of trailer movies.  Boy I'm so glad that the emperor is no more.  That movie sometimes went to fast for me.  Your really need to pay attention to the genealogy relations.

The temperature reached 63 degrees at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport just before 1 p.m. The previous record high on Christmas Day was 62, set in 1982.  Word on the street from those who remember 1982 was that it rained.  This Christmas day record was nice and sunny.

I hung laundry out to dry the day after Christmas.

Thursday I took Sophie on a visit.  It was so moving to see one lady whose daughter gave her a framed photo of Sophie to look at between visits.

Friday and Sunday,  I took Amber to the nursing home to perform her tricks.

Alan mentioned possibly starting a new activity outside of his home.  He has already started with some minor home remodeling which I applaud but I think he wants to do something outside the house.  He kinda hinted at yoga.  I fully support that.  Besides, he might meet some girls.

Saturday afternoon I went to see "Little Women" but was a bit disappointed because the story was hard to follow.
Sunday afternoon I went to the club to watch the AKC trick dogs get their titles.  I wanted to see how they compare to the other certification that Amber has through "Do More With Your Dog" certification.

My Week

I put up my Victorian feather tree with Civil War Santa by Nast.  It's an artificial feather tree but then feather trees were artificial anyway.  Here's the history on this tree:
 http://www.victoriana.com/christmas/featherchristmastree.htm

I would like to get a better base for this tree.
 
 I opened a vacuum sealed bag for winter blankets.  There was an odor so I washed this foam based blanket according to instructions and it turned to wet dust.  Out to the trash it went before the dust dried and spread.

 I instead got my electric blanket out.

Tuesday Amber had an agility class in the morning and trick dog class in the evening at 6:30. The class had a Christmas piano concert.



After I got home, I exchanged dogs and took Sophie to the library.  The library was open late for students to study for finals week and I was asked to bring a therapy dog for some stress release.  I'm glad I did because Sophie's visit did exactly as expected. 
I was concerned about earlier school closings affecting study groups since library is open late but she was a welcome petting break for staff and students.  Sophie brought Ooos and Ahhs on Tuesday evening. Wednesday, Amber brought smiles for sure. We got practice with an audience. I was asked if she could "speak" and I said yes but it doesn't pound nice.  She does a grrr sound.  The staff still thought it was cute. Damn I wish I could cut off that sniffer of hers

The library has a sculpture of kids reading and Amber had a photo-op with them.  What it doesn't show is that she gave that little girl a kiss.

I was awakened at 4AM with Amber jumping in bed with poo butt.  I had a clean up to do.  I got up just in time to drag the recycle bin to the corner and make my exercise class.

Sean and I went to see a documentary on WW1 called "They Never Grow Old".  We were given 3D glasses.  It was supposed to be colorized movies from the war with voices of soldiers telling how it was.  The first half  of the movie was in fuchsia shades. Then there was a pause in the show and came back in 3D.  We kinda felt cheated that the first half was in fuchsia. The pre - show had trivia. 

Thursday evening I went to a check presentation by the VFW to help replenish a stolen donation jar for homeless veterans at Magros grocery.  It was in the news the day before our last general membership meeting.  When one of our members mentioned that the post had an unused gift card for someone in need, I mentioned that the donation jar was stolen.  See news:
Donation jar stolen from Springfield store
 Post commander said he'd call the store the following day.  Little did I know that other VFW posts would join us for a joint check presentation.
The director of the shelter spoke with gratitude.

I wrote VFW in the snow scene on the store window.

Friday morning our Powerworks Masters exercised to the 12 days of Christmas.  1 down and back , 2 side lunges, 3 overhead pressess, 4 RDLs, 5 Bend over rows, 6 bicep curls, 7 squats and pressing, 8 skaters skating, 9 walking lunges, 10 stepping over 11 tricep kickbacks, 12 runners running.

Saturday was Sophie's 7th Birthday.  I took the girls to see two different Santas.  The first was at a canine craft show at Third Base Bar in Springfield

Then I took the girls to Petsmart.  Every parking lot was full and lines long.  I did get some Chuckit balls because I know they get lost easy and fit a small dog's mouth.  Toys were buy 2 get 1.

Saturday evening I went to the Lincoln Home Historic Site to see "A Message at Midnight" one act play.  I had seen it last year in St Louis at the Grant Home.  There's a video on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfoklExeM0c
Mary had a black and white plaid dress instead of the red dress in the video.  I prefer the red dress.  The red looks more Christmas-like.

Sunday I took Amber to the nursing home to perform after Mass.  Then Sean came and I am still getting ready for Christmas.  I made julienne potatoes and ham.   
In the evening I went to Trinity Lutheran in Auburn for a veterans dinner and meeting.  The guest speaker was the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight. 

My Week

Week of Christmas Parties

Veterans Center, AmVets, Catholic War Veterans and American Legion

Tuesday morning I took Amber to a later class at our club.  Our class was divided up with some more beginners earlier and some that had Lisa's classes in the past which were a bit repetitive for us.  Dr Lisa gave me these ribbons which surprised me.  They were participation 1st place since I still beat the other entry even without a qualifying score. I felt if we could cut n paste the two runs just right we could have had a qualifying score.  It was not meant to be.

I went to Pawsitive Zone training and had poo on my shoes from the park.  This a real distraction for Amber.  I felt bad and had to clean my shoes in the bathroom before we began.  Our instructor reassured me that there was no worries. I was proud to demonstrate two of Amber's more confident tricks to the rest: dead dog and carry a basket.  She thinks that next week's class  we should have all the dogs play piano for a Christmas concert.

Wednesday evening I went to our AmVets Christmas dinner at Char's.

Thursday afternoon I took Sophie to the nursing home and Santa was visiting some of the residents.  I tried to keep it to a reasonable time so I could ready myself for another Christmas party.
In the evening I had Christmas Dinner with the Catholic War Veterans at Chesapeake Seafood House.  I choose something suitable for a visit to the nursing home, a Christmas dinner, and agility class all back to back.   My shirt says "Santa I can explain"  Skirt is a girls large from Walmart with netting over a Christmas light bulb print.

Our Sergeant at arms said grace
 


 Commander Noel with ......

After that I quickly got Amber for her agility class at 7:30. 

Amber and Pixie completed Agility B - 102 Introduction to Obstacles.  Here she is wit a mortar board loaned from Pixie.   She is on top of the A-frame. Amber doesn't seem to like this and it was a difficult photo.

Friday I went to the botanical gardens in Washington Park.  The holiday season greenery had a Wizard of Oz theme.

 Twister tree

 the hot air balloon

 Emerald City

 Yellow bricks

 I think we're not in Kansas anymore

 Lolipop tree.

 Witch tree

After I got back from Washington Park, I took Amber at 6PM for a photo with her evaluator and the certificates that came in the mail on Wednesday.  Kim and I  did a mock presentation of the ribbons using the 10 second timer on my phone.  It took about 4 takes to get Amber to sit still.  I sent this photo to Rose Hutches, editor, of the Capitol Canine Newsletter for our club.  Rose likes to give credit to the photographer and replied asking for the name of the photographer.  I answered it was me and my timer.  I guess she's not used to technology.  I had used a timer for the selfie in Champaign and gave credit to a fellow club member who had left before that picture was taken.  Ha!

Saturday was equally as busy.  It was the nationwide Wreaths Across America day and I had to place sponsored wreaths for some former members of our Women's Overseas Service League:

Name	Section	Site
Ruth Hemp	Z	228
Bertha Roy	E	1558
Jean Goretski	M	912
Ida Collebrusco	M	1590
Violet Newcome	CREM-A	124
Elise Hines	C	463
Audrey DeWees	K	670
Hazel Frick	H	865

 Media was present.

 Chaplain Steve Holden

 Interveterans Burial Detail.

After that I went to the holiday open house at the ILES house. Dr James Corneleus was the door greeter.

 The day before I found this cape at Goodwill for Linda Garvert.  She really needed it because the house was really cold.

In the evening I went to the American Legion Christmas Party.  I had to do a double take at the inflatable reindeer with holly berries between the legs.

 There was a photo booth for taking a party picture with our American Legion logo at the bottom.

 Commander is making announcements from the microphone

 Servers were members of the board of directors.

 See the photo booth back there between the 2 Christmas trees.  Nice turn out for the party.  I was given the pointsettia table decoration to bring home. 

 Sunday morning I went to Mass and had the additional duty as a Eucharistic Minister.   After that I changed and took Amber to the nursing home to perform some tricks.  I fixed lunch for my son and myself and the snow gradually started after 3pm. By Monday morning we had 4 and half inches of snow.  I walked the dogs in the plowed streets then got out the electric snowblower.  I went to my exercise class and only 5 showed up.  Roads were clear enough to take Sophie on a visit and my mammogram appointment.