Happy New Year!

to one and all!

Starting Anew

I say, why wait for New Year's?

I found these shoes with my SIL during their visit at Thanksgiving. They were like half off, so how could I say no? (I think she got a pair too!) Love them. We had mild weather today and I happen to be wearing a green shirt, so I had to put them on for the first time.

Look at how cute even the bottom of the Bernie Mev.'s are! Yes, I wore them in mom's back yard which happened to be MUDDY! Eeegads. No sense, Rose. I did back up before I did too much damage. You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl!

I've been reading Suzanne Summers' new book "Breakthrough." It's all about trying to live a better life through what we put into our bodies. While I know some medicines I will be on for the rest of my life, in regards to hormone replacement, I'm willing to give the bioidentiacal hormones a try. Last summer, after being on HRT for five years after my complete hysterectomy, I decided (with the advice of my blood doctor) to get off the hormones completely. But during this time, I became depressed along with other medical problems. So, low and behold, there was a hormone replacement doctor who prescribes bioidentical hormones right here in Nashville. I was totally amazed! I thought I was going to have to drive to Atlanta to find one of these specialty doctors. So today, with my funny little shoes, I pranced right over and had my blood drawn and set up an appointment with the doc. They also check the thyroid (I have been on synthroid for over 20 years--since I was pregnant with the teenager). I am so excited and optimistic about what I will learn from this doctor. My GYN has said that my hormones are all in the "normal" range. Well, normal for who? Normal for what? I don't feel normal any more.

At the same time as my consult with the new doc, I'm checking into my metabolism. They have a blood test to see how that works also. I'm hoping perhaps they can tell me how I can continue to lose weight and keep it off for good. I've been losing after my appointment with the nutritionist, so that's good. But I have a very long way to go.

I'm looking forward to 2009. It's going to be a good year. I can feel it in the bones (or should I say blood?).

Cheers!

Greetings from Riverside

From the boys. These are man (men?) of wars! EW!

Christmas 2008

Where do I even begin? Dave, above, enjoyed having his blinking Christmas scarf on but not as much as Abby. Abby ended up wearing hers like a tube top; and it was then that I decided I had better take it off before she started walking the streets looking like a two-bit Christmas hooker. She was fine with my decision, of course.

We've been having really balmy weather here--back and forth from absolute freezing to down-south balmy. Christmas eve and since has been tropical balmy with even a few thunder storms rolling by. Go figure.

Christmas eve, we decided to go out to eat since we had everyone together (mainly the teenager was at home). Before leaving, mom came up. This was about 8 p.m. Mom never comes upstairs that late at night, so I should have known something was up. We sat and "talked" and laughed and took pictures. She didn't recognize the teenager which breaks my heart. He has been her heart since he was born. They have always been very close. But now, she has lost him somewhere. It's very strange, there is always someone at any given time that she doesn't know and becomes agitated with. Last summer, it was the hub--"that man." Later it was the kid she would push away and glare at when he tried to kiss her. Now it's the teenager. The brain is a strange thing. (I should have noticed the strange glare in her eyes in our photos.) At any rate, before leaving, I took her down and put her in her PJs and tucked her into bed, and off on our merry little way we went. It wasn't a great dinner because the teenager was giving me a hard time about this or that. His normal behavior which I had hoped he had grown out of since leaving for college. Of course, worrying about why mom was up, why she didn't recognize the teenager and so forth had set me in a sensitive mood to begin with, so we left the restaurant with me hiding my tears. We came home and everyone did their thing and finally we all went to bed. Before falling asleep, I asked for a sign if I should leave the teenager here with mom when we left for Riverside on the 26th.

I was awoken around 3 a.m. by the teenager saying that Nana was up and walking around. Well, I didn't think much of it, Lord knows she's up at all hours of the night. I walked out into our hall and as I was passing the front staircase, I heard this moaning. I turned on the light and there was mom, at the top of the stairs, half way in the hall and half way on the stairs where she had fallen. I scooted her away from the stairs and tried with all my might to get her up. She can't communicate so she couldn't tell me if she was hurt. I finally got the teenager out to help me get her on her feet. She stood up and said, as clear as day "I'm fine." Lord have mercy. What she was doing on the third level of the house is beyond me. And coming up the wooden staircase makes my heart jump every time I think of it. It could have been the end of her if she had fallen doing down rather than up. Well, I got her back down two levels of stairs to her apartment and tucked her back into bed. She was walking fine, and she seemed ok. I sat and thought what in the world to do. I remembered we had an extra baby gate left over from the days way back when so I put it at the bottom of her stairs so she can't even come up to the second level of the house. It has worked, but I'm going to go out and find a better one that is more stable. (I later found where she had taken all my Christmas cards I had put out and stacked them mall neatly on the table, straightened up other areas of the house and had brought half of her bathroom to the small bath on the second level while we all slept. I wonder if she had another mini stroke or something?) Needless to say, I stayed home and the boys--the hub and the kid--left for Riverside this morning. Sniffle. But all is good. The teenager is here to keep me company and mom did not hurt herself in her fall. I have a lot to be thankful for.

Ok, with that piece of journaling out of the way, I can move on to better things! Phew. We did have a nice Christmas in spite of the shaky start. Christmas morning, I went down and got mom who seemed oblivious to what had transpired a couple of hours before and we all sat in the study and opened our presents. Mom got a new pair of flannel pjs which she has donned ever since. She loves them.

The kid got miscellaneous "objects" which he likes best (crank flashlights, etc.), the teenager got a nice set of headphones and the hub got a new coffee maker from all of us (which he loves) and I finally got the poster, bought for him for our anniversary, framed.

Then there's my loot! The hub got me several bottles of my latest perfume passion at duty free while traveling Europe. Yay. I'm smelling good, I tell ya. It's unisex (my usual) and even the teenager is liking the Eau D'Orange Verte. It is masculine, but the scent reminds me of London for some reason, so I adore it! The Un Jardin Apres la Mousson (a garden after the monsoon) has a delightful ginger base. Mmmmmm. He also added some copper pieces to my kitchen. Perty.

The teenager got me the two volume set of William Seale's The President's House. I can't wait to delve into these! I had seen a special on CSPAN and became enthralled. The teenager noticed my fascination with the show and look at what showed up! I only wish it had pictures, tehe. You can get it at most book stores but also from the White House Historical Association.

Riverside dragonflies were on folks' minds this year as I received two beautiful necklaces. One from my brother Jim, above, which I will wear with my seashore charm necklace he gave me last year when I go to Riverside and

one from sweet Val. How unique is this? I have been wearing it for two days now!

And she adorned this doily with beads for me to take to Riverside to cover bowls with to keep the flies away! Sweet! Thank you so much Val. (I've already put it over a lamp until I deliver it myself.) :-P

Today, I received quite a surprise in the mail. A lovely Momade Doodad bag from Mo Jackson herself! It is absolutely delightful. Thank you Mo. I am honored, to say the least.

Sweet Jeanie (Gypsy's mom) sent the sweetest little ornament for my kitchen and

a little egg whisk with a Santa hat on it. Too cute! Look at that little face! Thank you Jeanie!!

The hub and kid just arrived at Riverside and sent me this picture to let me know the Spanish moss Darlene had given me from next door has taken off! I am soooo happy! Thank you Darlene. Sorry I'm going to miss you this trip. Sniffle sniffle.

Thank you hub for cheering me up with mossy pictures.

So again, a wonderful Christmas was had. Mom was ok even with her mishap, the boys (all three) are healthy and happy and we have a wonderful new year ahead of us. Merry merry.

A Quick Visit

If we don't make by your place today, wishing you and yours a joyous Christmas Day full of love and comfort.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Eve

Do you know where your kids are?

Santa is Smiling Again!

A coca-cola always does the trick!

Me

this morning.

Blessings of the Season

This has to be one of the best photos of Bella ever. Thank you kid for capturing her inner beauty. We have so much to be thankful for this Season and I have been thanking our lucky stars each night before I fall asleep. We are truly blessed.

Our dear friends (and neighbors) are back from Los Angeles for Christmas. I can never get enough of them when they visit for a short time. I miss all of them dearly. They surprised us and came over and we had a little time to catch up.

They brought with them they're adorable little Bunny Bentley all dressed in her Chanel best. Too precious!

And they brought gifts! Edi knows my love of angels. Too sweet.

The hub was freshly back from Europe with the freshest of Swiss and Belgian chocolates. Of course I opened the box of Wittamer's fresh cream chocolates to share with our friends.

Oh my. There is nothing like it. Can you see the vanilla bean in the cream? Oh my, again.

Today, a beautiful Christmas bouquet arrived for my mom from my oldest brother Joe. She is already in bed, so I arranged them and will put them on her table for when she awakes. Blessings.

The kid took a closeup of my eye. Loverly. Look at the lines beginning to form. More blessings of age.

A little more decor I put in a copper pot for the kitchen.

My amaryllis is blooming. Such beauty.

Bella is never far from my side at any given moment. Blessings.

Lovely packages and greetings from loved ones.

And a promise to myself to be more healthy as I age. I saw Suzanne Summers on Larry King the other night and purchased one of her books. Taking it to Riverside with me to begin anew.

And before I even begin the book, back to my tea --chock full of antioxidants. I found these blends at the Teavana in Atlanta. Yum. I'm drinking the MateVana/Rooibox Chai. The smell fresh from the tin smells of chocolate which I didn't think I would like. But once you steep it, the chocolate is a hint in the backflavor. I would say the fruits come out more than the chocolate.

I also got the Dragon Jasmine/Roobios Tropical blend.

Indeed, blessings abound.

'Tis the Season

I found this bell and thought about putting it in my stocking and later parking it on my bedside for when I needed something. Not that anyone would have paid heed to my calls. Since I have yet to bring the stockings up from the basement (actually anything up from the basement), the bell sat in the kitchen. I found that each time I passed, I rang it--for an angel's sake. I thought I would pass the word on and made a little sign. I have to say, there are a lot of angels getting their wings by way of our bell! Good stuff.

This is one of the amaryllis I found at Boxwood in Atlanta. Lovely.

Paper Source--Atlanta.

The kid peeking out from a little tree -- again Boxwood in Atlanta.

I found this wonderful cookie jar last January in DC while visiting my brother when he was sick. The other brutha shipped it home to me. I just about sliced my finger off as the star had fallen off and left a straight edge as sharp as a razor. Loverly. It has since been glued back on (the star, not the finger).

A sweet present from the hub's brother in NY. Junior's is the best! Rugulach! Yum. (Was glad it wasn't a cheesecake--ew.)

I found these two fellows at Frontgate in Atlanta. They so reminded me of my father, I had to have them. The twinkly blue eyes. The ski nose (as a friend lovingly named him). The mustache (he didn't have a beard). Sniffle. I miss his lovely blue eyes the most.

A precious gift from Natalie Sarabella.

A beautiful poinsettia.

A scrumptious evergreen scented candle.

And the prettiest tree ever (sans ornaments except one). With kitties sleeping nearby.

Does it get any better? Is life grand or what? Oh yes, indeed it is.