Linus and Sally got haircuts on Tuesday. Without all their hair, they were cold so we used some sweaters from Sadie and I ordered a couple new ones, too. Poor chilly doggies. Here they are all "cleaned up". You can see more how poodle-like Sally is...in fact, I doubt she has any cocker spaniel in her at all.
The week between Christmas and New Year's felt rather quiet this year. Often, we use that time to travel to Indiana to visit Julina but, since she came earlier in the month, we didn't make that trip. On Tuesday, we joined Sarah and the Southerlands on a little trip to Elephant Rocks State Park. It was combined with having Linus's stitches taken out and their trip to the groomer. The day was cloudy and raw but the park was so interesting that we forgot about the cold (most of the time). Larkin wanted to climb just like her brothers so she had to be watched to make sure she didn't fall. She is also into posing as you will see in one of the pictures. The last two photos: one is a ruin of a building used to cut and transport the granite rocks. You can see the remains of a railroad track. And the last photo is of a name carved into the rock back in the late 1800's. It was a really fun outing and happily, my back did not give me problems
We didn't have grandma preschool this week because of our Elephant Rocks excursion but on Wednesday, Lucy came over for some grandma/grandpa time and some doggie time. She is quite enchanted with Linus and Sally. We started with a piano lesson and then she and I did some crafty painting. While the paint dried, she helped Steve bake some cookies. We worked more on our crafts but didn't quite finish before Emily came back with the rest of the gang - I gave the boys their piano lessons and Larkin just played on the downstairs bed - away from dogs - with grandpa and beanie babies. Steve was in charge of being the voices for two stuffed chameleons and an "evil unicorn" but, because it was after lunch and during our regular naptime, he would nod off to sleep so Larkin kept asking "Grandpa, why are your eyes closed?"
We had a quiet New Year's Eve, playing games and eating snacks with Sarah. Steve and I did not stay up to midnight. And, for the first time in many years, Steve and I did not wake up to drive somewhere to greet the dawn. It was too cloudy and too icy (freezing rain) and we don't have a specific spot to where we can drive and park that gives us a proper overlook. So, Sarah, Steve, and I just sat in our jammies in the warm living room and reviewed 2020 and discussed our thoughts/plans for 2021. Earlier in the week, I had packed away all the Christmas décor except the trees and the nativities so we finished all of that New Year's Day.
On Saturday, I woke up with the sure knowledge that I had a UTI (I had sort of suspected it since Thursday night) and happily, the after-hours doctor on call just phoned in an antibiotic. We picked up my prescription on our way to help move a woman in our ward to her new apartment. She had very little stuff so the move went fairly quickly. Sarah, Steve, and I returned to St. Charles later that afternoon to walk and shop a little more as Sarah felt like she just didn't get enough on the 19th. It was misting and cold but we had a nice time.
We enjoyed watching "The Grinch" (the 2018 animated movie that was quite delightful), "The Man Who Invented Christmas" (Steve's Christmas gift from Kirsti and Ryan), "The Family Stone" and "The Rise of the Guardians" (the last two brought by Sarah). I have greatly enjoyed my Christmas gift from the six daughters - a weighted blanket! It is just amazing!
And so, another year begins. I hope it brings an end to this pandemic. I hope I see an end to my back pain (I see the back doctor on January 13th). I want to start pottery again. And I look forward to playing in a community orchestra again. Plus, I will start to collect Social Security by the end of the year.
No comments:
Post a Comment