MERRY CHRISTMAS, TO ALL MY LOVELY CYBER FRIENDS. YOU KEEP ME GOING.    THANKS

Maryann, so sorry to read about Jan's accident. Does Tom feel better?  You have to take care of yourself for everybody, including Henrick.

Sherleyn, Thanks for your post, hope you also have a great day.

Larry, glad you will have your family around you for the christmas Day.

Marilyn, I have to tell you I watched The Bells of St. Mary last night, and the Apple Annie, with Glen Ford and Betty Davis. First time in years I have had someone to open gifts with, beside the cat.  My nephew is still here.

Good morning from the Interior where it is minus seventeen and silent. There was no six AM garbage truck rumbles, cranks, and horns on backup. There were no four and six AM train whistles and reverberating track rumbles and no morning city sounds at all. So I slept in until eight.

I have a quiet morning and afternoon planned until this evening's gathering with friends and my new recipe for mulled wine. After not having any alcohol since that 2010 July fourth barbeque's beer, I'm probably making up for it this year! Sangria, eggnog, and wine but tis the season and it's not a habit but an indulgence.

Thanks everyone for the kind wishes and I hope your holidays are lovely. And Gloria, I will probably be opening my gifts with my cat. I should do that but will possibly wait until just before I leave to put me in that festive spirit! Madelynn is coming to pick me up and bring me back, and she has a new car, so I will enjoy my ride.

MaryAnn, I am so sorry to hear about Jan and her mother! I'm glad it wasn't worse! I hope that Tom and his ladyfriend are both feeling a little better today and that you are enjoying your day.

Larry, it sounds as if your Christmas is proceeding quite nicely. It will be nice to enjoy the holidays with Jennifer again.

The "free lunch" is here in the building. The owners have always had a free 24/7 coffee and goodies tray in the first-floor kitchen and social room. They also offer a holiday meal for the five major holidays. But a gentleman took it upon himself to start offering a daily lunch for awhile and then one lady, and then another took it upon themselves to continue. Since I haven't had the lunch only because I usually eat at home, I can't say how it is. The meal began as simple sandwiches and soup and progressed to a more extensive and more varied menu with a small donation please sign.

As expected, there were many takers and few donations, so they started a sign-up list and then a monitor present. It progressed to stating there would be a $2.00 fee and since they were no longer offering a free service, officialdom became involved, and it escalated from there.

Now it is a full-fledged home cooked meal that is probably worth the new asking ticket price, but the clientele just doesn't have the cash. There is two community managed free lunch programs available not too far from here, but it isn't in the building.

The Senior Center does have a 7.00 dollar lunch program during the week and a $5.00 Van ride, but if you don't have the cash, they will take a donation or ask you to pay the next time. I have never been to the Senior Center, but I did use their van service last year to pick up my new glasses in an area the bus service didn't go.

The lunch program was an excellent idea as were the various craft clubs and activities they have had here, but they just haven't worked for one reason or another. You cannot have independent living and programs more geared to a different type of living situation.

It just doesn't work well. So many folks are still working or have other reasons, so you end up with a core audience that needs the more socialization but not any cash available to pay for them.

Update - Jan is still in the hospital, in Intensive Care, however, they hope to send her home in a couple of days.  She will have a lot of people to help her recuperate and also see to the needs of her parents.  Her mother is in better shape than her father; she can do something one day but forgets how to do it the next.  From what Tom said last night, Erin was to take both of her grandparents home last night.  Unfortunately, her close family all live out of the State.  Erin lives in Indps, Geoff is in N Hollywood CA, Jan's sister teaches in Bethel Alaska and Jan's brother teaches English in Japan.  But she has nephews who live in the area.  I will not offer to do anything because I can't do what they need.  Tom could furnish transportation if needed.  Jan is strong-willed and has master-minded the family and I have no doubt that she will recover sooner than expected.

It has been snowing, then the sun would shine.  We started out at 20 degrees and we're down to 15/16 now and to go down to 7.  I don't expect to go anywhere for a few days.

Marilyn, your traditional Christmas Eve dinner would not appeal to me, but your Christmas Day food does.  I am not fond of spicy foods, nor those with different tastes.  I really am a "meat and potatoes" person, but I do venture off the beaten path occasionally. 

I had misinterpreted Larry's mention of Jennifer's mother going to Missouri and not returning.  I thought she had deserted the family.  But I guess it was not so.  I don't always read between the lines correctly.

Tom went driving this morning, still does not feel good and I wish he had not gone.  He was at his lady friend's until 1 am and I can't convince him to stay put to recover more rapidly.  He got back and left me a note that he was going to nap, then he'd fix our Christmas brunch.  He really slept and we had brunch at 2 o'clock, much later than he planned.  I'm glad he did get that extra sleep.

Mary Ann

Edit:

There are perhaps five to eight people that hang out in the first-floor common room.Then in each of the four other community rooms, there are two or three that spend the time to play cards, read or do puzzles. There is also a computer that you can access for an hour on each of the four upper floor common rooms. However, the first floor has the free coffee and a kitchen that is open for lunch. There is also the mailroom just down the hall, so it is a gathering point.

MaryAnn, I can only offer my sympathies and hope 2018 is better for your family.

Mary Ann - Our Christmas Eve tamale dinner, is something we have only been doing for the past ten years or so. My parents and AJ's parents would most likely be saying . . . "What? Tamales on Christmas Eve? Never heard of such a thing"! ha ha!  Used to be that we would have roast beef on Christmas Eve, and Turkey on Christmas day.  But now, the State of California is over 50% Hispanic, and some of their Christmas traditions have filtered down, and been adapted by many families. 

Sorry to hear that Jan is in the ICU, but that's a good thing.  I guess they feel they should watch her closely for now. I hope she is much better today, and can maybe go back home tomorrow.  Glad to hear her parents are doing well.

Thanks Patricia and Marilyn.  Seeing there is no new news, I can only think that "no news is good news".  Terry was Jan's husband, so that family has had a rough time this year.

Mary Ann

Hi Everyone on this day after Christmas.  It is a beautiful clear cool morning here in South Carolina and we will be in the low 50's again this afternoon.  We had a very nice and enjoyable day yesterday.  Our granddaughter did nice job on the Christmas dinner, which was delicious.  We had a nice small gift exchange.  Pat's sister gave us one of those Ring video doorbells that is motion activated so that anyone approaching the porch will be recorded and I will receive a notification and the video on my phone.  It also works as an intercom.  She also gave me a nice new sweater.  Everyone was tired last night after a great day.  I plan on a very laid back day today and have no plans of leaving the house.  I did fix Pat's breakfast this morning as her back was hurting as she was probably on her feet too much yesterday and did not use her walker, which was a first for sometime.  She is using it today.

Marilyne, those chocolate covered strawberries are good.  I expect when you work in a candy shop you soon wouldn't care much about eating candy.  It sounds like there was a lot of good eating at your house the last couple of days.  We did get to talk with our great granddaughter yesterday afternoon.  However the boys were tired or didn't want to talk and that was all right. Pat's days of preparing big meals is over and the baton has been passed.  Of course she can act as a consultant.  Our granddaughter was very pleased with how the apple roses turned out and they did look a lot like roses and the ham was delicious.  We will have a slice of her pumpkin pie this evening as didn't have room to eat it yesterday. 

Joan, a White Christmas is nice to enjoy especially if one doesn't have to get out in it and drive.

deAngel, I am so glad that your nephew is still staying with you and you could enjoy Christmas with him. 

Patricia, wow that is cold.  Nice to have a quiet morning that you could sleep in yesterday morning.  I hope you had a nice evening with your friends and nice to be picked up in a new car. Preparing and serving a daily lunch would be quite a responsibility.  Thanks for the information regarding the meals in your building and community. 

Mary Ann, I was a bit shocked to read that Jan was in intensive care.  It sounds like her injuries may have been worse that first thought.  I am sure glad there are family members that can step in a help.  It sounds like winter has hit in a big way with those very cold temperatures and snow.  I obviously wasn't very clear on the situation with Jennifer's mother leaving.  She let us think it was just for a visit but one that never ended and she lived the rest of her life with her mother (Jennifer's grandmother).   

We celebrated Christmas Sunday.  We had such a nice day and sent home lots of leftovers with our daughter and husband and there was plenty left for us.  I think our son-in-law (who is the best cook in the family) enjoyed having a respite after driving back and forth to Miami several times during his father’s illness and death several weeks ago.  2017 was a sad year as we lost several friends and members of our extended family.  We are looking forward to a better 2018.

It’s so nice to hear that everyone is enjoying a pleasant Christmas season.  I think and pray often for those who have suffered so much this year in the floods and fires, but it is in our natures to look forward to better times.

Merry the day after Christmas!

Larry and Jean, it looks as if both of your families had a good Christmas meal.  I wish we had someone close who could and would do that for us occasionally.  I really can’t complain because for Thanksgiving, Alicia and James fixed everything except a green bean casserole that Tom fixed.  And the pumpkin pie.  We haven’t had our Christmas yet and Tom’s family and I will have ours one evening this week.  For the rest of the family, we were expecting to go to Jan’s and, really, if we do get together, that is the only place to be because Geoff and Erin would have to move their mother and her parents.  Jan is still in the hospital, so plans are pending.

Larry, I get my information about Jan third hand â€" Erin calls Tom who tells me.  So Jan may be in ICU but if they are planning to send her home in a couple of days -  you wonder whether that’s really where she is.  Jan is an RN herself (many degrees). 

When I got up at 6 am, my indoor/outdoor thermometer read minus 1 degree.  My computer at noon read 8 degrees.  The sun is shining, so it is a nice day!!!  Radar shows only “lake effect” snow.  And that is light or non-existent. 

I told Tom this morning that if he’d quit burning his candle at both ends, he’d get better sooner.  He is working now and that is more stressful mentally than physically.

Jean, our year was mixed.  We lost Terry in April but we had three babies born early this year.  Terry was able to see and hold his grandson and it doesn't make his passing any easier, but it was a plus for him.  I hope Jan's accident is the last bad thing for 2017.  We always do wonder what the new year will bring and 2018 will be no exception.

I've been working a bit on genealogy lately.  My mother was born in Lake Mills, Wisconsin and I was able to find the house my grandmother had built and where my mother grew up.  My grandfather died of typhoid fever a month after my mother was born, so my grandmother was a widow many years.  My dad was born in Elba Minnesota which even now has a population of about 200 people.  The house my dad was born in was the Post Office, but they now have no Post Office, getting their mail from nearby Altura.  I think I found where Dad was born but I'll have to get out a picture of the house for comparison. 

Mary Ann

Good morning from a warmer, still dark until eleven AM with sunset at two forty-five for three hours and forty-five minutes of daylight, Interior. Everyone is up, fed and dressed and ready for a quiet day ahead.

I didn't go to the Christmas lunch here yesterday but I heard it was quite nice with the company donating a couple of hams and a turkey along with coffee, tea, and sodas. Everyone else brought salads and sides so folks must have gone home stuffed!

I did go out for dinner and drinks last night, bringing along my mulled wine. I had attempted a recipe supposedly from medieval times, and it seemed to be well received. We had roast duck which as okay, but I am not a fan of duck having had so much of it growing up.

The entire evening was fun if a bit different as I was the only single among the marrieds. The men spent the evening talking sports and team trades while the women discussed kids and grandkids. We played seven card-stud and my monopoly money built steadily until it was gone in one fell swoop!   

So that was my Christmas, except I forgot and never opened my gifts.

I hope everyone's Christmas was or will be nice and that all the families have nothing but good times ahead in the new year.

Mary Ann - Sorry that Jan is still in the hospital, but good that they are keeping her there until she's stabilized.  I have heard that a broken pelvis is very serious, so they will want to make sure that she is okay before releasing her.  As you said, she is an RN, so will understand everything.

My older daughter and g-daughter left early this morning for their drive back to the Central Valley. Part of their drive is on the main interstate, between Northern and Southern Cal, so they will have a huge amount of traffic to contend with for part of their drive.  The travelers stack up in both directions, for any and all holidays. 

We had a nice Christmas, with too much food, so they took home leftovers, and Sandy took some when she went home last night.  It seems very quiet around here now, as the two daughters keep up a constant flow of conversation when they're here.  Grand-daughter Claire, who is autistic, has very little to say, and speaks very softly when she does talk.  I tried to engage her in conversation a number of times, but she seemed extra quiet this time.  She spends a lot of time on her iPad or smart phone, talking to friends in other states and other countries.

The weather this morning is very unusual for this time of year. It was 55 degrees, when I got up this morning, and is supposed to hit 70 today. The sun is shining and the sky is a beautiful bright blue.  This is more like Christmas weather in Southern Cal, not here!  No rain expected for as far ahead as they can predict.  Looks like we're entering another drought year. 

Hi Everyone on a rainy and chilly morning.  The rain is suppose to continue all morning and then stop after noon. It will stay in the 40's all day.  I had planned to go for a haircut and run a couple of errands this morning but will wait until this afternoon when the rain has stopped.  We expect Scott and Jennifer to be over for dinner with us this evening.  Yesterday was just a quiet and restful day.

Jean, glad you had a nice day as you celebrated Christmas.  Did your son-in-law do the cooking?  I am also ready for a new year and also hope it will be a good one for us all as this year has seen a lot of pain and suffering and loss. 

Mary Ann, it sounds like this will be a Christmas not to be forgotten but hopefully not repeated with the uncertainty.  Sorry to hear that Jan is still in the hospital and hope she can be released soon.  Your grandmother must have been quite a lady.  I know you enjoy the genealogy work. 

Patricia, I have eaten duck only a couple of times and was not a fan of it.  Glad the folks at the dinner enjoyed your special recipe for the wine.  If I played poker, which I don't, I would want to play with monopoly money. 

Marilyne, that must be a miserable drive that your daughter and granddaughter endured on their trip home.  It is nice your autistic granddaughter is interested in her iPad or smart phone.  I remember a 60 Minutes report years ago about how responsive persons could be using the iPad.  You all sure do not need another drought year after all the fires this year. 

I can see that some ice has formed on Lake Michigan.  Not a lot, only a small piece out from the shore into the lake, but it is cold here this morning.  My thermometer read minus 10 degrees at 8:30 am and still is minus 3 degrees. 

Larry, I never knew my mother's mother, in fact, I knew only my dad's mother; she was the only grandparent Norm and I had as the others died before we were born.  My maternal grandmother was born November 7 and every year on that date my mother would tell me:  "Today is my mother's birthday".  Guess who follows in my mother's footsteps - I am always telling anyone in earshot memorable date information.  I don't have any info for today, but Saturday marks the third anniversary of my nephew Tim's death. 

I wonder where Tom is.  He left me a message that he'd be back after noon.  The time span is not his usual driving hours, in fact, I think driving would be flat during that time and he likes the surges (higher pay).  Or he could be at Robin's (lady friend), while that is unusual, it is possible.  I don't have any more ideas. 

We ordered Halo/tangerines last week and they come in 24-count packages.  That's an awful lot of tangerines.  I've been eating them and I think Tom has too, but I hope we can put a dent in the amount before they start to dry up.  They are so good at the beginning of the season but later on we won't care for them so much.

Mary Ann

Our snow is still on the ground and we are expecting a "snow event" tomorrow.  Not sure why they are calling it an 'event' tho

Joan -  Event is the latest catchword for weather forecasting. We're supposed to have a rain "event" on Friday!  LOL

for Mary Ann about Ancestry.com test

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/best-friends-discover-brothers-60-203625225.html

Radar shows that we are having "lake effect snow" but Joan and Marilyn, we are having a SUN EVENT right now.  It is still cold, 11 degrees on my thermometer, but I'll take it.

Tom had gone to take Robin's dog to the vet.  The dog is some exotic breed which I do not remember but he has beautiful wavy mottled black, grey and white fur.  He is over exuberant and I don't get near him unless Tom or Robin is nearby.  He is large and I think was a rescue dog.  He also is about 14-15 years old.  Whatever his problem, he is OK.  Tom said he's in better shape than either he or Robin are, but Tom is sounding much better today; he just does not feel as good yet as he sounds.

Mary Ann

Bubble, thank you.  I read that story and isn't it interesting.  I like stories like that.

I may have put this in previously but - Tom's former wife, Sue, was adopted and reluctant to find her birth parents. Both of her kids wanted to know more, so I bought Ancestry DNA kits for both and they submitted them.  Annie had a hit immediately from someone in Arizona who said they were related.  Sue then decided to submit her DNA and has made contact with the persons who contacted Annie; the relationship is close like second cousins.  I haven't heard that James had any contact, but he doesn't have any family info whereas Annie does.  Both Annie and James are natural-born children of Tom and Sue and are not adopted.  Sue's brother also was adopted and had contacted his birth mother a few years ago (I think the father was deceased).  So it has been an interesting process. 

Incidentally, Sue called us yesterday with the news that she is going to marry again in the Spring.  She and Tom were divorced 12 years ago.  And that is another story and I will not get into that!!!  I'm very happy for her and she is marrying a nice man.

It must be snowing at Grand Haven because I can't see a thing beyond the shore. 

Mary Ann

I remember reading awhile back about a man very proud of his Irish heritage. After his death, his daughters took the ancestry test which revealed they were German with no Irish at all. After a few years of searching, they found that the rest of the family's DNA from uncles, cousins, etc., was not a match for theirs.

Additional searching brought out that their father and another man were switched at the hospital. Photos of both deceased men show similarities with each other's families. In one case, the "German" man looked exactly like one of their, the girls' uncles.

There have also been several similar stories and family secrets revealed with DNA testing such as the one of a middle child finding out that her sisters weren't full but half-sisters when they were in their late sixties.

Patricia, Bill Griffeth of CNBC took the test at the urging of a cousin and his DNA was nothing like those of the rest of the family.  He couldn't figure it out but it finally came out that his mother had "strayed" once.  It surprised Bill because his mother was rather meek and straight-laced.  Bill wrote a book about it "The Stranger in my Genes" and I bought and read the book.  It was interesting about his search.  I don't know if he ever contacted the family of his birth father or not, when the book ended, he had not. 

I took the DNA test and my results were exactly as I knew - English, Scandinavian, Western Europe (Germany), Irish and some Welsh. 

Since you don't have a TV you haven't seen the Ancestry commercial where the man tells how he always thought he was German and shows him in lederhosen but he took the DNA test and found he was Scotch and he changes to a kilt. 

I have information on my dad's family back to my 2nd great-grandfather in what was Denmark at the time.  I'm at a dead-end there and I'd like to find out more.  I think I'm going to pay $$$ to see if someone can find out more.  I have a couple of dead-ends on my mother's family too and I've tried to go back and the names are too popular; I get too many suggestions and I haven't pursued them. 

Mary Ann

MaryAnn, you might remember that my maternal great-uncle researched the Tinkler side of the family back to the sixteen hundreds? It consumed him, and he never married or had children. He died in 1963, so it was pre-computers or help from such places as we have now. An interesting part was that there seems to be no real wealth or disreputable characters on that side of my lineage and up until my generation, everyone had farmed.

Since the entire family transported to Charleston by an English officer's writ, I suppose the officer while not related, could be the notorious one. The coloring, stature, and mannerisms all identified the Irish, but his search brought out the Scottish input from the Johnston family.

My father's family identified as Irish and Welsh, but up until a second cousin's searches, no one had proof. Now I know that my father's family was at least half Irish and half Welsh so I should be all Celtic. But, all the ancient Celtic people came over the Russian steppes and through parts of modern-day Mongolia to reach the current homelands and also Ireland was one of the leading sources of plunder for Viking raiders, so I've always wondered. I need to stop wondering and take the test.

We gave our son and his wife Ancestry DNA kits for Christmas.  I'm really anxious to see the results of the DNA for our son.  The two daughters have the same exact countries represented, but the percentages are totally different.  I had 63% British, and Shelley was the highest in that also, and then a lower mix of both AJ's and mine.  AJ had something like 70 or 75 Scandinavian, and Sandy was also highest in that, and then a low mix of the other.

When I have nothing to do, I regularly go to my DNA matches on Ancestry, and look at the family trees for second and third cousins.  Sometimes I see a few familiar surnames, but sometimes none. So far I haven't contacted anyone, but I do plan to.

Patricia, I understand the Vikings were in Scotland centuries ago.  I can trace my Irish as my Fleming great-grandparents were both born in Northern Ireland, however, I think Flemings were in Scotland before going to Northern Ireland.  Fleming is more Scottish than Irish but the name William Fleming in Northern Ireland is like John Smith here - dead end.  A great-grandmother Polly Sutton was born in New York State - dead end.  Polly is a nick name for Mary Ann but everything I have on her is in the name of Polly.  I have had six suggestions as to her father, but none of them had a daughter Polly.  She was born in 1798 before censuses were more informative.  At least two of the men had daughters in the "less than 10 years" category in 1800.  By the time women's names were included, she was married to Enos Cook and shows up in the census.  While I still look, I think I'll give up on her and concentrate on my Tock family in Schleswig-Holstein, formerly Denmark but now Germany. 

I do remember you having information on your family.  I wouldn't suggest that every older person interested in genealogy does not marry but I fit the category of your uncle too.  I have not pursued occupations, however, I do know that most of my ancestors beyond the "greats" were farmers, however, I have a shoemaker and a photographer ancestor, a cheesemaker and one who said he was a farmer, however, he lived in town and was quite well off. 

Now I think I'll see about getting something to eat as I have not had lunch yet (almost 3 pm).

Mary Ann

Marilyn, I guess it is common for siblings to have different percentages.  I suppose it is the same as one child with blue eyes and the other with brown eyes born of parents with brown eyes. 

I look for 4th cousins and better checking those who have large family trees shown.  So many people have not presented any names.  I think fourth cousins would go back to my great-grandparents and I have found relatives known to me on both sides of the family. 

Mary Ann

Genetics and DNA vary from person to person, even with identical twins. I've forgotten why but it has something to do with our ancestorial lines going back by two, then branching out to four and then eight and so on.

As I understand it, since blue eyes are from a recessive gene, one of the parents must have blue eyes for any of the children to have them. For example, my father and two sisters have/ had dark brown eyes. My mother and I had/have blue eyes.

MaryAnn, perhaps your relative was a Gentleman farmer who had sharecroppers? I wonder why both sides of my family only farmed up through my generation as information shows? Even now, farming in northern California, (orchards); Colorado and Kansas remain our primary industry.

We just switched to Mary Free Bed, Room 4120. She will start therapy tomorrow morning. We will know more then, but the last thing we heard was 7-10 days here, 6 weeks using a walker, 3 months healed.

This is the message Tom got this afternoon about Jan.  It doesn't look good in the short run.  The bad part is care for her parents, neither of whom can be left alone, let alone both of them.  Also for that length of time, I don't know about pay, although she's been head of a Hospice unit.  I mentioned her work at church - Associate Minister - and I think it was Dot who said Jan had not preached for a while; I don't know why.  I don't ask questions, I just listen and learn a lot that way.

Patricia, all the census records say my great-grandfather was a farmer.  The other one on that side of the family was a stone mason. 

I'll leave it at that because I want to watch my TV programs and I can't think about more than one thing at a time - old age is catching up with me.

Mary Ann

Hi Everyone.  This is a first for me to be posting here in the middle of the night.  After sleeping for about 3 hours I woke up and can't seem to go back to sleep so decided I might as well accomplish something and am decided to get up for awhile.  Hopefully I will be able to go back to bed and sleep in a little while. 

Mid-afternoon yesterday I went to Great Clips for a haircut.  Wednesdays are senior days and the haircuts are $10 rather than the normal senior rate of $12.  While there I got notice that a prescription I had called in to Walmart yesterday morning was ready and the Walmart is in the same shopping center as the barber shop so I went over and picked up the prescription, which saves me a trip there today.  I needed power steering fluid for my Cruiser and there was one electric cart available so I was able to use it to get to the automotive section in the back of the store and check that item out at the pharmacy counter with the medicine.  While there I learned that they are starting and express prescription service where you can go online with the Walmart app on the phone and I suppose the site on the computer and order your prescription and pay for it and then just call for it at the express line.  I will try that service next time.  I came home and rested an hour and then headed back out to drop off an Amazon return at the UPS store and then went on to Firehouse Subs and picked up a couple of subs for our dinner last night.  Each of us had a half sub along with the chips and dip.  Pat has fixed a cheese and cheese dip in the crock pot.  That made a full meal. 

After Scott got here yesterday afternoon he put the power steering fluid in the car and then set up the headphone adapter in our bedroom so our headphones will work with either TV.  After dinner he started the set up of the Ring doorbell and we charged it up over night as it charges with the same cable as any android device.  He will have to install it in the day light so maybe next Wednesday he can do that if he get here before dark. 

This morning I see the eye doctor for the third and last appointment for the second eye surgery.  Then I plan on stopping at Costco for gas and to pick up a few items.  Then if I still have enough energy I will go on downtown and go to coffee late and then to the Wisdom group at the Church.  That will be a full day. 

Mary Ann,  My great grandparents were gone before I was born and one grandfather died when I was 5 and was not around him very much and my other grandfather lived until I was 16  and I did see him very often as they lived only about a mile from us.

Joan, hope your snow event is a dud.  The weather forecast for a lot of the country for the next few days isn't good.  We are going to have some nights down into the 20 but think each day should get above freezing. 

Marilyne, I guess the weather forecasters get tired of using the same old words. 

Patricia, I sounds like the ancestry DNA testing can turn up some interesting and perhaps distressing situations. 

Mary Ann, glad to read that Jan has made progress and is starting therapy.  It will be a long 3 months but at least she is going to get better over that time. 

Mary Ann - Good to see that Jan is out of ICU, and will begin the slow process of therapy and eventually will be healed.  I'm wondering about her parents, and where they will go?  Does Jan have any siblings who could take them in until she is completely well?  Maybe they can qualify for an apartment in an assisted living facility?  Jan must be worried about them?

Larry - I love the way you have every day planned out ahead of time.  My husband is a lot like that too, only he doesn't have as many things on his agenda as you do.  On Thursdays he goes to an "old retired IBM guys" luncheon, and afterwards they sometimes go to the trap and skeet shooting range for an hour or so.  It depends on the weather.  Since the weather has been dry and mild all Fall and Winter, they haven't missed a day so far.  Costco, is on his route home, so he usually stops there and gets anything that we might need.  We ate the last of our Christmas leftovers last night, so time to start grocery shopping all over again.  The ravioli lasagne sounds good to me, so he'll likely get one of those casseroles.

I have an appointment for a hair cut this afternoon, and that's it until next week. Hard to believe that another year is ending, but glad to see it go.

Marilyn, I am not sure the family knows what to do with Jan's parents.  She has a brother and sister who both live and work out of town.  The brother teaches English in Japan and the sister teaches in Alaska, both about as far away as they can be.  They may have to hire someone to stay with her folks which would be more economical (I think) than putting them in a home.  Jan does have nephews in West Michigan and I think the two younger are not married and could live with their grandparents.  Tom has offered to drive them to medical appointments but we can't do more.  Stay tuned and I'll keep you posted.

Tom is taking Dot and me to a Christmas lunch today.  Dot said if she feels as good today as she felt yesterday, she'd be able to go.  "Good" does not mean she is pain free, just that she feels better than usual.  I don't know where we'll go, but I seem to have told Dot we'd go to Cheers, which is about a mile from here, a sports bar, and we've often gone there for meals.

One thermometer says it is 12 degrees but I think my computer said it is 8 degrees.  We won't get over 15 degrees today, I am sure.  It doesn't bother me, nor would it if I were working, because I've lived in Michigan all but one year of my life.  I have a warm jacket and I don't have to stand in the cold any more, waiting for a bus.  As they say - This is Michigan, get used to it!!!

Mary Ann

No snow event yet but it is still in the forecast. and it is 29 degrees.