Magic Of Christmas

As Christmas draws closer, my anticipation and excitement increases.  Writing Christmas cards, wrapping gifts, looking at the festive lights and decorations, going to Christmas programs, all get me in the holiday mood.  Packing for our trip to Florida and anticipating our family gathering gets me all the more excited.  The magic of Christmas has helped get me through over a week of being sick with the flu, which made all the domestic and holiday work a chore.

Sunday 12/15 - Styx sat with me in the sun room for part of the morning.  She enjoys the company of people and the sunshine. 


She also loves seeing her kitten Babe, who I let join us so she could visit her mom.  They are always so glad to see each other (video). 





But when mama gets too rough with her kitten (video), I separate them.  I returned Babe to the main house and let Styx stay in the sun room and our bedroom.  

This strange panoramic view cut off Monita's head.  She was on the card table, I think turned licking herself.  Stevie was on a box under the tree.  And Babe was on the dog bed.  All were at peace.

I hope the magic of Christmas calms all my cats enabling them to live together in peace and harmony. 

I was feeling a little under the weather, so skipped the gym and the barn.  But when I saw lots of rain was heading this way, I decided I really needed to work on removing the leaves from the creek.









I started upstream where there were less of them and raked them out into piles along the bank.



It was much warmer out than I thought and it was quite pleasant for working.  Once much of the water drained from the piles I picked them up and wheeled them across the creek and up the hill into the woods on the far side from our house.






I worked my way down stream, clearing as many leaves from the creek as possible.  Many had already started decomposing and made a stinky mixture of muck.





I accidentally raked a crayfish and a salamander from the water, so returned them to a safer location upstream from where I was working.  I accomplished a lot, but there were still more leaves to get.

The cattail have died way back (before and after photo five days apart) so I walked/waded out on them, to get a big log that had been floating among them all year. 

I attended the Christmas program at Jan's church.  It was magical, done with a different perspective on the birth of Jesus, from the view point of the angels in heaven.















After the program, we all went to Jan and Mike's for snacks and libations.  Seen here are Shirley, Jan, Patty, Cheryl, Polly, and myself.

Monday 12/16 - I had slept until 6:15, but woke feeling worse than the day before.  Joe had sent this photo of he, Greg, and Courtney, taken the night before, when they were out for dinner and a music program.  Courtney reported having a good time and that Joe accidentally caught his menu on fire by the candle on the table.  Ha ha ha











Joe arrived home at 9am, from his three day weekend in Nashville.  Maggie sharing her bed with Babe.







Later I noticed Monita resting at one end of the sectional and Babe at the other end.









Babe has a very long tail.  But also, look how long her tongue is, caught in this photo while she was cleaning herself.





The rain had held off, and it was quite warm, so I decided to go for a short, slow, easy ride.  Chester was delighted to be out on the trail with Amiga and I. 

I let Amiga graze at a few grassy places and ended up being in the saddle for almost two hours.

In this second photo, we are looking towards the barn from the back of the gelding pasture.  Zorro is with Rocky in the center of the photo.  You can also see the threatening skies.




The power company was trimming trees in our neighborhood, and I arranged for them to unload their wood shavings, which arrived while I was gone.







Joe had taken eight loads down back and dumped them in a pile, so as soon as I got home, I worked at spreading them out.




I proceeded to haul about eight more loads and also spread them out.  It took extra time mulching around all of the yucca.  It was dark by the time I got done so the day's progress was photographed the next morning, after lots of rain and storms all night.

Tuesday 12/17 - I had gone to bed early, feeling horrible, feverish, so woke up early.  The nighttime cold and flu medication had helped me get a decent night of sleep, but I woke feeling really yucky, with chills.  More medication and hot tea soon helped. 

I decided to take a 'sick' day and stay home in my PJ's all day, with hope that rest would help me get better quicker.  (I probably should have rested Sunday and Monday.)

I sat in the living room working on Christmas cards into the early afternoon.  Stevie was chasing a stink bug that was flying around.




















My plans to stay inside all day did not work out because I ran out of the annual newsletter I put in with most of my Christmas cards.  So I went to the CCC, got more copies, stuffed the eight cards that needed the letter, and went next door to the mall post office to mail the majority of the 70 total cards I sent out this year.

Joe hauled 16 loads of wood shavings down back and put them in piles that I could fairly easily spread out.  However, I was in no condition to work out in the 37° air with occasional sleet falling. 

When taking a few photos of Joe's work, I couldn't help myself, and had to remove the piles of leaves that had washed down and got stuck in parts of the drainage ditch.

I did take two long naps, morning and afternoon, and the cold/flu medication was helping with my cough, sore throat, and headache.  But I still struggled to stay up until my usual 9pm bedtime.

Wednesday 12/18 - I could see an improvement in my health when I got up at 6am (90 minutes later than usual).  I still needed cold medicine though.  And, I basically took another sick day.  My fever was gone, but the headache and cough were getting me down.








I started collecting things that would go to Florida with Joe in the SUV since he would be driving down and leaving three days ahead of Courtney and I.  Unfortunately, he now was getting sick.

Judy dropped by with a Christmas gift for Joe and I and also with a Birthday gift from Shirley to me.




I went to the barn to check on Amiga and meet up with Jan before she left for Texas.  When I got home from the barn and was taking off my boots in the laundry room, these four were begging for dinner already, and it was only 4:15.

Joe and I ended the evening with the three hour finale of Survivor.  Much better than listening to the news with all the talk of Trump's impeachment.

Thursday 12/19 - I like how the light caught Stevie's ears in the hammock overhead during my morning time.

I wasn't feeling great but decided to go to town to shop.  Time was running short.  While on the way, I got a call from KP, another farrier, who could come pull Amiga's shoes and trim her in three hours.  (I had been looking for someone to help me out, with Tom retired, Brian on medical leave, and Lane not available until 1/6).  So I jumped on the opportunity.  However, this cut my shopping time short.


Being on a time limit though, helped me focus, not get distracted by looking at things I did not need to shop for, and I got ALL of my Christmas shopping done.

KP took care of Amiga in quick order (I hope to use him from now on) and I was home by 3:30. 






As the sun was setting, these deer came though the back for corn and a drink from the creek.

I continued to cough a lot and feel crappy and tired, so went to bed early, using night time cold medicine still.

Friday 12/20 - I couldn't believe how long my cold (actually flu) had been hanging on and how menacing it had been.  With a long 'to do' list I was going to have to push through the headache, dizziness, and fatigue to get things done.  Joe had a bit of a 'relapse' and went back to bed an hour after getting up.  We both just laid low all day.

Monita and Maggie sharing the dog bed.  All four of the tabby cats I currently have and hope to be able to keep (still unsure about Styx) are all marked differently, but beautiful in their own way.

I got all my Christmas presents organized into piles.  There were plenty of cats trying to help, stealing some gifts off the table, so I had to put them all in bags and then start wrapping them.  But I got them all done.

I made homemade chicken and noodle soup for a late lunch, which really hit the spot.  Joe's symptoms had escalated, and it appeared as if he wouldn’t be leaving first thing Sunday morning, giving me more time to do all the packing I needed to do.  So I put laundry on hold.


The cats are a lovely distraction, and I was amazed to see Monita and Babe on the dog bed together.  I was thrilled to see how well they were getting along.














Again, I couldn't decide which photo to post so you get all three.  These two really enjoy playing with each other, and snuggling with each other.  It is heartwarming.

Stevie continues to keep her distance, and enjoys watching the kitten.  At least she isn't mean to her.





Later, as they were waking up, Babe was making her wanting to nurse purring sound, and stared to look for a place to suck on Monita's belly.



Monita was not keen on this and pushed Babe away with her back feet, but grabbed her with her front feet and started licking her (video).  So sweet.

Saturday 12/21 - was the winter solstice... the shortest day of the year... followed by each day getting a little longer.  Yippee!

Finally, the advent calendar had ornament crush.  It was very tempting to stay for hours and play this fun game.  However I had suggested to Joe we might go to the walk in clinic.  I was more concerned about him than myself, although I didn’t want to get others sick when I travel and am in Florida.  Well, we left here at nine in the morning.  Joe tested positive for the flu and had a fever.  He got a steroid shot and cough prescription.  I tested negative but the doctor said I probably had the flu and gave it to Joe.  I was getting better and no longer contagious and didn’t think I needed a shot or any prescriptions.  By the time we went to the pharmacy and got home, 3½ hours of precious time had expired, on this the shortest day!

I got started on laundry, first trying on some clothes to see what fit my skinnier than usual frame, and washed anything that seemed to need freshening up.  When one is sick, and feeling cold, and even with the furnace turned up, it was hard to put on shorts and tank tops.  I took a nap longer than the washer was doing it's thing.

This is the start of the pile of stuff that needs to go with Joe.  I continued to gather things we had to have and some that we might need.

Sunday 12/22 - I seemed to have had a re-lapse during the night, with lots and lots of coughing.  My throat, chest muscles, and head hurt when I finally go up, later than usual.  I was starting to feel quite discouraged by this sickness, and more importantly, concerned about getting others sick.  This Great Blue Heron was down back standing in the dead cattail, fishing.  I went out to try to get a better photo, but he is very shy and the second he saw me, he flew off.


I got my suitcase packed and every thing that needed to go into the SUV put in the dinning room, with the exception of Monita in this photo.



I had run to the Conference Center to get copies of a puzzle I want to share in FL, and to Shirley's to get another air mattress we would need.

I started loading stuff into our vehicle.  I got all of the boxes and smaller items stowed behind the back seat, leaving room for all the suitcases to go in the very back.  Thankfully, it all fit and there is even room for Britney's suitcase when we pick her up.


Joe had taken a nap and left in the loaded SUV at 3:30.  He made it to McDonough GA a little less than four hours later, having driven in a light rain which we were also getting.

I had started cleaning house, especially the bathroom and office where Joe spent the majority of his sick time.  I also washed our sheets and all of Joe's laundry in hopes to eradicate any lingering germs.  And then feeling very wiped out, went to bed early.


Monday 12/23 - Monita was trying to squeeze into the open end of this wrapped box, that is under the tree for the kitten.

I had a bad night with lots of coughing and phlegm.  Joe reported that he had also.  I am so worried that we are going to get others sick and ruin their vacation.  We are going to have to be careful to cover our cough and sneezes, wash our hands well, and keep our distance from others.  I think what I have now is a head and chest cold.

After walking the dog before leaving for an eye appointment, I thought I was running a fever, so I took my temperature.  It was 97.8.  Either I’m broken or the thermometer is.

Monita finally figured out a way to fit into the box.

The eye doctor said I had experienced vitreous detachment in both my eyes.  This is why I had seen cobwebs, then had floaters for several months.  The flashes of light in my peripheral vision had occurred once this summer and again this fall.  According to the national eye institute, "As we age, the vitreous becomes progressively liquefied, and begins to move around inside the eye.  Eventually, the vitreous becomes so loose that it “pulls away” from the retina behind it.  As the vitreous pulls away from the back of the eye, sometimes small pieces of the vitreous “break away” and float inside the liquefying jelly."  My eye Dr. said that my retina is normal and my eyes are healthy.  I was very glad to hear this.  I did get a prescription for reading glasses because with my bad astigmatism, cheap reading glasses won't help.  Also, my left eye is a lot worse than my right eye so I need two different corrections.  My distance vision has actually gotten a tad better.


I completed other chores the remainder of the day, such as fixing part of the next night's Christmas Eve dinner, cleaning house, getting the cats and dog supplies ready for Patty, and finishing this blog.  I also ran to the barn to pay January board and brush Amiga and give her extra lovin.


This Christmas, whether the magic makes you feel jolly, or maybe you aren't so merry, rejoice in not just the celebration of Christmas, but the reality that God is with us.
"A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn"
O Holy Night