Christmas week

 

Can you believe Christmas is over and we are about to start 2026?  Time is just flying by!  And baby, it's COLD outside!!!!

On Saturday morning December 20 Dick helped other men from our church to cut, stack, and deliver firewood at our church.  This ministry, which was just begun last winter, has really grown!  We are having a bitterly cold winter, and there are so many people who depend upon wood to heat their homes.  God bless these guys!

Later in the day Dick and I were still trying to figure out what to do about our non-working Christmas tree lights.  We decided to go to Lowe's to look for solutions.  As we were leaving, the Santa firetruck parade was coming down our street!  How we wished we had Elizer! 

At Lowes they had a sleigh set up and I thought, "What a great photo op!"  We got another couple to take our picture and we took theirs.

On Sunday evening we went Christmas caroling with some choir members to shut-ins.  We had a wonderful time!

Afterward we went to Peg's house for lots of goodies.  We had such a good time together.  

On Wednesday evening our Christmas Eve service was beautiful.  I loved that before the service started, and I was softly practicing at the piano, a little guy came up and asked if he could play the piano with me.  Just as I used to do with Sammy, I asked him to go to my right side where the high keys are and play them softly.  He did just that, and we had the sweetest time playing together. 

On Christmas Day I did a few mundane tasks like our laundry and vacuuming.  I forgot to say that we ended up stringing some old lights on our tree so we would at least have something.  We're still dealing with the seller about it and making a bit of headway.  

Anthony and Lori and the boys came over for "Christmas dinner."  He had smoked some ribs and I had charcuterie fixin's.  It was all very, very delicious.  Lori and I ended up sitting at the table talking and picking at the food all evening!  The boys and men found more comfortable places to relax!  Austin had fun with the Santa hats - on his feet as slippers and also inside out on his head like a beanie. 

On Friday there was a beautiful sunrise.  It was grocery shopping day for the fondue.  Dick got off at lunch and we got the furniture moved back and/or out of the room to make way for our big, long table.  By evening it was sleeting and snowing, but we had hopes that the temperature was going to be going higher throughout the night.   

Dick had a BIG job getting the thick layer of ice off our driveway Saturday morning.  I was busy prepping the cheese, the chocolate, the table, etc.

The troops started descending upon us around 12:20.  And all of them brought so much food that I was not expecting!!  I too had bought a whole lot of food.  We had WAY more than enough!  They also brought such nice gifts for us.  I felt very, very honored. 

As I have said before, we started this fondue tradition in 1988 after Miki had done it with her young adult Bible study group.  She wanted us to do it for Christmas that year, and we have done it pretty much every year since.  The oil, the cheese, and the chocolate.   I had a cafeteria line in the kitchen for picking up the foods, then they sat at the table and began to fry and dip everything.  We had four pots of oil going, so that created some issues with tripping breakers, but Dick got it figured out.  Happens every year!  I use peanut oil so there's not smoke.  

Later we had a LIFE game going on at one end of the table and UNO at the other.

Some people relaxed on the sofas, and the kids made lots of noise playing in the music room and bedrooms.  

Sams were the first to leave because Sam was afraid they had left an electric space heater on, and he just couldn't let it go.  I actually would have been the same.  When they got home and it was NOT on, I said, "Get right back here!"  Kidding, of course!  They live an hour-and-a-half away!

I insisted on getting a picture of everyone before they left.  Sam and Steph with Sammy and Bianca.

Frank with his girls - Jada, RaeLynn, V'anni, and Alaya.  They had an almost three-hour drive home, and Frank was really sleepy from a cold he was fighting.  I gave him coffee and I prayed. 

We were delighted that RaeLynn's mommy Lisa was here too with her two older daughters. 

Anthony and Lori waiting for their boys to join them! 

Anthony and Lori, Austin and Hunter. 

After everyone had left I realized we had not thought of getting a picture of us, so we set up my phone and got one.

There were SO many things to put away afterward and so many very messy dishes to wash.  On top of that I was having a very real pain in my right hip and down to my knee.  I was REALLY ready for bed when all was done!!

Sunday morning was church, low in attendance.  In the afternoon we worked at getting all our furniture back in place, then I prepped next Sunday's music.  I also sent a bunch of food over to Anthony and Lori via Dick.  I wished I had thought to send some home with other families on Saturday.  

Monday morning we drove over to Anthony and Lori's place.  He took us to Geisinger in Danville (about 1 1/2 hours from here).  Dick was having hooded eyelid surgery.  

I took this "before" picture.  The nurse said that in two weeks we will be able to see a big difference. 

It was a short procedure.  We were probably there a total of two hours.  The wind on the way home was TERRIBLE, and I was so very thankful Anthony was driving. 

We were very happy to be home as the temps dropped and the winds howled the rest of the day.   

Ice off and on was the treatment.

 

Before bedtime Dick thought ice cream would be a good treatment too!

He wasn't sure how the night time would go, sleeping on his back, but he did pretty well.  I took this picture this morning.  More ice today.  But no pain.

He will be off work this entire week, since lifting is not allowed.  Lori said no need for me to cook for them this week since she's off work.  And there are no church activities this entire week either, so I am officially on vacation too.  I'm getting lots of very important catching up done.  After I post this I will be able to cross "BLOG" off my list!

Happy New Year!