Christmas Lights On

It got so dark earlier my outside Christmas lights went on. The lights go on via a light sensor. Since they are set for 5 hours they should be going off at 6:00 pm. Ran out in the rain to get some rye bread, corned beef, sour kraut and swiss cheese. I have a taste for a ruben, so that is tonight's special.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Thunder and Lightening????

December 31 and I awake to thunder and lightening. The snow is gone except for a few piles here and there. Lots of puddles.
No treatment for 3 days. Yahoo! I've only had 7 treatments and have 26 to go. I spend an hour and a half travel and treatment time each day. The treatments last  approximately 6 minutes, but time is spent in lining me up on the table and moving the machine around.
Quiet night tonight, just me and the TV.

A Thank You

I sent April's granddaughter a rocking horse Christmas ornament. She sent me a thank you note.

She named the horse Cricket after her favorite horse at The Center. She did a great job of reproducing the likeness of "Cricket". This is written on her very own printed card with the snowman on the front. Just like Grandma makes.

We had our Bible study Christmas party Monday night, had lots of potluck appetizers, laughs and fellowship. Now time to rest up;  New Years will a quiet one in bed before midnight and then be waken at midnight to the sound of fireworks and shot guns.

Elena's Gift

This is so apropos for this time in my life. I do believe in miracles and I think all the prayers that were said for my recovery helped the miracle. Remember, I am cancer free! The hanger is made of little wooden beads which is also meaningful since I am a woodcarver and love working with wood. Thanks so much Elena for letting me win a prize that really hit home. Who said you are not an artist?

Today is my Bible study group's Christmas party. It's a "potluck" of appetizers with a little liquid refreshment thrown in. I did finish all of the required ornaments and have them wrapped.

Christmas was good to me, I got a Toshiba notebook with a wireless connection so I can surf the net, and facebook while downstairs watching TV.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all.  God's peace be with you now and in the coming year..

Ornaments

I decided to have our Bible study Christmas party on Monday. Everyone brings an appetizer and I supply the drinks. We also invite the dropouts, people who have attended the Bible study and quit, hoping they will re-up. So anyway as I counted the possible attendees, I realized that I did not have enough ornaments to go around. I had enough for the regulars who come, but not for the dropouts. So I thought I'll just give ornaments to the regulars and tell the dropouts that they have to attend to get one. But then I thought it's Christmas and that would not be very Christian so last night I feverishly carved 3 more ornaments and now have till Monday to paint, spray and attach hangers. I'm sure I'll find time. Pastor will not be able to attend, but I must give him one because his 6 year old daughter calls me the "artist". She came to the Lemont Art and Culture gallery and saw me there and then asked her mom if the artist was going to be in Church the next day. I'm a celebrity in a little girl's eyes. 

Biscotti Recipe

Aunt Chickie's Biscotti

1/2 C margarine or butter
1 C sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. anise flavoring [ I use vanilla]
2-1/2 C flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 C chopped walnuts

Cream margarine, sugar & add flavoring. Add eggs, one at a time and beat after each one. Add the flour & baking powder until well mixed and fold in walnuts.
Make into 3 loaves 3-1/2 " wide on buttered large cookie sheet. Leave room in between loaves as the dough will spread. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. After they are baked, slice each loaf into approx. 3/4" wide slices and put back on cookie sheet, sliced side down & bake for 5 to 7 min. then flip over to the other sliced side and bake 5 to 7 min. more.
Note: I have added a cup of chocolate chips or a cup of Sun-Maid cranberries along with the walnuts.

2010 Ornaments

Just finished the rest of the ornaments required for gifts. Last year was teddy bears, so this year its rocking horses, like a good old fashioned Christmas. No electronics made out of wood.


This is the Santa that walked down the Church aisle to pray to the Baby Jesus. He was awesome.

Treatment

Today I actually start the radiation treatments. Five days a week for six weeks. They have drawn their maps on my chest so they can set up the equipment to hit the right spots. I'm not looking forward to this regimen.

I still have gifts to wrap. I think I'm done shopping. I also have to bake biscotti for my stepmother. She loves them with cranberries. She is so hard to buy for, I think cash will accompany the biscotti.

Tuesday

I did find out who my snow angel was for the other day, my nephew, Brad who just came over to shovel the snow. Thanks Brad.

Busy weekend. Saturday Sharing Sonshine  sang Christmas Carols to the residents at the Lemont Nursing Home. We gave away two afghans as door prizes. 

Some in the audience sang along with us.

Sunday was Church. A very blustery day. So stayed in and tried to get stuff done for the Christmas party on Monday. We had the LWML Christmas party in the Church basement.  Fried chicken and the rest is pot luck. We have a "white elephant" grab bag which is always a lot of fun. And then yuletide bingo.

And me in my new Holiday sweatshirt, just Chillin with my Peeps.

Snow Angel

Someone shoveled my snow this morning and I don't know who did it. Thank you snow angel for helping out a little old lady.

My friend, April got such a kick out of the flamingos put out in my  yard to cheer me that she gave me one for the tree. He is really a silly looking flamingo, but brings a smile to my face when I look at him.

Note that the tree is bare. Yesterday two of my nephews came over and brought the tree up from the basement and set it in the stand. Now all I have to do is decorate it. Its supposed to be warm today, in the 30's so I'll also  put my wreaths up outside.

It is cold

The cold air caused my sinuses to act up. Had to go to the doctor yesterday to get an antibiotic and  some Musinex D which I had to sign for. I guess that's the stuff people  use to make their meth. No wonder I am tired. I have no oomph to start decorating. It's too cold to hang wreaths outside and I need someone to bring some stuff up from the basement. Maybe tomorrow.

Good News

I finally had my meeting with the surgeon,  although I was a little leery due to the snow, but he was there. He told me that I am cured and cancer free. Yahoo! Now I just need to set up an appointment with an oncologist and radiologist. The surgeon says that I will need radiation and hormonal therapy but not chemo. I hope the oncologist agrees with his  prognosis. They will not start radiation until the incision has healed. Thank the Lord for getting me through this and making me better.