Thursday... Still Snapping Cold

Stupid, stupid weather today. Cloudy with rain, cold temperatures, and not until Saturday is the temperature supposed to get up to 65 degrees. Which is still cold in my book. More frigid air is due in from the north next week, so Christmas Day might be cold as well.

Speaking of Christmas Day, there will be one less place setting at our dining room table for Christmas dinner. Our friend F was told that she'll be on the Rehab floor of the hospital for three weeks. She'll be in there for Christmas and New Year's, and needless to say, she is one unhappy buckeroo. When I went to see her today, I nearly stopped at the store to buy her a water pistol, since she keeps telling the nurses that she wishes she owned a gun. I didn't buy her one, because I know for sure she'd be squirting everyone with it if she had one.

I told F that we'll have a special Christmas dinner in January for her when she gets out of the hospital. I'll invite everyone here who is set to have Christmas dinner with us, and we'll do it again in January, just for F. She was happy to hear that, and her eyes puddled up with tears, but I know she'd rather be here for the 'real' Christmas dinner.

All I can say, to everyone out there, is "Don't smoke, don't smoke, don't smoke, don't smoke!" All of our friend F's health problems now, at her age of 73, began years and years ago when she started smoking. And here she is now, with a mind that's "as sharp as a tack," as my dad would say, and a body that just can't keep up because her lungs can't function without the oxygen that's being pumped into her. So I repeat: Don't smoke! Don't smoke! Don't smoke!!!

My husband is on the loose in Clear Lake this afternoon... he's doing his Christmas shopping today. He went out of here with a smile on his face, so he must have a plan. My sister's husband does the same thing... goes out with a plan, but waits till the last few days before the holiday to begin shopping. My sister gives her husband a list. I don't, for the simple reason that I couldn't think of enough things to make a list necessary.

Before my husband left the house, however, I did remind him that the new Ford Thunderbirds now come in a pretty shade of blue. He gave me a look that said "Get real!" And while he was getting ready to leave, he took out the telephone book and turned to the page with the SPCA listing... he told me he was going there to pick out "one of each." I gave him a look that said "With a dog and three cats, our inn is full!"

Just what AngelBoy needs... another four-pawed brother or sister... one look at a new sibling and AngelBoy would be finding a corner to call his own and I'd be calling the carpet cleaner again.