I received lovely messages from Ed and Mike today and just wanted to let all of my siblings know I am also thinking of all of you today. I too am grateful today for being part of such a wonderful loving family. I love each and every one of you.
I have been invited today to join Kathe and her dear friend Christine who is kindly cooking up a turkey for us as we speak. I am making my walnut/cranberry/feta green salad with balsamic; kathe is doing sweet potatoes (mmmm) and of course I must go pick up some wine to go with all. Tonight I will probably stay with Kathe and get up in the morning at her home to start Christmas decorating it for the visit from her soldier son Brett who is arriving Dec 17th.
I would love to hear from each of you over the next few days to learn about what you all are doing today!! Please share. Again I hope you all have a blessed and wonderful Turkey Day. Love Peggy Maggie
Dearest Family, I am feeling so guilty for taking so long to greet you all with my belated Thanksgiving wishes for each of your families. Peg, it was a gift to have your message and hear about the Illinois crew!
ReplyDeleteAll of us drove up to Foley, MN Thanksgiving morning to Bob and Sue's place. All except Chris whose family celebrated with Patty's family in Duluth. The Stantons from Rockford and Richland Center, WI were also there. We had a very nice time together. Nick and Isabella were taken in by Uncle Bob's cows and horses (they got to feed them) and then down to see Uncle Bob's big rigs in the warehouse. They also had cousins to play with-Rick's two little boys, Trever and Blake. We left about quarter to nine in the morning and got home at 10:15PM-so it was a full day.
We all bring something to share at the feast. So I was baking bread and pumpkin pies on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Monday, I got started with a turkey soup-using a carcus I had in the freezer since last Christmas. It really had a lot of meat on the bones but also fat and skin. So I had to cool it and this morning, I skimmed off the fat and cooked the vegetables and noodles. I am using my soup pot from Mom. No room in the fridge for stowing the pot, but it surely is good size to cook in.
I am finally getting back into my Curves routine after my fall. I am healed pretty much in the chest area; my cheekbone is still sore to touch from the bruises.
The week before, I was totally absorbed and obsessed by preparation for a colonoscopy-which turned out very well-no problems. But a week before, I had to cut out any pills with iron; on Monday, I had to start a low fiber and no whole grain foods, so had to go to store and purchase white bread and other foods I don't normally have in the house. Also, no fresh fruit or vegetables. Then on Wednesday, a liquid diet and the usual treatment of 16 glasses of laxative in two hours-which is usually enough. Now on top of that, I had to get up at 3:30 AM and down another laxative!!! My procedure was at 10:30 Am but We had an hour's drive to the clinic, so I had to be sure I was stabalized before I left the house. That whole episode certainly dried up any energy I had for writing or trying to think creatively.
The reason I had the colonoscopy is because I have low hemoglobin count, but though we know the "leak" 'isn't in the colon, we still do not know why the count is low.
We had doctor's appointment for Ed. He is still avoiding the diabetic label, so that is good. And finally, it appears that his blood pressure is under control.
Phil is busy painting his home to ready it for market. He told me Friday that he is now coming to ease about selling it in this lousy market-hoping that the Chicago market is still low when thay buy down there. We never know from one day to the next if the family is moving, or just Phil. We just keep the whole business in prayer.
Cathy is progressing on her massage school. She spent Thanksgiving afternoon giving chair massages to the relatives. It was practice for her. She has done well with the academic side of it, too. So it has been a boost to her morale. She has a heavy dose of school through next summer. ·She will complete the program in August if nothing upsets her track. She continues her daycare business; has 'clinic' most of Saturday; studies and shops for daycare needs (food) on Sundays. It is still good she is young and healthy.
Right now, Paul and Sue are both using up excess vacation time before year end. On Tuesday, Sue will drive with Ed and me to Duluth for a funeral of one of our friends from the lake. She died last Monday of lung cancer. She and her husband Gene, who has diabetes and goes three times a week for dialysis, sold their place in September. She had a will to beat it, but it wasn't to be.
Enough froom us for now. Want to hear from all of you. Mike called and Ed sent a greeting. Thank you. Now lets hear from the rest of you. Love, Mary C