Nature Songs ~~~~

DECEMBER,1999, continued

December 23,1999 - I have the children again today. Mom has things to be done yet and a few places to shop for the big day. I offered to keep the boys since Tbird had to take Giggles to the doctor's office and I didn't really want to wait around the office with three active and bored boys just for her to take two of them with her and then have to bring them over to me again today. I really sort of chickened out and left all the boys with Wes and Wendy for the night.

As it turns out, BusyKid gets sick at daycare and has to be dropped off here at the house for his Mom to come get him. She exchanges the three bigger ones for him. He just has a well-baby check yesterday and today when he goes back he has a full-fledged ear infection - just over night. Giggles has one as well. She also has a virus and some asmtha. She doesn't do too well today and is having problems sleeping at night.

December 24,1999 - Christmas Eve and lots to be done by one and all. Allie and I leave earlier this morning and stop by the department store to check out some of the early morning specials. I look, but don't buy anything. From there we head to the other end of the mall to get in our exercise for the day. I have time to do some of the machines before we get into the water. Guess I did too much because my right leg kept cramping on me as I did my water workout. I stuck it out and did the whole program for the day; limping as I moved through part of the motions. We did the steam room afterwards today.

A message on the answering machine when I got home let me know that Giggles was worse and had to be taken back to the doctor. It seemed like ages before hearing how she was doing. The verdict was not unexpected, but neither was it a happy one. She has inherited some bad genes of the family and is experiencing some severe asthma. In fact, Tbird had to stop and purchase a breathing machine so she could give her treatments at home every four hours. Luckily, Giggles likes the machine and doesn't mind the mask over her face. She goes to sleep right after she has a treatment.

They have already invited a group for supper this evening and have to do quite a bit to get everything ready on time. It is a group of us that get together every Christmas eve for supper together. Some of them I have not seen since last year this time. We have roadkill stew (deer meat) and barnyard delight (Chicken breasts) and everything in between. It is all delicious and followed up by the homemade cookies and candy of one of the guests. There are also homemade breads to choose from, and hot apple cider simmering on the stove. To add the perfect touch for a Christmas Eve, there was snow! It didn't lay, but it was pretty while it lasted.

I learn that one of them has seven week old Yorkie puppies and looking for homes for them. Too bad, but I already have enough puppies around without adding yet another, but it is fun to talk about them and dream of maybe one day having another one that may be smaller than Charlie...

December 25,1999 - Christmas comes. There is no holding it back. I get up about five o'clock to put the ham in to cook so it will be ready when everyone comes about midmorning. I wasn't able to sleep because I didn't get to rest, but they is par for the course for me. I finally decide to spend time on the computer while I wait for all the others to make a showing. As it turns out, a call come from Teaneck, NJ, and Cotton before any of the others show up. ll of them are running late and it is close to ten before mother is picked up and brought over to take part in our family tradition. There are gifts, gifts, and more gifts stuck every where in the sunken room for one and all to share.

Our family is about to outgrow the room it looks like. Allan is pressed for time since he has to work at EMS today, but he gets to open his presents with the rest of us and especially gets to see the expression on BingoKid's face when he opens his present. He is the first of the boys to get his very own gun to care for and learn the value of its responsibility. He will have special rules to follow with its use and care. Each of the others will be getting one of their own as they get older, too. All of this is according to their uncle.

We left for Tanglewood and the lights by four in the afternoon. We wanted to be there early enough that we would not be stuck in lines of traffic waiting to go through. We got there ten minutes before time for it to open and were close to the main gate. This year there were 69 different displays of lights. It's hard choose which one is a favorite, but I really do like the ones where it looks like snowflakes falling through the woods. It is a three-D effect. When I finally got home, I realized, I had not eaten lunch or supper... so I had some more ham and biscuit before going to bed.

December 26,1999 - It was a race to get to McD's this morning. Allan came by from work to see me before he left for the coast this afternoon. So, we barely had time for our biscuit and coffee before church time. Church was casual this morning with many wearing blue jeans. After the service everyone gather to talk and share as we had coffee and donuts. I took Mother a donut by and she ate it before her lunch came. Of course, not much of her lunch was touched! I didn't spend much time with her until I came on home to rest. The boys are to come over later this evening and stay with me for several nights while Mom, Dad and Giggles goes to Charleston for a few days.

December 27,1999 - This has not been a good day at all! If fact, it has been a h o r r i b l e day. It could even be said that it has been worse than that even. NascarKid ran a fever last night and was not well at all. I had a sore throat and didn't feel too well either. Today, we both have coughed all day long. We have had a contest I believe to see which of us can cough the most and the loudest. We are going through a box of Kleenex like it is going out of style. This afternoon his temperature shot up to 104.4 degrees. I had to fill him up with meds to try to get it down and also used a wet cloth on his head. It took a while for his fever to break, but then he was ready to act up some with the other boys. Wendy has been sick today and she dropped off BingoKid this morning bright and early as well. It has really been one of those days!!

I missed my Q4L today. I didn't feel like going, and I could not have taken the boys with one running a fever, either. Now I wonder if I will be up to going on Wednesday. As of this moment, I don't feel too well at all.

December 28,1999 - No one said that life was easy and that all days would be full of joy, love and happiness. How could we experience the best of times if it were not for taking the toll from the worst of times? Yes, we ventured out this afternoon long enough to replenish the cough syrups, Advil, Tynenol, take Mother some cokes (I sat in the car while they were taken into her room, and get some of that ready-made fast foods that kids love to fill up on and that saves my energy for other things like coughing.

Shortly after returning to our warm nest BingoKid bounced in again to spend a few hours playing Pokemon Monopoly with DynoKid. NascarKid and I are still keeping each other company with the all too familar downside of coughing one breath after another night and day. I spent last night in the recliner wrapped in two blankets and a dog or two trying not to have to cough. Wonder about tonight...

December 29,1999 - Another night of rising temperatures for NascarKid. He upchucked the meds I coached him to take and spent part of his night curled up in the chair close to my recliner. After today, if they think he needs to go to the doctor, his parents will be back to take him. Allan called to say that he was back early from the coast. His wife has the crud as well and may have to go into the hospital if she does not improve. He has a temperature, so guess he will be going through his share of the fun we have been having this week. In reality, there is little that the doctors can do to help since most of the problem is caused by a virus which must run its own course of choice for each of us.

Needless to say, I was unable to do any of the water exercises today. Now I can only hope to be able to return by the first of next week. Don't think all will be well before Friday of this week. I was hoping to begin going five days a week, but that will probably be another week away as well.

For the record, Allan offered to come take NascarKid and me to the doctor today, but I begged off and promised to make an appointment tomorrow is I don't seem to be getting better. My antibiotics will take me through tomorrow. The way my sinuses are feeling I probably will be calling the nurse to see if they can phone in a prescription to help me out until my regular appointment a little later in January.

Time was when the bug just didn't dare take me on as it does now. I could battle it off before it had a chance to show its nasty side. I know that I am older, but that should not be a great reason for the bug to win out. I am more inclined to think it is because I am not yet back to my old self since the surgeries and then banging my knee up. I do have to say that since I have began exercising that the bruising around my knee is beginning to dissipate a little.

I will be very happy when it all decides to evaporate and leaves me with a normal looking skin tone. I also will be happy to be able to sleep through a night - such as I sleep - without all the coughing, too. Least ways, maybe I can make it through the night in my bed tonight. The boys are not here to hog the corners and the middle while I try to keep from moving or taking a deep breath.

December 30,1999 - Yes, I toughed out and stayed the night in my bed, but there were those episodes when I was having to reach for another cough drop to suck on, or take a swig of the syrup straight from the bottle and when all else seemed to fail try a stick of gum to keep my throat moist. The gurgling, wheezing, tickling battle can wave it's white flag and give up any time now. I have decided. t is time for me to get back into some sort of routine other than being sickly to start out the new millennium. Who would want to look back at the beginning of the new century as, "That was when I was so sick with so and so...."

Tbird came by to pick up the boys' new off-road bikes. Neither of the boys rode them any while they were here. NascarKid was too sick, and guess DynoKid didn't want to ride by himself ... Allan came by to check on me. We decided that I would wait a little longer about maybe seeing the doctor. Hopefully, the worse is over. He took time to carry my Christmas presents up from the sunken room for me. I got some nice things, but just hadn't felt like going down to get them. I did send DynoKid to get my Tommy girl sweatshirt for me to wear the other day. I also got a really nice shirt with appliquéd angels, jacket, sweater, and a "Mean, Lean Meat Machine" or something like that which I will use because it does only a little stuff at a time.

In other words, cooking for one or two instead of a whole bunch. I can manage that. I got a hummingbird pewter clock, candles and some pictures, too. Allan made a collage of pictures he had snapped of me and the Grandkids through the year. He made ones for his wife and his mother-in-law, too. He pleasantly surprises us like that at times. We tend to forget how talented he is until he comes up with objects unexpectedly.

Cotton sent me a present for Christmas, but it took a side trip to Chicago over Christmas before arriving here. We are not sure why it took a detour in that direction. It arrived today. I love it! hat is it? A real grown-up toy for sure. She heard me make a comment about cameras and the computer and ordered me a digital camera! I read the directions for getting it to work and my very first picture with it was one of my last year's present from her. I took a picture of Oreo laying on my lap. Now I will have to learn to hook up the camera to the computer to download the pictures I take and create a photo album. It is a really small camera with a built in flash and all. I only have to aim and shoot . . . Another present I got this year is a trip to the groomer for Oreo and Charlie. I have to call and set up an appointment for them. Then I can use my new camera to take pictures of how well they look with clipped toes and shaped coiffures.

December 31,1999 - The last day of this century. I'm impressed with the program that our North Carolina Education channels has for the entire day. They are following the world through the welcoming into the new century. This morning is the Norwegian, Iceland, Peru areas. Such a wonderful sharing of worldwide traditional ceremonies for welcoming the elements of life. I shall continue watching some throughout the day with interest and perhaps desires that some day I could be there in that place taking in the beauty of the world being shared with us today. I always marvel at the great diversities of our great world and the people that share their own little corners of existence. One can only marvel at the creation of our world and all its peoples.

I have no plans for sharing this occasion with anyone. For me it will be another day with no plans of celebration, visitations or sharing with another - except my loyal companions and sidekicks, Charlie and Oreo. Maybe I should offer them a special treat this evening. I shall think on it.

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