Christmas, 2015

I guess the wonder really never goes out of Christmas, no matter how old you are.  We had a wonderful Christmas and hope that all of those that we love did as well.

 

I worked Christmas Eve and will be leaving for work this afternoon again, so Tony had a great idea and started our Christmas when I got home last night and opened a bottle of Asti.  I love Asti and usually have it for New Year's Eve.  It was a nice surprise.  We sat in the warmth of the evening on the Lanai, enjoying the unusual weather for this time of year.  It was 73 when I got home last night and is going up to 79 today.  Even for North Carolina, that is really mild weather for Christmas. 

 

We toasted each other and the times we have shared and started to plan our next year together--a big 27 years as "The Swegles!!"   

 

This morning, we opened our gifts, glad to be able to share some time together today.  After that, we had a wonderful meal and soon, I will be off again to the Emergency Room.  Hopefully, it will be a light day, patient wise. 

 

We talked to Donna, who will be down with Bob next week and I called Lynn.  Tony and I sent her a few gifts and she opened them while we were on the phone.  It wasn't much, but at least when she got up this morning, there were things under her tree, purchased for just her with our good wishes. 

 

"Santa Claus" wise, we got some really nice gifts.  I got Tony a book on Salvatore Dali, since he enjoyed the exhibit that he and David saw in Florida.  We got each other matching gift cards to Applebees and I got shooting lessons.   I know, not something you get everyday, but Tony listened to me.  Many years ago I was going through a dark period in my life.  I felt overpowered, angry and quite vulnerable.  I went to a pistol range with a friend of mine and learned how to fire at a paper target with a small pistol.  The only other experience I had with guns was when Bill and I were married.  We went to a friend's ranch and I was encouraged to try to skeet shoot.  I was handed a long rifle and ended up flat on my back in the dust and with a dislocated shoulder when I fired at the target.   But, shooting at the firing range was different.  I felt empowered and strong.  I knew at that point that no one was ever going to physically harm me again.  Now, that doesn't mean that I'm going to be "packing" every time I go out, or have the slightest desire to purchase a weapon, but there is a tiny piece of my mind that whispers to me not to be afraid anymore--and that is worth so much.  The other good thing about getting this gift is that Brenda also shoots, so it's something we can do together when she visits.  Can you imagine the conversation at work???  "So, Jan, what did you and Brenda do when she was visiting--lunch, massages, getting your nails done?"   "No," I would reply, "we went to the pistol range!"

 

Tony also got me some very nice clothes (he has great taste!) and a gift certificate for a massage--something I really need.  I got Tony a golf shirt since he has been golfing more lately and a "jogging suit" that I encouraged him to just walk in and not jog. 

 

So, all in all, this was a very nice Christmas.  Tomorrow, we are on the road to Charlotte to see Coleton and Anthony.  I'm back to work on Monday--some sadist put me on the schedule for 6:30 in the morning, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and then 11 to 11 p.m. on New Year's Eve.  Donna and Bob will be here to keep Tony company and I hope to be home in time to see the ball drop, bringing in 2016. 

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our family and friends.  May you have as wonderful a day as we did and a bright and healthy new year.

 

 

Highlights:

 

Dixie will sit for hours looking out the window at nothing....do you think we could get her to look up at Daddy so he could get a nice picture of her under the tree--nope--just like a kid!

Our stockings, in front of the fireplace

The tree without Dixie!!

A beautiful card from Tony

A beautiful stuffed bird--also from Tony!

 

Home Again

Well, once again, we went to Cleveland early in December to see the grandchildren, family and go to our Financial Planner's Christmas party.  The weather cooperated for once and we enjoyed brisk but mild weather.

We stayed with Rose and Joe in Macedonia and were glad to see that Joe is almost finished with his medical treatments and is doing well.    Rose made everything perfect.  Like Donna and Bob, they are fantastic hosts. 

We tried not to cram a bunch of activities in this time, as we were going to stay with Tony, Marie and family on the way back and I had to work the very next day. 

 

I just couldn't wait to see Ben, Sam, Ellie and Zach.  We took Lynn with us to see them and their new house and we had a nice visit.  We bought some games and played them after we got a tour of the house from Ben and Sam and then  looked at the ornaments on the Christmas tree.  Ben is getting so tall, I couldn't believe it.  Sam is the same--a short, loud, little bullet.  Ellie opened up to us a bit more than she did last year and I felt like I made some progress with Zach.  He talked to me about the game we were playing (Operation) and said the noise the game made scared him.   We worked on it for awhile and he got used to the noise enough to laugh when it happened.   As always, Jon was a great host.  He played a word game with Tony, Lynn, Ben and Sam and they did really well.  It was a fill in the blank kind of game and they really got into it.   As always, the kids were very into Papa and he took turns playing the games with them. 

 

All too soon it was time to leave until next year and head to TGI Fridays to see our niece, Sarah and her significant other, Steven.  It seems like we spent a lot of time in Cleveland just eating--and all of the food was great!!

 

We went to a new restaurant that Rose and Joe recommended, Jekyl's Kitchen in Chagrin Falls.  We got a great table overlooking the falls and met some people from Oklahoma at the next table.  We watched a young couple get engaged and checked out the ring as they left the restaurant.  What a fun time we had. 

 

And the next day was Sunday--football day, so we watched the Browns.  I was going to say that we watched the Browns play, but that's not exactly how to describe what they did.  It was one of those games where I wished we had a cheerleading team because I was sure if we put them in instead of the Browns, we may have had a chance to win.  Or, maybe the announcers, maybe even the old people in the front row--I think anyone could have out played the Browns that day.   Tony always says that being a true Browns fan isn't easy, but you have to stick with your team.   I guess we're true Browns fans!  Oddly enough, when we went back home, we went to the Front Street Brewery to see the game with San Fransisco at the Browns Backer Club.  Geez, what a difference--the Browns actually played like a football team.   AND THEY WON.  Go figure, they won.   

We saw Coleton and Anthony....oh, Tony and Marie, too, on the way back to Leland.  Coleton sang, "Rudolph the Red Nose Raindeer," to us and Anthony is walking.  All we have to do is blink and so much time has gone by. 

We are getting ready for Christmas and, of course, work.  I work Christmas Day from 3:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., and Christmas Eve too.    I had oral surgery on Tuesday and am glad it's over.

Here are some Cleveland highlights:

Ben

Ellie

Zach

Sam

 

Lynn and Ben

 

Ellie plays the turnover game with Ben while Jon looks on

Sam and Zach play Operation

 

 

Zach tosses the bean bags and wins!!

Zach, Sam, Papa, Ellie, Ben and me

Lynn, Sam, me Papa and Ellie

 

The three Tony's

 

Anthony says, "Why is walking so difficult????"

And, 5 minutes later...."This walking thing is a piece of cake!!"

 

Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night