James isn't feeling great (a day or so behind my "cold") and I am feeling better, but still not 100%.  Rissy wasn't feeling right - stomach upset.  Despite all the "symptoms," Jesse convinced us to get out of the house for a while.

The wind was horrible, but we took a less traveled road to Sam's and did some major "meat" shopping.  I say that, because that's where we stock up on ground beef, lamb chops, roasts, etc.  You can imagine the grocery bill!!!

In preparation for our Super Bowl party (I'm still not certain who is playing!!! LOL), we bought some old favorites and some new "party food" - and, by that I mean appetizers.  We always fix barbecued beef lil' smokies and Velveeta cheese dip.  This year we are having our favorites: mini quiches and mini tortilla roll ups.  We added a new type of chicken.  The Tyson boneless buffalo wings were too spicy for the girls & the adults weren't crazy about the flavor .  This year's chicken is precooked fried chicken strips and I hope they don't taste warmed over!  I like to serve them with ranch salad dressing or barbecue sauce for dipping.  I also found some mini bread bowls stuffed with cream cheese concoctions.  I always serve a veggie tray with dip and an array of olives & pickles.  Thus, the reason Jesse and I end up with indigestion the night AFTER the Super Bowl!!!  The girls love getting involved and I think the "mini size food" is something different and appealing to them.  Little fingers like little food!

While at Sam's, we stocked up on some other things and, much to my dismay, I realized I now have two huge bottles (quart size) of Adolf's meat tenderizer!  I found 3 great activity books for Rissy (she likes to learn in her spare time!!!) and a wonderful book about the human body.  It has overlays that build the body parts as you turn the pages.  It was only $10, so we snatched it up.

My friend, Tina, who sews for me, sent some wonderful CD's and tapes with my last order of clothing.  I'm enjoying them so much.  She had no way of knowing that the musical CD she sent was one I had contemplated ordering for the past 3 or so years!  "Amazing Grace" by The Antrim Mennonite Choir.  Just beautiful!  And, all sung without music behind it!  I'm listening to it as I type.

The winds have really kicked up today and I'm glad our lunch plans to meet the guys' OTHER brother has been canceled.  We had planned to drive to a city, in between us, to meet for lunch and to visit.  Frank had to cancel late last night.  The winds are atrocious today - close to 40mph!  It would make driving dangerous.  The gusts are incredibly strong and are causing power outages and structural damage.  The sound between our neighbor's house and ours (only about 15 feet separate us) woke me up this morning.  It sounded like waves from the ocean crashing on the shore.  I peeked through the blinds behind my nightstand and the scene was one from "The Wizard of Oz" - trash flying in circles in the air.  Just a prelude to the rest of the week's cold temps and wind, AND, a definite end to our spring-like weather!  That's Oklahoma for you!

Cat Story:  Jesse and I had a good laugh, last night.  We stayed up late to watch a movie and could hear the wind progressively picking up speed.  We could feel a draft through our thin window panes as we sat on the sofa in the den.  Jesse looked into the next room and saw our silk fig tree shaking.  The cause?  Stormy the cat playing with the base of the tree.  Jesse said, "You're right, dear, we need new windows.  The wind is blowing right through them and rocking the fig tree in the formal living room!"  The sound of the wind made the rocking fig tree entirely plausible!

If I go outside today, I think I'll carry a bowling ball to anchor me to the ground!

We had a late breakfast, so I didn't have to fix lunch.  Since I've baked all afternoon, Jesse and I agreed that Subway sandwiches (on sale on Sundays) sounded good for our dinner tonight.

I made several things from my Amish friendship bread starter.  A 9" x 13" pan of brownies.  Two loaves of pistachio nut bread.  Two loaves of pumpkin bread.  A square pan and small loaf pan of lemon bread.  It's no wonder I'm tired of standing.

Jesse is at Wal-Mart getting milk and a few other essentials.  Before he left he rubbed my upper back.  I thought it was aching from standing in the kitchen for hours on end, but I think it is the bronchitis hurting me.  I'm feeling better today, but still coughing and blowing.  Poor James is coming down with a cold now.  I feel bad because I tried so hard to wash, wash, wash my hands.

It's a gorgeous day today and the girls played outside for the longest time in short sleeves.  Tomorrow is supposed to be even nicer.  I think mid 70's.

About Jesse-boy's & my anniversary yesterday:  Jesse-boy (my cat, for anyone who doesn't know) woke me up at 6am demanding his special anniversary dinner!  No kidding.  He meowed all day and declined all the cat food that was offered him.  As is our normal celebration for him on January 26th each year, we made chicken so he could have chicken thigh meat - his all time favorite thing to eat.  I roasted two chickens for our dinner and he hovered like a shark!  I had to go get him from his bed in Jesse's (husband) closet when it was finally time to serve dinner.  We laughed at him devouring his plate of shredded meat - he never looked up from his plate!  He hardly has any "working teeth" left and can't manage chewing shredded things, but he must have been determined and had no problem eating his special dinner!  Eighteen years!  What a good pet he's been.  I still remember the night I got him!  I'd lost a 6 year old cocker spaniel in November and it devastated me.  I didn't want to get close to any more animals.  I called Jesse-boy "cat" for months.  Then he wormed his way into my heart!

Just overheard the girls talking.  Rissy asked what was wrong with Luci who was sitting quietly on the sofa reading.  I told her she was just being quiet.  I heard Rissy tell Annamarie, "Boy, you sure don't see that very often!"  Then Luci went into the kitchen with the older girls and Annamarie asked Luci why she came inside and didn't stay with them outdoors to play.  Luci told her, "My heart was beeping really fast."

All three of them were sitting at the table last night and chattering away.  I asked Jesse what he thought they talked about all the time.  He had no idea but we smiled while we listened to them.  They sounded like a bunch of magpies just jabbering up a storm.  At least we knew where all 3 of them were and what they were doing!

Rissy's birthday is at the end of February and she wants a luau birthday party this year.  She has wanted one since her last Mexican birthday party in February 2007!  She decided yesterday that she wants Hawaiian chicken and fruit for her birthday meal - in keeping with the Hawaiian theme!  She wants tikki torches around the table but I explained those weren't meant for indoor parties!

I'm going to go try my hand at my Brain Age game to see if I can lower my brain's age score!  I was rated at 90 years old when I first tried a few weeks ago (oh well!!!) and got the score down to around age 46 or 48.  I don't know how accurate it is, I'm sure it's not; but, I'm having fun trying to get smarter!

It started with a doctor's visit.  Yes, my "cold" worsened late yesterday and I was using my asthma inhaler way too often.  I called early today to get in to see whichever doctor had an opening.  I have the beginning of bronchitis and was glad I didn't wait until Monday to be seen.  The doctor was wonderful, as they always are at this new place, and gave me directions to take leftover prescriptions I had from my last bout with lung problems - so that cost me nothing.  She gave me samples of some expensive antibiotics - so THAT cost me nothing.  I'm so glad we didn't have to pay a huge bill this time and I DO hope that I caught my infection early enough that it doesn't progress.  I sure don't want to go through what I did last year.

I'm not really feeling all that bad and, since I was dressed, went to lunch with Jesse, his brother and the girls for Mexican food.   I don't have much of an appetite, but it hit the spot on this cold and windy day.

James changed his flight's return date yesterday from Feb. 11th to March 13th.  I'm really enjoying our visit and he is "easy company" to have in our home.  I cook what I usually do and he's always polite and says thanks, afterwards.  He does his own laundry and is the perfect house guest!  Couldn't ask for any more!

Luci was sleepy at lunch, so she and I came home.  She threw a fit (one of those monster big ones) before falling off to sleep.  She's still asleep!

Jesse and James took Rissy and Annamarie to rent MORE MOVIES (I know! I know!  I think we've rented every movie ever made, by now!) and they just returned with drinks from Sonic.  I was brought a cherry, cherry, vanilla, vanilla Coke.  I had to ask James what Jesse had ordered for me because, after sipping it, I realized I have no sense of taste.  It was wet and fizzy and that's all I knew!

We have a quiet weekend planned.  James and Jesse had thought about traveling to Amarillo to see their dad, but Jesse didn't want to leave me home alone - feeling sick, and all.  I really don't feel all that bad (breathing was a bit tough last night - that's all) and I think I would have been fine by myself, but he was playing it safe on the off chance this bronchial "thing" worsened.

He also bought a Stouffer's lasagna for me to pop in the stove for dinner tonight.  That and a pre-tossed salad are on the menu for us!  Sounds like a winner.  My husband's "the babe" in my book!

Jesse-boy (the cat) continues to do very well after his steroid injection.  He comes out of his hiding spot in the closet looking for attention and he's eating better.  This may be the key to keeping him comfortable for his remaining time left with us.

Guess I'll see what movies they brought home this time!

I put a turkey in the oven this morning (yes, I'm trying again!) and we had Campbell's soup for lunch.  The girls have helped me clean today.  Luci stayed home from daycare yesterday and today because of her cold, so she hung out with Rissy while she cleaned and she received explicit instructions from her older sister!  Believe me, I heard IT ALL!!!

Jesse went to lunch with his brother.  They met their aunt who had an hour break for lunch.  Then, he dropped his brother back here at the house and went into a friend's pawn shop to help him for a few hours this afternoon.

My house smells like Pine Sol and everything has been dusted and vacuumed while I sat around all day blowing my nose or sneezing.  The Pine Sol has done a number on my throat.  REALLY scratchy, now!  I'm looking forward to instant mashed potatoes, green beans, extra sweet corn, and sweet Hawaiian rolls with my turkey.  I CAN smell the turkey a bit - an improvement from this morning, when I could smell nothing.  I'll watch "American Idol" tonight and continue to be a slug, and maybe tomorrow  I'll experience a miraculous recovery!

We're having very cold temperatures and I'm so grateful I don't have to be anywhere out of the house today.  Jesse said he'd take the girls to their Thursday and Friday appointments if I still don't feel well.  We're fully stocked with groceries, so in my chair (or on the sofa) I sit indulging myself in laziness!

P.S.  Jesse-boy is moving around a little better today.  I think the steroid shot has helped him a bit, although his tail still drags on the ground.  Poor little guy!

It was decided, after a VERY thorough exam, that he is suffering from neurological deterioration and probably doesn't have much feeling in his organs and tail.  Eventually it will take over more of his body, but he's not on death's door - not today.  Thus, the decision to give him a steroid shot and bring him home. 

He still purrs, "talks" to me, and eats well; and, those signs, all combined, mean he has a bit of time left.  This coming Saturday, I will have had him 18 years.  He was already 1-2 years old when I got him, a stray.  So, I'm realistic with my expectations, but also hate to play God by having him euthenized before necessary.  I'm all for putting a pet out of their misery when in pain, but not before that moment.  I think, as humans, we should have the right to stop others from trying to "save us" or prolong our life when the end is inevitable.

This will mean a little extra care, on my part (and Jesse-husband is helping) because that's what geriatrics is all about.  But, he's been a wonderful cat companion for all of these years and I do my "duty" willingly.

Pray, if you will, that my cat's remaining life is spent comfortably and my sanity (as the ultimate outcome will eventually come to pass) remains intact.

It's a really cold day - AGAIN. The wind isn't as bad as it was yesterday, but it's still chilling weather.  No end to the chilly temps for the rest of the 7 day forecast and maybe more precipitation Monday or Tuesday.  All we had this week was a dusting of snow that the wind blew away.

I'm making taco salads for dinner.  I was supposed to make them last night, but it was just so cold that spicy barbecued chicken legs, macaroni and cheese, black eyed peas, green beans and dinner rolls sounded like an appropriate cold weather meal and a better choice.  Jesse is the one out in the cold today and he likes taco salads, regardless of the weather.  Jesse has taken Luci to her appointment this afternoon and Rissy went with him to "keep him company" (more like, "to get out of the house for a while")!

I'm so sick of watching movies.  We watched one last night that Stephanie had recommended, "Stardust."  I wasn't impressed: it was just "okay" - but, we did watch it until the end.   Jesse and James went to the rental place again today to return our movie stash and brought home more!  I think the movies are more for James, than Jesse.  In fact, I think in our entire ten years of marriage, Jesse hasn't watched this many movies!

I'm glad "American Idol" is back on television.  And, we enjoyed watching "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader" last night.  I was disgusted with "American Idol's" winner two years ago, but watched it again last season.  I was a little downcast at the choice of finalists last year and doubted, again, I would get hooked this year.  I think, due to nothing else to do during the winter months, Fox will nab me again this year.  I'm such a sucker!

I had a thrilling moment this morning.  During school, I needed to kill some time to allow Annamarie to finish an assignment.  I asked Rissy to pick a new book and had her read it to me.  She read, without faltering, all but two words - basket and daisy.  We've barely touched on reading and phonics and she amazed me with the ease she had when reading.  While Annmarie and I were gone yesterday, Jesse told Rissy to take out an activity workbook and do something in it.  When I came home, she showed me a completed page of about 25 (or more) addition problems.  All with neatly written answers and 100% accuracy.  I was sure Jesse had helped her, but she had done it on her own. 

We finally started on the other school books I'd been wanting to teach.  The older girls are learning about America and the different states and whether they are mountainous, flat, etc.  They will also get a bit of world geography, mainly the continents and their names.

I'm going to start a fire to take the nip out of the air in here.  We are keeping our thermostat lower than usual, and evenings and mornings sometimes feel a bit cool.  I'm not sure that the heating bill has shown it's worth turning down the temperature, but we're doing it anyway!  I'm off to start a fire!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Yesterday afternoon, Jesse and James went to visit their mother and took Annamarie and Rissy with them.  Yes!  I had the house to myself for a few hours.  I can't say that I did self-centered things that I can only do when alone, but I did sing a lot (something I hate to do - always worried I'll get on someone else's nerves!) and took a leisurely shower.  It was just enough time to rejuvenate my calm!