My leukemia's back.

[N F C]

Blooie, that's wonderful Ashley was able to be home for Thanksgiving! Glad to hear her chicken pox has cleared up. That is one tough little girl, good for her

Better invest in some ear muffs Blooie. The first winter I went from long hair to short, I walked around wrapped up in a scarf and a hat...couldn't believe how cold my neck and ears were.

 

[donrae]

We went out to get our Christmas tree yesterday. I had a hat, so the ears were covered, but the neck was so cold! I need to make a few scarves, I think mine have all went walkies over the years. And I don't think I'm growing my hair out that long again, so scarves it is!

I can do hats that cover my ears, but ear muffs bother me for some reason. Hoods and hats are my friends.

Oh, that reminds me. someone gave me a pattern book for hooded scarves last year, I never made any. Now I'm trying to use up all my yarn, I should find that book!

 

[lazy gardener]

donrae, my husband started going to town with me and I thought "wow, after 27 years of marrage he finally likes to go to town (30 miles away) with me." WRONG, he just figured out it was cheaper for him to go follow me around. don't know how he thought that would work he rarely suggest "no", hardly ever says no and when he does I usually do what I want anyway. That's bitten me in the butt a few times, but I won't admit that to him

. Marriage is knowing "they" were right, "you" were wrong but never actually having to admit it. when they know you know they were right and you were wrong and that's enough for them. anyway I have several stores I can never go to alone... pet stores, stines lumber, home hardware, tractor supply.. to name a few. tractor supply is to me like most people's wal mart experience. and I always seem to find something I don't need, but I might need at stines lumber.. is this normal? ... and I can never buy one animal (it might get lonely), and I can never leave only one left - I just have to buy it too (it might get lonely being left behind). so that's why I can never go to these places alone. I do love my hubby for putting up with me.

 

[Blooie]

My nemesis is jewelry stores. Couldnt get hooked on a category we could afford - oh, no, not Blooie!

Here's the picture of Ashley decorating the tree. She was standing on a step stool and her brother, behind her, was on another. Linda and Russ always get a minimum 10 foot tree. Then the Saturday after Thanksgiving they have a pot luck dinner - lots of leftovers, too - and all of their kids and 12 grandkids come and decorate. Each family has their boxes of ornaments neatly marked and they dig in and get it done! So much fun to be part of it this year and last. At one point Linda looked up at me sadly and said, "I was just thinking .... Last year at this time when you were here and we did this we didn't know Ash was sick." But in true Linda fashion she shook it right back off and dove back in. The "kid" in front of Ashley is her mom, Jenna. Ignore the funky lighting effect - Linda's year old grandson was exploring my iPad earlier and kept trying to eat the camera lens on it. Thought I'd cleaned it, but I guess not!

 

[N F C]

Wonderful photo Blooie. And what a fun tradition for the whole family!

 

[Suzie]

Blooie..great image of the kids decorating the tree...their concentration on the matter in hand is wonderful...each giving their own individual contribution...

May God and all of the angels from heaven come, comfort and cure all illness...for everyone suffering...wherever they are in the world...that would be my Christmas wish for the world this year and forever more...

 

[Blooie]

Thanks, guys! Sure glad we got to see her. I got so wrapped up in how to get those stoopid chickens back to my brother that I forgot to pack the box of puzzles for Ash and her siblings, but I'll mail it off first thing in the morning. She asked me, "Antie, did you remember the puzzles?" Ooops.

 

[donrae]

Look at all her hair! Sheesh Blooie, she almost has more than you do now

 

[Blooie]

. That's exactly what Ken said! And her hair used to be white/blonde and super fine. It's coming in darker and much thicker. She knows the next round of stronger chemo is coming soon, as soon as her counts come back up, and she knows she's going to lose it again. But now that she actually knows it will come back, she's okay with it. She even asked me if I cut mine for her. Of course we all lied through our teeth and said I did. Hey, I got a hug out of it!

 

[N F C]

She sounds like a real sweetheart Blooie (in addition to being one tough little girl).