The wurster, the better

I’m sitting here having fed our dog Annabelle, our cat October and our new kitten visitor Pirate for the holidays. Pirate is Tabitha’s cat who needed some peace around the apartment to get her finals done. She will be back next weekend for Christmas. Alicia was also up and wanted breakfast. She is getting good at starting to get her own breakfast. Soon she will be doing it all.

We set up the Christmas tree and decorations this week. Maria has a few more to put up. We have so many containers and boxes in the attic and elsewhere. We need to label them this year when they are put away. I don’t want to have to take them all down because Maria is looking for one or two specific things. Which she found this year in a box I had already brought down. Boy are my legs and knees sore. I am not as young as I used to and going up and down into the attic is stressful.

I feel pretty much in the Christmas spirit but don’t have a clue what to get my family. With the economy not being good and with our expenses, I can’t afford to buy things we don’t need. So, I’ll put on my thinking cap and ponder. Hmmm!

Jeannie dug out some Norman Rockwell plates she had in her house that her mother had or gave her. We have some, too. She wants to get rid of them which is why they are now in my office. I’m thinking of selling them online but will wait until after the holidays.

Been looking at pictures of baby Maddy and can’t wait to see her and Kristy and Ricardo over Christmas. And can’t wait for Kelly and Galen’s baby to arrive in January. The family is growing.

I saw this recipe for Jingle Bell Cookie Pizza that we hope to try.

I finished up a little around the house job I had to do since December. I hung a curtain rod and curtains my daughter Tabitha bought us for Christmas. And she was there (home from school) to witness it. What a coincidence!

I also started preparing for a video taping job for the Transition Town Media initial meeting tonight. And I redesigned a web site I’m building for a singer-songwriter friend Michelle. It took a little thought but I figured it out (as I sometimes do).

My other daughter Alicia has been struggling these past several weeks since her one-on-one buddy stopped. Her behaviors have deteriorated especially the grabbing (for no apparent reason). I’m really hoping that the new buddy and day program that will begin tomorrow will help in all of this. I’m sure it will improve things but will take some time.

I recently heard someone who has a child with autism say “What others achieve by chance, we struggle with every day”. She was referring to the simple every day things that our children are presented with every day and learn from. Unfortunately, our autistic children are more literal in their thinking and reasoning and don’t always get it. It is definitely a struggle for us parents (and those in the community) to help our children and help others understand them.

I finally had a chance to go to the township to ask about putting a patio in our backyard and how it would be affected or limited by the manhole cover (storm sewer) access. They said there needed to be 10 feet all around it for access. Oh well, there goes our patio ideas.

I also told them about a rotting tree on the other side of the property fence in the back (in Target’s side). They said they would contact Target and that they were usually good about these requests. Surprisingly, an hour later, someone from Target came over and looked at the tree and said someone would come over next week or so to take care of it. They said they might need access to our property if that was okay and I said sure. Let’s see what happens.

I thought I would jot down some of the things I got from my family for Christmas.

• California Guitar Trio “The First Decade” CD
• Robert Plant & Alison Krauss “Raising Sand” CD
• a Johns Hopkins University sweatshirt
• sweat sox
• underwear
• candy canes and other candy
• Dunkin Donuts coffee (regular and hazelnut)
• David Dye’s “The World Cafe” book (and accompanying DVD)
• a Dunkin Donuts ornament
• hand lotion
• shower gel
• glass tea mug and peppermint tea
• another sweatshirt (dark green and warm)

I’ve been up for a little while now. I took the last bunch of presents upstairs and put them under the tree, after Santa Claus dropped them off. I made myself a pot of peppermint coffee that Maria got us. Makes the house smell like a candy cane. After all the preparation and stress and worrying and getting irritated and whatever, the event will all be over soon after everyone gets up and opens their presents.

Will you get what you want? I guess it depends on what you want and what your perspective is. I certainly didn’t ask for anything because I seem to have everything I need except for one very large, extremely important thing that appears to be out of my (and our) reach forever. But I guess that’s okay and I will be happy and thankful for what I have and who I have in my life.

I hope we and you all enjoy each other for as long as you have each other.

Yesterday, we had a great time at my Mom’s house visiting with my brothers and their families (at least all who could make it). We had a delicious dinner, turkey and stuffing and cranberry casserole from Butch and Joyce, ham from Ed and Sheryl, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, creamed corn, gravy and salad. Then we had brownies, muffins, cookies, pumpkin and apple pie for dessert, along with coffee. Needless to say we were all stuffed.

It was good seeing Butch and Joyce and Galen and Kelly and Ed and Sheryl and Eleni. I did get a good feeling, Christmas is here.

I took some pictures as did Sheryl. I should have them on in my photo album soon.

Another busy day today, as we’ll be going back up to Mom’s to see Donna and Gregg (and Kristy?). Then we need to be home for mass tonight.