For Amy.

As can be imagined, I have been so busy that the holiday decorations simply had not happened yet. The holidays have always been a wonderful time for me but this year just looked bleak. Add to that my stupid new curtains. After three years, I finally ordered custom drapes for the living room. It took four months, but they arrived and the decorators hung them for me. In the photo to the left, you can see that they don’t…meet…in the middle. Groan. How can I decorate a tree in front of a window where I may have to take the drapes down? Grrr. Humbug. So I asked my mom to help me decorate and play with Ainsley while Carlton and my dad went to a ball game.

(side note, thought train derailed) Ainsley’s hair has been much calmer lately, until she fell asleep right after her shower. Rock-adoo, cockatoo! The look on her face only adds to the overall effect.

Due to the weather, my sister and her family camped at our house. As we played with babies, my brother, out for some sneaky holiday shopping, decided to stop to see us. I decorated the tree listening to carols and chatting with my siblings and mom. It was warm and happy and I enjoyed putting up the tree for once! I usually do it alone (by choice). They weren’t actually helping me, but the chatting made it so enjoyable. The best moment might have been when my brother decided to help by throwing ornaments at the tree and that was where they had to stay. It was hilarious. That poor little reindeer looks like…well, it looks like it hit the tree at high speed. Splat!

I tried to explain to my siblings (one looked at me like I was nuts) that having all the kids there made the house feel alive. It was so great to me. It looked like the floor had spewed a bunch of toys and I didn’t care. I love having family and friends around.

Sunday was calmer and quieter. I missed all the commotion. Here’s Ainsley in her hand-me-down clothes (Colts games means she wears blue!), sucking her thumb in her sleep. It was so quiet that she was asleep in the foyer.

Thanks to Amy for the meme- I love lazy blogging!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? It used to always be beautiful coordinated paper and bows. Now I reuse gift bags or don’t wrap at all (greener that way).
2. Real tree or Artificial? I have only had live trees when my parents were cutting the volunteer trees in their yard. My artificial tree is tall and thin, and I spent two solid days stringing thousands of lights on it the first year I bought it, in 1999. I’ve kept the strands on it every year and it makes life a lot easier.
3. When do you put up the tree? I always try for the weekend of the beginning of Advent, but it’s usually behind schedule.
4. When do you take the tree down? Christmas doesn’t end on Christmas day! The celebration after the day is when the true meaning is discussed, not just presents.
5. Do you like eggnog? I adore it. I like the stuff you buy, but even more, the homemade “Crème Noel” that my husband makes. One year, we got high-tech and tried to use my beer chiller to chill it. That custard was not as thick! Food science at work. Anyway, a little nutmeg on top and it’s the best eggnog in the world.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I honestly don’t know.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Definitely. I truly believe that this season is to remind us of the whole world preparing for a savior.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My father-in-law.
9. Easiest person to buy for? My brother. He enjoys anything, as long as it’s thoughtful.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Neither!
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? It was a White Elephant gift, but it was a pair of used, rabbit fur earmuffs. Gross.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? None. I think that I might finally watch A Christmas Story just to stop people from saying “you haven’t seen that yet??”
13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, but only if the new recipient would really love the gift.
14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Egg nog and my mom’s wreath cookies.
15. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear. Though I may have one small colored light tree for the kids.
16. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night. When sung well, my eyes well with tears at the thought of what it must have been like.
17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel. Ugh. I love the visits, but wish the family were closer.
18. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Only if I sing the Rudolph song, and even then I sometimes say “Donner” twice.
19. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We used to open one gift on Christmas Eve, and it was always our Christmas pajamas. Lately it’s just whatever gift my parents want us to have that night. It’s so fun to sit around and chat after Mass, just being together.
20. Most annoying thing about this time of year? The fact that so much of the real meaning is lost. I went to the mall for the first time in ages and was assaulted by a bunch of junky gifts by retailers. Sad.
21. Favorite ornament theme or color? My parents started me on a tradition of one ornament per year. I now have Carlton’s, too, so we have a special tree for our kid ornaments and Ainsley’s first ornament.
22. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Sort of all year. I am not a big shopper; I’d rather give/receive less and spend more time cooking and being together.
23. What do you want for Christmas this year? Not much, though the length of my Amazon list begs to differ!
24. Angel or star on top of tree? Angel. The one on the big tree at my house is very well-coordinated with the ribbons/ornaments.
25. What do/did you leave for Santa? We left cookies and milk, and often letters. My family and I had a debate about Santa this weekend. I’m more in favor about telling my kid about the wonderful tradition of Santa, but not pretending that he’s real. Obviously, in a family as traditional as mine, that causes raised eyebrows. But that’s OK. I’ve always been the weird one anyway.

The biopsy from Sunny’s latest surgery revealed that the tumor was cancer.  Stage II cancer, and there are three stages.

The vet thinks that they did get all of the cancerous growth; however, he wants to check her lymph system just to be sure.  She’s scheduled for this procedure on 21 December and we should have results a week or two later.

Her demeanor is so good.  She has no idea what’s up.  I wonder if she feels better now that the tumor is gone, or if it had any effect on her at all.  I’m giving her lots of love and that’s all I can do for now.

Considering my pet’s mortality is difficult.  I struggled with euthanasia for my fish, for crying out loud, so it’s going to be even harder for my dog who has been with me for 11 years.  Right now I’m thinking that if the cancer is in her lymph system too, then chemo is our only option other than allowing it to progress.  Chemotherapy for a dog doesn’t seem like something I want to do.  She will feel miserable and not know why.  I don’t want to extend her life just so I feel better, either.

I will update as we learn more.

Well, my sweet old doggie is minus one potentially cancerous growth and plus one 3-4 inch sutured cut.  She is happy and acting totally normal, despite the funny looking sock around her neck so she can’t scratch it.

The crummy news is that her heart murmur has gone from stage I to stage III.  I learned that dogs with class I heart disease generally have a life expectancy of 2 to 4 years. Dogs with class II to IV heart disease have an average life expectancy of only a few months.

So she’s back to the vet later this month, and she’s on special food to try to help her fluids.  She’s coughing from the fluid in her lungs.  Her demeanor is bright and, well, sunny, so I don’t feel her quality of life is bad.

The good thing is, because of the tumor, we found this heart issue and we may be able to prolong her happy little life.  I truly think she’ll be OK.

Oh, and total cost of the surgery? $400.  There goes my holiday fund!  I would like for pet lovers everywhere to realize the steep cost of bringing one home and giving it the care it needs.  Even if your family can’t afford a $10000 hip replacement or chemo for dogs, at least invest in flea/heartworm meds and such.  Pets are expensive.  And worth every cent.

Just left Sunny at the vet.  She has a growth that might be cancer.  I just pray my old girl will be OK.  I’ll post again this afternoon.

…sometimes you’re the bug. Last week, I screwed up making couscous. Couscous, people! Here is the complex recipe:

1. Boil water.
2. Add couscous.

And yet I ruined it.

Yesterday, I forgot to change my shoes at work. Due to the longish (10-minute) walk from my car, I Working-Girl it and wear some stylish but comfy Merrell shoes. They’re brown, and my pants black, so when I Mister-Rogers it and change shoes at my desk, I pick shoes to match my outfit. Yes, I have a shoe collection in my coat closet at the office. Work with me here.

I went to a very important meeting full of people who wear designer clothes and have no clue what Working-Girl means (in the context of shoes). Doh! There I was with brown shoes and black pants. Ugly.

Back at my desk, I changed into my Mary Janes and proceeded my usual clomping through the halls. Then this happened.

Can’t a girl catch a break?

Our day started yesterday morning at four.  It ended after midnight.  Ainsley was very good all day, considering the fact that we dressed her up, strapped her in her car seat 5 times, drove a total of 7 hours, put her in unfamiliar situations, and wanted her to nap on a quilt on the floor instead of her bed.   There were a few times during the day when she was crying inconsolably but we were there to try to comfort her and we worked as a team.

I’m really thankful (really!) about yesterday.  I’m glad that we have family that’s worth going through the trouble to see.  I’m happy that Ainsley has so many people who love her.  And I’m especially happy that she could end the day in her own bed and wake up in familiar surroundings.  Her sleep-wake schedule is a mess but she’s been eating well.

Today I have some cooking to do.  We’re hosting Thanksgiving at our house on Saturday and most of my dishes can be made ahead.  They’re twists on traditional favorites: an apple-cranberry pie, pumpkin mousse tart, green bean and shiitake casserole, and Asian-spiced fried turkey.  I won’t be eating any of the turkey myself but my new eating habits are mine alone; I don’t need to force it on anyone else.

We bought a foam football to toss in the yard and we have strollers to take the kids on walks.  Hopefully our Thanksgiving will be full of tradition…and we can start some new ones, too.

Sunday?  Well, I’ll be going to church with Ainsley and, other than that, I plan to sleeeeeep!