all was not calm...

So Christmas 2017 is now history. In the books. We're moving straight to New Year’s Day 2018!

TLC and her family, My Sweet Hubby (MSH) and I attended my family’s Christmas celebration on Sunday, the 17^th. It was fun. Memorable. And, actually, important. (Maybe some day I’ll take a little time to explain why. Skipping that today so this won’t be my longest post in seven years of blogging! Sigh.)

On that Tuesday (the 19^th), I went to TLC’s for the afternoon and night—in order to stay with The Little Princesses while their Mom and Dad went to Dad’s Bible Study Christmas Party. I woke up that Wednesday morning with a surprising medical issue I’d not had in years. And years. And YEARS. (Listen, I’m not going into details. There’s no point. Trust me when I say I was annoyed and in pain. Confident I could take care of it myself.) I decided not to panic. Left for our country casa around 5:00 that evening and got up Thursday morning ready to get some OTC meds and move on and forward!

I headed to town to the pharmacy for what I thought I needed. Plus, like all of Y’all, I had other necessary/last-minute-ish errands. When I got home I did something I never, ever, EVER do: I stayed dressed. (I ALWAYS head for my bedroom to immediately get comfy, changing into my jammy pants, a t-shirt, and my UGG slippers.) I laughed at myself after about an hour of cleaning, etc., in my cute little Christmas vest and sassy black booties. I decided I’d watched so many Hallmark movies the past month I thought I was one of the actresses that owns a B&B and spends her days and nights being a housekeeper and cook/chef for all her family and guests. While dressed in her most charming Christmas ensembles.  Teeheehee.

After dinner, I realized I could be in trouble with my new health problem. I semi-panicked, knowing my primary care physician’s office might not even be open the next day (typically, on “normal” Fridays, they close at noon…this was the Friday before Christmas Eve…sheesh…). I began becoming worried MSH and I would have to make an expensive trip to our ER. Not something I wanted to do. I rallied myself and became determined I wasn’t going to be in the hospital for Christmas.

I went to bed. Stayed there all that day. Saturday. Sunday (Christmas Eve). Doggedly Determined I would be at TLC’s on Christmas Day to see Little Leighton’s (aka LL) and Baby Elle’s (aka Belle) Santa Haul. MSH became My Sweet Nurse/Caregiver. I love him.

Meanwhile, TLC and Her Hubby were hosting his family for a Christmas Eve Brunch. Christmas Day they were, once again (after having Thanksgiving at their casa—I don’t know when TLC became such a driven, silly young woman…), hosting me and MSH, my parents and one of my two sisters and her son for a late Christmas Lunch. TLC's Christmas Week was jammed pack full of planning, cooking, laundry, cleaning, organizing, and wrapping, all while trying to stay CALM and focused. While reading depressing texts from me. (So sorry, TLC. I was often delirious.)

We made it to TLC’s casa on Christmas Day! Thank You, Lord. It was beyond wonderful.

This past Tuesday, I reached my doctor’s office/nurse first thing. They called me in a script. Confirmed she'd give me a referral to a specialist. (Checked with said specialist to make sure he'd be in his office after the first of the new year.) Got to crack-a-lackin’ on getting myself well. It’s been slow. Maybe semi-steady. I don’t know. I can tell you this: Getting old is HELL, Young Folks. HELL. You simply do not rally as fast as you once did.

We’ve been warned by our Weather Peeps for over a week that North Central Texas will experience a cold blast of frigid air—and possibly sleet and ice—tonight. Many, many of us have prepared to hunker in and down—celebrating New Year’s Eve and Day at home. Cozy. Warm. Wise. MSH and I? Ready. Heartbroken for all the people in America who are experiencing horrid/dangerous weather.

Tuesday Belle is going to come stay with MSH/Pa-Pa and I/Grammy for a couple of nights! We can’t wait. It’ll be our first time to keep just her since she was born—twenty-one months ago! Little Leighton is getting excited about having “Mama Time!” They have plans to see a couple of movies and have a Mom/Daughter mani-pedi. We’re all praying the weather holds and NO ONE GETS SICK. Flu is rampant. Cold germs are EVERYWHERE. (LL has already had an on-going cold for days and days. Belle has not been as sick—but has had some ickiness. A Walmart checker coughed in my face Thursday afternoon—telling me she had fever. I came home and ate an orange for Vitamin C. I’m sure that’ll help, right?)

TLC and I want to once again thank each of you who follow our blog and our cRaZy lives for your on-going interest, friendship, and kindness. Y’all are FABULOUS. We wish you ALL a HAPPY NEW YEAR! (Picture me tooting one of those little horn thingies…)

May 2018 be your BEST YEAR EVER.

Love and Smooches and BIG HUGS!

ELC