***Welcome To The New Cruise Countdown Club***

Yes his daughter and X on in law came yesterday. He did two of the dining room chairs. He cut the legs off a few inches and put rollers on. The chairs are so heavy to move so with tye rollers it will be much better. He will come back and do the other 4 chairs.

Tinker was whinning again this morning, I gave her a pain pill and she seemed better and went to sleep. I took Bill over to the farm todo some work and I went up town to buy some presents. When we got home Icouldn't find Tinker. We looked all over and I finally liiked under the bed. She was wedged all the way under next to the middle support. The only way I could get her out was to take off the matress, have Bill hold up the box springs and lift her out. She was barely breathing. I thought we would both have a heart attach lifting that matress back on the bed. I sat with Tinker for a while then covered her up and let her sleep. I have been checking on her every half hour or do and she is still breathing very shallow. I don't know if she will recover this time or not, doesn't look good. I just hate this! So hard.

Sharon, I am so sorry to hear about Tinker. It is always very hard to loose a good friend.

We are going to Naperville this afternoon for a wake of a friend of our's sister that lost her life to suicide. Very sad for the family. Then afterwards we are going out to an Irish Pub there that we have been to before with Bill's son and GS. They live in that town.

I am sure you did not get much sleep last night. I will say a prayer for you. Peace.

Kathy

Unbelievably Tinker has pulled through and is still with us. She is not as good as before but she is trying to carry on. I was so sure she was going to die that night.

I am having trouble with our phone line and my computer is with AT&T so its not working to go. It only rings 2 times and then sounds like a fax machine. I don't have a fax connected and I unplugged my computer just in case it was doing something to the phone line. Crazzy can't figure out where a fax sound is coming from. Also we can't hardly get to the phone with only 2rings and no one can leave a message. Phone co says they will have it fixed by Friday at 6pm. However they don't know what the problem is because I spoke to a machibe not a person.

Too bad about the suicide, hard o the family I'm sure and so close to Christmas. If people would just wait sometimes they would see there might be a solution to what is bothering them. But I guess to them it seems the only solution.

Been a busy day, going to bed. Thanks for the kind words the other day.o

Sharon, I am happy that you still have Tinker with you. Hopefully she will survive for some time more.

I know what you mean about the phone company. They have a standard answer for everything, yet they do not have a clue what is really going on with your own system. Perhaps Friday they will not have it fixed either.

Yes, sad for the women. Yet I would be questioning what had happened since it was outside and in a car. Perhaps someone made it look like she took her life. When in fact someone else did something to her. In today's world there is a lot of crazy things happening. At least we had a good evening out to dinner with Bill's son and GS. We will see them next week when we do our annual 2 night stay at the downtown Hilton.

I am leaving work early tomorrow, like by 3. Enjoy and have a nice day today and a nice Christmas as well.

Kathy

Seems I have been running all day, glad to finally sit down! We went to do Bill's mail, then stopped at the vet to get some more pain meds for Tinker in case whatever that was on the weekend strikes her again. Then I brought him home ane went back up to Kohls. I had a $10 off coupon and a 30% off coupon, didn't want to miss using it. I bought a couple of pairs of black dress pants and a pretty sparkly top.

I remember you always get that good hotel room where you can see the fireworks. Do you reserve it a year in advance to make sure to get it? We will probably stay home for New Years Eve.

A friend of ours has a birthday on Dec 26th. She is having a big party at the dance place on Friday. All of our friends will be going and she has c alled a couple of times to ask us to come. The thing is there are several steps to get into the place and Bill will be in a wheelchair. She said they would get sone guys to carry him in and out when we are ready to leave but he doesn't know if he wants to c o that. I know it would be hard on him but I would like to go. Maybe I will just go by myself for a while but I hate to do that.

Well enjoy your time off work, Merry Christmas!

Sharon, I let Bill take care of the room every year. Yes, he puts in the reservation a year in advance and requests the same room. Last year once we got there we have never seen the hotel at such low capacity. But I guess by the 31st they were able to fill it up more. There is a large parlor with an actual bar on 1 side. Then there is 1 room on 1 side of the parlor and another room on the other side. Our's is a queen and Bill's son and GS's room is a double.

This year Bill is bringing his ice skates. Bill is going to a place not too far away from here called Play It Again Sports. Where they sell anything in all sports. Everything is used sports equipment. So he is going to trade in some stuff and trade for a pair of ice skates for the GS. Bill said it is not worth buying new stuff like the skates because he will grow out of them too fast, as he is 10.

I totally understand what you are saying about going without Bill. If they offered to get him in and take him out again, then why not take him as well. He might enjoy getting out with all of your friends.

I sent everyone home today at 12:30 and I was home at 2:30. I was so tired I laid down for a few hours. We have reservations at 6 at the same place that gives you the % off your bill for the age of you birthday. If someone is 90 years old, then on the birthday you would get 90% off of your bill and only pay 10%.

Merry Christmas and I hope both you and Bill have a safe and enjoyable Holiday.

Kathy

Thats a pretty good deal, one reason to enjoy getting older! I just made pork chops for dinner. Seems I have been in the kitchen most of the day. I am taking a banana split cake tomorrow and deviled eggs so was getting that ready.

We had a 3# cheese cake sampler delivered today from Bill's son in law. Also one of his daughters sent us about a dozen pears and a bundt cake. A son sent us a big box of cheese and sausage and another daughter gave us (me really) a bottle of Moscato wine.

Are you pretty much recovered now? Hope so.

I have heard about those sports equipment places, sounds like a good idea to buy the skates there. I saw the Maggie Daley ice path looks like iit would be fun. I used to go ice skating everyday indoors at a rink, many years ago. I loved it!

Glad to see there is no snow only a little rain today.

Sharon, with the temps above freezing it will be a little time before we see snow. Today we go to my # 2 daughter's house for a few hours to open up presents for the kids. Then back home while they all go to their other family's place.

I have never seen the restaurant so crowded last night. Many had the same idea as us. So it was a good evening out eating, so I did not have to cook.

Yes, I am pretty much recovered. Just dealing with my portion of the bills that the insurance did not cover.

So today is covered, and then tomorrow I will go out with my sister and cousin shopping and eating. I have no idea what the weekend holds. Next week we are downtown for 2 nights, and I heard by then the weather will turn much colder.

Enjoy and have a good day today,

Kathy

Its nice to have some kids around, they get so excited about Christmas and presents. We went to Bill's daughter's and several other of his "kids, and spouses and granddaughter and great grandson who is 3 monhs old were there. Bill's son went and picked up Bill's sister which is ridiculous because she only lives a few blocks away and drives herself to the grocery store and beauty shop. Then of course he had to take her home and she wanted him to drive all over to look at places she hadn't been past for a long time. We used to pick her up but not anymore after she wrote me that hateful note.

We are supposed to get our phone fixed tomorrow. It only rings twice then there is the sound of a fax machine. I don't have a fax machine connected to the phone line. Also a guy is coming tomorrow to put up a high definition tv antenna. We are connecting it to t by e tv in tye basement and also the spare bedroom. If we can get the programs we like we might discontinue Direct TV. They keep hiking up the bill every few months and we are out of the contract period now.

Have a good day shopping!

Sharon, we went to my #2 daughter's house yesterday from noon until 3. They were going to other's place afterwards. So there were lots of kids and lots of yelling as that stuff goes right through me.

Today my cousin came here at 10 and we left to go to my sister's house. It seems like we have been doing this for a few years now. It was mostly talking and going out for lunch and snacks later on. But a nice day of getting together and shearing stories. We did do shopping and ended home around 5.

It sounds like you had a nice day yesterday. I agree with you that Bill's sister seems to impose on other's. I would also be doing the same as you after her treating you the way she did.

I hope you have a nice rest of the weekend. I did hear that the temps are headed down to where it is supposed to be this time of year next week. I work Monday and Tuesday, and then off the rest of the week. We are going downtown Tuesday and returning on Thursday. Bill's son and GS joins us, and Bill is always concerned until he actually gets the room he wants.

Kathy

Whew, its been a couple of days already before I got back! Friday Bill's son called and several of us went out for fish fry. We went early, 5pm and got home around 7pm. I decided to go to our friends birthday party at the dance place, and Bill wanted me to go but said he didn't want to go. So I went for a couple of hours and had a nice time seeing everyone again. Its been since around the end of May that we have went. One of the gals that was there had taught line dancing so we were able to follow her in some of the dances and I actually remembered some that we have been doing on Wednesday nights. Another gal was there that had moved to Wyoming and was back visiting. Saturday we didn't do much of anything, Bill wanted to go to the farm and get the mail but he just didn't feel up to it. I'm worried he is losing some ground with the breathing. Hope this new medicine kicks in soon!

We had the phone company come out on Friday, the phone would only ring two times and then a fax machine would kick in and I didn't have a fax connected. Turns out the Direct TV box has a modem in case you want to buy movies and it was connected to the phone line. He disconnected the phone line and the phone works again. Also Friday had a TV antenna guy come out and put up two antenna's on the tower we already have. We could either have had one antenna and a rotor or the two antennas each facing a different direction. We went with the two so that different TV's could watch different channels without having to turn the rotor. The picture is really clear and we get 60 channels, some however are repeats. We are going to try using the antenna TV's for a while and if we get all the programs we normally watch, we will drop the Direct TV and save around $100 a month.

Yes, next week will be like this one, you can't tell what day of the week it is. We will probably stay home and defrost a shrimp ring and eat some snacks for New Years Eve, probably even go to bed before 12.

I didn't go to sleep until after 4:30 am last night, got so many things running through my head, my brain just won't shut off.

Too bad you have to go to work, but at least its only for a couple of days next weekl

Sharon, I am so sorry to hear that Bill's medication is not kicked in just yet. I hope that soon it will start to help him out. It was also good that you were able to join your friends at the dance place to mingle with friends and enjoyment.

Yes, I only have today and hopefully tomorrow getting out early so we can check in early tomorrow for our 2 night stay at the Hilton. The temps will be turning much colder this week but no real snow in the forecast until next week.

How is Tinker doing? I hope that 2015 brings a better year than this year. Enjoy and have a good day,

Kathy

Hope you got to leave work when you wanted to today. When you stay at the Hilton do you eat there too or some other place? Its going to be so cold tomorrow and tomorrow night will be good to stay inside.

Bill has a few more checks he wants to get in the mail to get a 2014 postmark. Don't know if any of kid's are coming over or not.

I didn't go to either zumba or water aerobics today, just can't sleep and then too tired in he morning. Been awake pretty much all night the last two nights. Took some Nyquill zzzz, but it dries my mouth and throat out so bad that all the next two days I gulp water down.

Well have a Haapy New year, lets hope and pray for a good 2015!

Sharon, yes let's hope we all have a good and healthy 2015. I got out of work about an hour later than had planned. We got down there and checked in by 4:30. Bill's son and GS were waiting in the lounge on the floor once we got off the elevator's. We get free breakfast and have a late lunch or dinner at this Irish Pub called Kitty O'Shea's, located inside the Hilton. We actually eat New Year's Dinner at a place right across the street from the river. This year we took a cab both ways. Then in the afternoon we walked to the Shed as it was only about 2 blocks away.

So I hope both you and Bill will be feeling much better now or getting on the road to feeling better. We got home here about 2 hours ago. We took down our outside decorations only, before the weather really starts turning real cold.

Unlike last week where they were closed from Christmas all the way through to the following Monday. I have to go into work tomorrow. So I will just rest up for 1 more day tomorrow. Stay warm,

Kathy

That sounds like a real nice time you had. We just watched tv and the anchors were in the Hilton. Lots of people there. We also watched the New York one, lots of people's there too.

I am waiting till the weekend to take down my stuff outside, its supposed to warm up a little before it changes back to cold again.

Hard to keep track of the days, seems this is the weekend,

Sharon, I do agree that the holidays do mess us all up on what day it actually is. After we got home yesterday. We unpacked and Bill took down the outside stuff. We will wait until Sunday to take down the inside stuff. Then I did hear that next week will be headed into the deep freeze once again.

Yes we know that ABC 7 was broadcasting from the Grand Ball Room of the Hilton and that Muddy Waters was playing there as well. We enjoyed the fireworks right from our rooms. They were getting something like $275.00 pp for that party at the Hilton.

To mess things up even more, I have to work today, only 1 day. I also laid down for a bit yesterday. Recovering from the 2 days downtown. We did some walking to and from the Shed. But we took a cab both way for dinner later on that evening.

How are you feeling and Tinker as well? Is Bill responding to the new medication yet? Will it be next week when you start your new year exercise programs as well?

Stay warm,

Kathy

Tinker is driving me crazy with her incontinence, I get up several times a night to let her out then get up in the morning to see she has peed somewhere anyway. We have plastic and pee pads all over but she pees so much at a time that it sometimes runs off into the carpet. Also she doesn't stand up well so falls down with her legs out and can't get up so I pick her up many times a day and night. I swear it is so stressful she will kill me before she "goes".

Bill has a dr appmnt on Tuesday, I don't know if he is staying the same or losing ground. Will see what the dr says.

My exercise class starts on Monday I will try to get there.

Sharon, when you said you have not been sleeping too well, I figured it was Tinker who was keeping you from getting a good nights sleep. Poor Tinker. Hopefully on Tuesday the Dr will have some positive news for Bill and the future. I will say a prayer for him and you as well.

I had my hair and nail appointment this morning. With the holidays I had to make my first appointment of the New Year on a Saturday.

I guess with this new winter mix that is headed into our area, they are saying your area is supposed to get the most of it. I guess we shall see. Just now slush and rain.

Stay warm and safe.

Kathy

Looking good to go back to work after your hair and nail appmnt! I'm getting close to needing a hair cut.

I spent most of the afternoon today shoveling heavy, wet snow. My whole body is tired from lifting and pushing the snow.I hope we don't get the other hit of snow tomorrow.

Yes between Tinker and Bill my stress level is pretty high. Bill mentioned that when his first wife was so sick, she had a bell to ring for him to come and help her or get her something. He thought it would be a good idea for him to have a bell, I think not. If I can't hear him call me then I'm not going to here a bell.

I'm always so tired that I have to be careful not to be to crabby, which I'm afraid I am alot of the time.

Anyway tomorrow I have to get the Christmas decorations down. Luckily I took the outside ones down yesterday.

Sharon, we took down the inside decorations yesterday. I am surprised you did have your plow guy plow you driveway. Why were you shoveling it all alone? Yes they are calling for a lot of snow over the next few days. It is snowing here now very light. We got only slush yesterday and nothing to be shoveled. Mostly rain throughout the day.

The club is taking down the decorations today, so we may go to help with that. I am in agreement with you on the bell ringing. I would not want that ether.

I remember last year Tinker was going through the same problem. So perhaps she will over come this latest bout of this problem.

Stay warm and I hope you do not get too mush snow.

Kathy

I was going to just shovel up by the garage yesterday but just kept going. Today I only had to shovel the sidewalk to the front door, our guy came and plowed the driveway. There was quite a bit of snow but light not heavy like yesterday. I shoveled so Tinker could stand up outside otherwise I have to go outside and pick her up after she has fallen and peed all over herself. Yes this has been going on a long time with Tinker. She is just old and not going to get better.

Exercise class starts tomorrow will see how it goes in the morning if I go or not.

Sharon, very cold this morning. We got almost 2" of snow. As you said very light. I guess the most snow is coming tonight into tomorrow. They are calling for 3-5" around here and maybe more. But very and extremely cold.

So you start your new exercise class this week. I hope you are able to go to have good results. Perhaps that we are back on a normal schedule, we can keep track on what day it is exactly. I have to come up with a solid plan to deal with this jerk. I cannot let another year go by putting up with all of his crap.

Enjoy the New Year and stay warm,

Kathy

I went to exercise class this morning, it is a varied group of exercises that again hit mosr all of your muscles. Lots of women there again and 3 instructors showing different levels of intensity.

We are getting snow now hope its not too much, looks like now it might be more in your area. We have Bill's dr appmnt tomorrow afternoon so hope the roads are good.

Hope you can come up with something to make your job less stressful. But I don't know if that will be possible, not sure he will ever change.

Keep warm!

Sharon, it is bitter cold outside but we got about 4" of light snow with no moisture. It started snowing around here at 8. I guess tomorrow it is going to be bitter cold once again with very high winds. That is bad on open roads with the blowing and drifting.

Wow, 3 instructors. That must be good to break up the size of the class and not just have 1 instructor for 1 large group. For me I went to weigh-in last night and I have gained 1 pound. So I am not at my goal and I have been out of the life time club for a while now, for not reaching my goals. Kind of depressing.

As far as the jerk goes, I may go to another position or just quit. Once he gets back, him and I are going to sit down and have a long talk.

Good luck with taking Bill to the Dr this afternoon. Stay warm,

Kathy

I should probably discribe how the Forever Fit exercise class is laid out again. It is in one big room, like a basketball court with an indoor outdoor type flooring. All the women are in this room, the 3 instructors are in the front of the class. The instructor on one end teaches a high energy way of doing the exercises. The instructor on the other end of the class teaches the low impact way of doing the exercises. The instructor in the front middle of the class teaches a combination of the two ways to exercise.

It is up to the person attending where they stand and which instructor they follow.

Some times I know what I'm trying to tell you but it doesn't come out right. Hopes that helps.

We got to the dr today, he changed a couple of meds and added an antibiotic because Bill was coughing and it is a productive cough. So maybe we caught a possible problem before it became one. We are supposed to go bac and 2 weeks for a liver test.

We got about 4inches of snow too, and it was 9 degrees for a high.

When you have it out with your boss make sure to have notes about everything you want to cover, because once you get mad or upset you might forget what you want to say.