The Day After

January 2nd and it's all over.Now for 2010.
I picked up Christina the Wednesday before Christmas at the Jacksonville airport. We had a quick lunch and then stopped to see Tom and Helga Carlson to deliver their gift. Of course we had coffee and homemade German cookies. They bought a dish for me that has Silent Night written on it. They know I am a Silent Night fan.
We left for Flagler and my home meaning to go to the Singles'Christmas dance at 8pm.I realized that Christina had been up since 3am and decided that it would be best to stay home and go to bed early. She is recovering from pneumonia and I want her to stay well while here.
Thursday is a busy day preparing for Christmas Day. She helps me and is getting used to Florida. Ron is discharged from the Hospital so it appears he will be able to come here for Christmas.We go to a Candlelight service in Palm Coast and then to Don and Janice's to see their family.(and get something to eat) Now Christina has met cousins big and little.
We open our doors to family and friends on Christmas Day. I have had fun decorating my house. I know I am supposed to simplify, simplify but have a hard time doing it.Jane came early to help us prepare for the day. She bought the ham, meatballs, corn pudding etc. Our guests included Jane, Ron and Laura, Don and Janice, Annette Leslie and Zach, and friends of Ron and Laura's -Bob and Cherrie, and Bill who would have been alone on Christmas,and Christina and myself.We celebrated Ron's Birthday with a Carvel ice cream cake. We had way too much food and I am making a mental note to cut down on food if we do it again next year.We opened our gifts after our big meal.
The weather turned cool so my plans of spending a day at the beach and pool were foiled. We spent time with family and that was good. We went to St. Augustine for a day. On the way I stopped at the Honda dealership and bought new tires for my van plus some other work to the tune of $1000. Merry Christmas to me!!!Christina liked St. Augustine and wants to return there and explore more.We went to Potter's Wax Museum. I had never been there.We both liked it. Several of the figures were missing parts of fingers. Wish I could help them with repairs.Dinner was at the Bubble Room on St.George st.It has pictures of movie stars from the 50's all over the walls and antiques and music playing from that era.The waiters dressed crazy. It was a little pricy but my $20 coupon helped.
We went to the movies one day with Don, Janice and Blair to see the new Chipmunk movie. About three quarters of the way through lights started blinking and a siren went off and we knew we had to evacuate and so we did for at least half an hour. Apparently the popcorn maching was smoking. We finally got back in to see the rest of the movie and they gave us free passes for another time.
We went out to an early dinner at Alfies on New year's Eve with Jane. Then we went to Wahlgreens and developed her pictures (9 cents each) bought a photo album and went home to put the pictures in the book.It was a very quiet New Year's Eve.
Although we didn't do too much and the weather was cool for a few days Christina had a good time here. I was going to leave here at 10am for the Jacksonville airport yesterday but it was rainy and foggy so we left at 9:15am Besides the weather there was a football game in Jacksonvile so extra traffic. I drove through terrible rain and wondered if her flight might be cancelled. Everything cleared by the time we got to the airport (early). They gave me a gate pass so I went with her through security. We had a burger at Chili's and her plane left at exactly 1:30pm. She changed planes in Atlanta. Texting is wonderful. She let me know her every move in the airport. She asked me if she had time to go to the bathroom before boarding the plane there. She arrived in Buffalo to cold weather.
I stopped again on my way home to see Tom and Helga. They were getting ready for dinner guests and invited me to stay.I went on 2 cruises with their guests so know them all well.I wish I had known earlier and I would have made plans. I dropped grapefruit off at Leslie's. She called me later and said she had been working.Mike and Zach are in NY going to a Sabres game with Chris.If I had known all these things I would have gone to the dinner party and then stayed all night at Leslie's. Instead I went to Satsuma to check on Ron. He is doing so much better. His leg looks better and he acts better. He has been going to the hospital every day for an IV antibiotic. The culture from his leg showed a staph infection.I know he's getting worn out and probably has "cabin fever". He's not used to just sitting around.
This is Saturday January 2nd.I woke up early so started putting Christmas stuff away. It's very cold and supposed to be in the 20's the next 3 nights.It will be a good time to get caught up around here. I miss Christina and it just reinforces my feelings of not liking to live alone.
I wish everyone a wonder New Year!!!!Come on down!!!!