Tuesday, January 26.

Well, I’m finally feeling better.  I knew I was overdoing through the holidays but I thought it would be worth it…and it was; I just really didn’t think it would take this long to recover. I enjoyed our family celebration although reviewing Christmas snapshots shows me looking as tired and as wrung out as an old dishcloth.  I have felt like a wrung out dishcloth for the past few weeks. Post-holiday blues and Daddy’s absence probably contributed. Throughout that time, I used Triunfedora’s technique – remembering that I have come through low times before and I will come through this one too. I feel lucky that I was not confined to bed, but I did little more than sit in my chair staring at the TV (Lord preserve us from political ads) and occasionally reading.  Don and I got rid of our poor old broken-down couch and got a couple recliners for Christmas, so I was very comfortable. I hope all of my DS friends had great holidays with family and friends.  I feel guilty for not checking in sooner, but I think of you all often and remember you in my prayers.          
I’m not sure whether I am a little more active now because I feel better or if I feel better because I am more active.  I got out of the house on Saturday for the first time in weeks. Penny picked me up and we drove to a memorial service two and a half hours away.  It was tiring for me, but it was nice to visit with people we don’t often see.  On the way home we stopped at the little town of Highmore to visit with Rosie, an elderly relative in the nursing home there.  We had not seen her for many months and we weren’t sure she would recognize us as she struggles with dementia. Ha. She was sitting just inside the door and her face lit up when she saw us.  She has difficulty speaking, but she definitely knew who we were and greeted us with hugs and giggles.  Then her niece, Babby, walked in the door.  It was coffee time so we were all served coffee and bars and had such a nice time.  Rosie didn’t say much, but she closely followed our conversation and we all laughed a lot.  Babby lives just a couple blocks from the nursing home and visits regularly and is obviously popular with the residents and the staff.  She says Rosie is nearly always happy.  That is such a comfort. Daddy would be pleased.
Penny and Wayne are on a week’s vacation with some friends and I am doggy-sitting their Irish Wolfhound Newfoundland mix, Ronan.  He is HUGE!  He comes up to my waist and his head alone is nearly as large as my whole little dachshund, Mitzi. The color of his coat is white with large sploshes of black; it is wiry and scruffy and he has shaggy eyebrows and a sparsely bearded muzzle.  His looks and demeanor are much like my brother-in-law’s!  Although he is so big, he is surprisingly unobtrusive.  He is polite and affectionate and loves to be petted and scratched.  He can open doors himself, so we have to lock up at night.  He doesn’t bark often, but when he does it is a deep boom like thunder. I enjoy him immensely.
Speaking of which, I am going to take Ronan out now and then I’m heading to bed. I intend to visit the site tomorrow and catch up with journals and posts. 
 Love to all. xoxo