SUNDAY DECEMBER 17 through SATURDAY DECEMBER 23, 2023

 Sunday, December 17th:  Before going to church, I put split pea soup in the crockpot. I got to church early enough to take a couple of pictures of the displays in front of the church. 

 Church was great and the event 

was moved inside due to the fact that it was raining outside.  So, right after church, the congregation was dismissed to go to the smaller sanctuary where young men were setting up tables.  Chowder and hot chocolate was free, as well as cookies many of which were made by members of the congregation.  There was a competition for the best cookie and Patricia______________

                 won with her ORANGE CARDAMON cookies.  I took this picture of her.  After church, I came home.   I added ham to the crockpot with my soup and took a nap.  I watched a bit of  the Buffalo Bills game TV, for no reason at all........................At the last minute I decided to make a Waldorf salad.  Lori arrived and we had a nice supper together.  We decided to watch a movie instead of playing a game.  We watched  PROMISE, which I had already seen.  

MONDAY the 18th:  In the morning, I had my chiropractic appointment.  Then I went to TOPS to get some of my favorite iced tea.  Unfortunately, all of the two-quart bottles were gone, so I settled for one six pack.  Then I went to Aldi's to get cranberries, but they did not have any.  When I got home, I started preparations for tonight's supper here with David and Peggy.  I put the meatloaf together and made the gravy and got out the ingredients for the desert HOT FUDGE PUDDING CAKE.  I made gravy for the meatloaf starting with a can of Campbells Beefy Mushroom Soup.  I thought it was delicious, but David only rated it a seven out of ten.  

Peggy and David arrived a little bit late for supper, but that worked out fine.  We had meatloaf with gravy, mashed potatoes, applesauce, corn, garlic toast, and hot fudge pudding cake for desert.  The desert did not seem to have as much "pudding" as I remembered it having, but it was good.  Very rich.

TUESDAY:  December 19th, 2023

Life Group was very good today, there were nine of us.  Karen brought cookies and a few people passed out Christmas cards.  After the group was over, I went upstairs and gave the name and phone number of

the   woman I met at church this past Sunday.  She is interested in joining a Life Group and needs more information.  

I spent some time at home before Betty picked me up in order to go to Gasport and pick Elaine up so the three of us could go to SOLID ROCK for a spaghetti dinner.  It was very good. We were just finishing up when Becky arrived, but we asked her to join us and we stayed and visited with her while she ate.  I noticed this beautiful tree and took a few close up pictures:  

As we were leaving the church, I noticed this sky with the beautiful moon.

I spent the rest of the evening at home, watching an episode of SVU, and reading more in BECAUSE THEY HATE by Brigitte Gabrielle.

WEDNESDAY December 20th   I woke up with a very sore knee, much more sore than it has ever been. I decided to go to WalMart and buy a "sleeve" to put over my knee, one like Christa used in high school.  I am sure I still have hers, but she was so thin then that it would not fit.  Before going I took the sheets off of my bed and started a load of laundry.  While in WM, I purchased a few other items.  When I got home, I tried the sleeve, and it did seem to help somewhat, but after a couple of hours, I took it off because I was concerned about it cutting my circulation off. I made a batch of CHEX MIX and then took a nap, and after a light supper, I met up with Lori at Freedom South and we went to LIGHTHOUSE BAPTIST CHURCH for heir Christmas play.

  It was very good.  The name of the play was "IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE........WITH JESUS".  It featured Bedford Falls and a man who felt life was not worth living until he found out what would have happened if he had not been born.  

THURSDAY the 21st:  In the morning, I prepared a second batch of CHEX MIX to add to the first and fill up the large container I chose.  I also baked the squash and made it into a casserole, and I prepared the cranberry sauce.  I talked with Peggy and we arranged to go to the free organ concert at the Riviera Theatre in North Tonawanda, and we will go to RACHEL's for an early supper after.  I also made an appointment at Excelsior Orthopedics since my knee started bothering me yesterday. In the evening, I found a good movie with Hilary Swank starring in it.  

FRIDAY: December 22nd, 2023   The absolute best thing that happened today was that at exactly nine a.m. I was on the Reserve America site and I clicked on my favorite cottage (Fancher F) and I was able to reserve it for a week starting on September 22, 2024.  Getting the ability to reserve it was easy but when I started the process (inserting information including credit card numbers) Catholic Health called and I had to take that call, since it was a response to a previous conversation that I had with a nurse there.  My left knee is still hurting a bit, but there is some swelling on the left side of the knee, and I am concerned  that it might be the blood clot.  There are no doctors in the office today but the nurse said she would contact one and that I would get a call to tell me if I need to have a DOPPLER.   So, while taking that call, I was also typing into the Reserve America site.  You only get a certain number of minutes to complete the process.  I completed it!! I showered just in case I do have to get  DOPPLER and still no return phone call.  I wrapped Carrie's Christmas gifts and also the gift bags for David's granddaughters, who I will see on Christmas day at their house.  I did not sleep well last night, so I enjoyed a long nap in the afternoon.  

SATURDAY the 23rd:  In the morning, I had a DOPPLER at the new hospital.  It was ordered by my doctor, Megan Guntrum, after I left a message about the bulge on the left side of my knee.  It went well.  After that I went to Aldi to purchase milk, bananas, sugar and a few other items.  When I got home I had about an hour and a half before it was time to get ready to go to meet up with Peggy and David at their house in order to go to North Tonawanda for this event.  I had never been to the Riviera Theatre, and was happy to have this opportunity.  The theatre is indeed beautiful inside.  It is a restored Italian Renaissance style theatre which opened up in 1926.

FREE Mighty Wurlitzer Concert with Bruce Woody: 1920's Christmas at the Riviera Theatre.

We ran into our nephew Andrew and his girlfriend after the show.

                                                             Bruce Woody

The show was really good and we enjoyed it.  When it was over, we went to the AMHERST BUFFET, which is actually a Chinese buffet that has just recently moved to a new location.  There new spot is larger and very nice.   David accidentally knocked Peggy's water over and it went in my direction, but I moved and hardly got wet at all.   

Shortly after I got home, Leslie called and we talked for a half an hour or so.  She seems to be doing well.