Christmas Meal?

Poor Broncos fans - we watched in disbelief last night as the Cincinnati Bengals picked the defense apart and totally confused and read Peyton Manning's offense.  It wasn't fun to watch, but watch I did, to the very end.  Not a great Monday night...
  It started to snow about 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon and fell until 4:30 - I was certain the hens would be inside their coop, avoiding the weather, but I was wrong.  Xuxa and Carter were eagerly awaiting my arrival on the front porch; but the hens were having a party out in the snow.  I re-filled their water, got their evening feed ready, gave them a cooked sweet potato as an enticement, and still had to herd them up and into the coop.  I have a pound of wheat berries for the girls' treat today.
  I spoke to Kathy on Sunday afternoon and asked if she and Jim had any plans for Christmas.  Usually, everything is planned for the day about two weeks in advance; but not this year.  Sarah, Michael and Evie will be in Santa Fe this week, and Mike and Erin will spend the day with her parents.  When I asked Kathy, she had absolutely no plans whatsoever - so I told her that I would be happy to come and cook a meal at her house, or have a meal delivered for them, and/o just stay away and give them a last, peaceful, "normal" day together (since Kathy begins chemotherapy on Friday).  She was very vague and said she'd think about it.  With Kathy beginning chemo on Friday, everyone in the family and all close friends have been warned that her immune system will be shot - and not to visit, if  they have any illness.  My friend Beatrice has a bad cold, so she's avoiding me.
  I figured that I would just stay at home and make myself a big pot of meatballs and marinara sauce for Thursday.  Kathy called and left a message for me last night, stating that she and Jim would love it if I came over and cooked for them.  The only problem is that I currently have a sore throat and runny nose.  It might just be the change in temperature and my allergies - but it might be the beginnings of a cold, as I have to keep clearing my throat....  I'll talk to them today and see what they want to do.  I have to go out and about, travelling to two different houses on Christmas Day, taking care of family pets, anyway - but I really do not want to endanger my sister's health.
  And it seems that Jim's ruptured appendix has healed enough for him to be released from the hospital in Antigua.  He and Jan should be back home on Friday evening, as originally planned - that takes a tremendous load off my shoulders, as I can just go on with my usual schedule, and not have to keep them added to it.

Nocks Family

I was supposed to spend yesterday addressing and writing Thank You notes for all the cards, flowers and food Kathy has received since her surgery - instead, I cored, sliced and diced five gallons of crab apples to process into homemade apple sauce.  So my wrists and hands are a bit sore from arthritis this morning, but otherwise, I'm fine.
   The Nocks family has been celebrating a bit, as cousin Sarah set up our own webpage for sharing things - and we are going wild sharing photos and catching up with family that we haven't been in contact with previously. A second cousin that I didn't know existed contacted me by e-mail and wanted to know how to add to the family tree - and that began an explosion of photo sharing.  Hopefully, I 'll have time this afternoon/evening to do some more exploring, and contact another elder in the family and get dates and places to add to the tree.
  Kathy visits the oncologist today at 4, and will learn what she has planned to combat the cancer - radiation, chemo, and/or hormonal therapy.  Once I know that, and Kathy is ready for the knowledge to be public, I'll write about it.  In the meantime, it's still a waiting game - with no paths obvious or designated.  It's very frustrating for both Kathy and Jim.
  Should be able to blog more over the weekend - then I have 4 houses to care for over Thanksgiving, so I don't know when, or if, I'll have time to blog.  We'll see...
 

Moose, Cold & Cats In Snow

The temperature in Boulder fell 50 degrees less than 8 hours yesterday.  It was quite a shock to my body, even though I knew it was on the way.  The initial snow began with a few flakes falling about 11 in the morning - small, light, scattered flakes that danced wherever the wind took them.  About noon, the first real fall, with accumulation started - and it snowed for about five hours before stopping for the night.  It began snowing again about 7:30 this morning, and is still coming down nicely.
  Early yesterday morning, a young cow moose decided the Boulder Creek Path would make an excellent stroll, but when local traffic began to buzz by, she was downtown, at Scott Carpenter Park, 2 blocks from my apartment.  She didn't try to cross any streets, but she was clearly upset by the traffic and all of the people walking, jogging, running, riding their bicycles, and walking their dogs near her on the Path.  The Department of Wildlife folks came and tranquilized her, blindfolded her, started her on oxygen in case of shock, then moved her onto a tarp and then a truck.  She was watched for a good recovery and turned loose up in the National Forest.

  When I returned home from my time with Kathy and Jim yesterday, I opened my back door; and the kits did what I expected.  Lovey went out for about ten minutes, then came inside, complaining at the top of her lungs.  She hopped up on my desk, and shook like a dog, scattering snow and mud all over my monitor and keyboard.  Then she washed my face.  Nedi, on the other hand, stayed out for about 45 minutes, and returned looking like a snowman - but with a black face.  He was very disgusted with me when I got a towel out of the cupboard and began rubbing him down...  I think he would have preferred to leave a large wet spot on the (only/my) bed.  I'll try to get photos of them outside today.

   Kathy and Jim are doing well.  Kathy is calling the double mastectomy her "Peter Pan surgery," and is racking up a few laughs with that label.  We have dinners set up for them through Sunday night, so I'll begin working on next week's round-up/coordination tomorrow.  One night next week they'll have salad, garlic bread, and home-made meatballs in home-made marinara sauce over spaghetti from me and the kits.  Daughter Sarah is cooking for them Thursday; son Mike and his wife Erin on Sunday.  Friends and neighbors are bringing supper other days.

A Weekend Report

For some reason, the folks who decide such things, decided I'd make a good Grand Juror for Boulder County.  I found out on Friday that I, and 15 others, will be serving on the Grand Jury for a year.  Oh, boy.  We'll meet (mostly) on Thursday evenings, and I've already notified them of my Pony Penning trip next summer - they know I'll be absent if they schedule any meetings then.
   Kathy, my sister, had a double mastectomy Friday. She was scheduled to begin the surgery at 8:30 in the morning, but all that happened at that time was her injection with radioactive dye - she wasn't taken into the Operating Room until 11:30.  I arrived at the hospital a few minutes before 1 pm, having taken the direct bus from the Courthouse to the hospital.  I didn't see anyone (Jim or his sister Kathy) in the waiting area, so I ran into the cafeteria and grabbed a quick sandwich, and carried it back to the waiting area.  We met up and at 1:50, I went to the restroom, while Kathy and Jim grabbed to-go stuff from the cafeteria.  We kept on waiting for the Doctor to come tell us about the surgery.  He never did.  He had Jim's cell phone number, but didn't call Jim, either.  It is guessed that he came looking for Jim when Jim and Kathy were in the cafeteria, and I was in the restroom.
   In any event, one of the sentinel lymph nodes was compromised, and showed signs of cancer, so they removed more nodes from her right armpit than originally planned.  Kathy had a good night, and was sent home this afternoon, 24 hours after her surgery.  She has always been a fast healer - today, her chest did not hurt, but she said it felt like she a a bad case of razor burn under her arms (where the lymph nodes were removed) and her foremost complaint was a sore throat from the anesthesia.  My sister is one tough lady!
   I have to admit, at this time, that I am getting worried about Nedi.  For the third time this week, I found him asleep in the bathtub, with a live mouse crawling on him.  Does my cat want (or need) a pet, himself?  I can't figure out any other reason he keeps catching mice, turning them loose in the bathtub, and then getting in the tub and going to sleep.  Is he trying to show the mice he won't hurt them?  I just don't know.
   Today we're expecting a high in the mid-70s.  BUT.  The weather folks say the Arctic Express will be bringing extremely cold temperatures and snow starting tomorrow.  After today's warmth and sun, tomorrow's high of 51 will seem awful - and with steadily dropping temperatures and snow in the afternoon, with highs in the 20s for the rest of the week (and lows in the single digits), most people here are not amused.  Of course, there are the snow bunnies and all the ski and winter resorts are very happy!!    I'll be thinking, grumpily, of my friends in Florida...