MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We have a white Christmas here! And when the sun is out it is lovely! Saturday before Christmas a bunch of us got together and went snow shoeing out on the Skillet Handle by Klamath Lake. Christmas Eve we gathered again at Nancy and Ed's for dinner and fellowship but the continuous snow cut our evening short. Being 12 miles out on Hwy 140 they get more snow than we do in town and the plows run less often. We were safely home by 7 pm!

The bueaty of life has been reinforced by recent events. I am exceedingly grateful for Jack and I's health, our reasonable financial stability, and my extraordinary sons.

I am so proud of how they work together in times of crisis - no matter what the crisis or the form of support needed. Not only do they come to each others aid in the form of money, but even more importantly, they give each other time, energy, compasssion and companionship!

I don't view myself as having been sucessful in very many aspects of life but the fact that my sons are good to each other and to people in general gives me a sense that I was a good influence as a mother. The proof is in how they are today.

These thoughts and feelings have filled my mind and heart this Christmas and made it rich!

-3 DEGREES!
I've always said I wouldn't go any further North because it's to cold up there - so the cold is coming to me! It's a record cold for Klamath Falls! I'm staying in doors but I see lots of cars going by outside so there are many that are braving the outdoors. It's actually warmed up to almost 20 degrees now that it's afternoon.

All the presents are sent out and I'm just sitting back with my crocheting and staying warm! Hope everyone is doing likewise!

HOLIDAY GREETINGS! Here's our holiday snapshot! The poinsetta is our christmas tree this year!

Shiloh has healed up wonderfully and is going at full throttle again. The vet's assistant had suggested we put a child's tee shirt on Shiloh to keep her from licking the stitches they'd put in. We got two for her and Shiloh liked her tee shirt so much that when I took it off of her to show the stitches to Mom she crawled up in to the chair I was sitting in and hide behind me! She nuzzled the tee shirt in my lap as if asking me to put it back on! We all got quite a chuckle out it! She did the same thing each time we "undressed" her! I went from never having "dressed up" a dog to putting one in tee shirts and then angel wings for the parade in one week! She looks cute in both!

I spent a few days with Mom and Teri in Anderson, California. I was great being 'just us girls' ! We sat and visited about anything and everything that came to mind! We also tried out some great receipes which I brought home and made for Jack. He loves the "Best Dip" Mom! I haven't made the Cream of Chile soup for him yet but I know he'll like that also!

Shiloh was in the Klamath Falls Snowflake Parade - wearing bells and angel wings - on December 4th! There was an Angels with Whiskers float but we were part of the group that walked our dogs and let the kids (and adults) in the crowd pet them. It was a quick mile! I was dressed warm so as not to get cold and had to strip gloves, headband and scraff off after jogging to catch up with our float each time I stopped to let folks pet Shiloh! It was fun!

Mike and Shiloh have their individually embroidered Angels with Whiskers vests! These dogs are starting to have wardrobes!

The glucose test came back that I am not diabetic... no news there. I was referred to another doctors office to look in to sleep apnea. I went and I agreed to do the sleep study they recommended but after receiving the information on the cost I am going to cancel the appointment - $3,500.00 for the overnignt sleep test. I may have some degree of sleep apnea but it is not life threatening and I can deal with it by taking naps as needed! It's a case of ROI - a lot of money spent with questionable return. Although the technology exsists to diagnose and treat any and everything - the cost is to great for the minimally insured. Once again I am reminded it is VERY costly to become involved with the medical world and one needs to limit contact to only instances that REQUIRE medical attention.

I want to spend what money I have LIVING life not giving it to the medical community to figure out all the details of my personal oddities! I've survived just fine without figuring out why I feel tired so often. It's not diabeties, thyroid or anything else they can figure out with the blood tests so I'm going to just drop it and continue to live with it as I spend the money they would use up in diagnostic tests on trips to Florida and Thailand.

Ha!