The Two Popes and Holiday Calm

I watched The Two Popes on Netflix today.  First, let me say I am not Catholic so my views on this movie and the Catholic doctrine are simply those of a movie watcher. 

I thought the acting, the script, and the movie, in general, were great.  There couldn't have been two better actors chosen.  The idea I got was that the Old Pope was strictly by the book and the New Pope was we have to come around to the world our people are living in.  From my view, it seems the Catholic Church has been struggling with that for a long time.  In fact, from my view, it seems the whole world is struggling with this and I believe many of the ideas espoused by the New Pope were absolutely on point.  However, it was a movie and I don't know how much of the dialogue was close to the actual words or thoughts of each priest.  I'll just say I really enjoyed it. 

I have an appointment with the endocrinologist tomorrow.  Happy New Year's Eve to me.  She had her office barraging me with phone calls to come in.  I only agreed because I was almost out of insulin and knew she would not refill it without my coming in.  Hahaha.  I'm getting really tired of these doctors not refilling my medicine unless I come in.  My GP upped one of my prescriptions and wouldn't refill this month so I'm just going to take the stash of drugs I had from before she upped my prescription.  I'm sure you are going through something similar.  If politicians want to complain about the cost of Medicare than they should tell the physicians not to force us to come in every three months and bill Medicare a small fortune.  I appreciate the hell out of Medicare but I wouldn't go in so often if I was paying for it so I don't want to waste Medicare's money either. 

Aside from the doctors' offices nagging me, I have had a calm and enjoyable Christmas - mostly at home and mostly alone.  The main reason for that is, of course, my sleep schedule.  Not too many friends and family awake to talk to at 3:00 in the morning!  I have New Year's Day at my Sister's and then Girl's Christmas that weekend.  I hope to be awake for both of those events.  My son and daughter are buying me new glasses for my Christmas present, but again my eye doctor is not open at 3:00 in the morning.  I'll get it done soon I hope. 

More later.....

Hahaha

Nothing new.  Just a laugh.

A sure sign that you are overstressed this Christmas. 

Change to Comments

I've changed my comment mode to pop-up window.  I am getting lots of comments held on blogger for moderation and I am no longer notified like I used to be.  I've heard others of you comment on the same thing.  I've never used pop-up before so I'll just see how it goes.

My Christmas is going well aside from the fact that I am sleeping days again and that is causing so many problems. 

Since it is dark so early and Buddy's last walk is sometime between dusk and dark, I have made it an event to walk around and look at Christmas lights.  I love these old Victorian homes and the colored lights and decorations makes them even more special.  I've taken several selfies in front of the houses. None are good quality but I wanted to remember this so I would do it again next year.
I'll share one next time. 

Throwback: Youngest Grand wearing the pink wig

my daughter wore to the Pink Concert.

My youngest sister and her husband are coming to town on the 21st.  We are meeting at the Mexican restaurant in the neighborhood where we grew up.  My son and family will be out of town and several others are on standby.  It is a big noisy restaurant so it will be fun.  

I am truly enjoying this Holiday Season because I have made myself slow down and enjoy each little event as something special.  We get so used to big parties and large family celebrations that we sometimes forget to enjoy the little things.  I hope you are enjoying your big and little things. 

More later .... 

Something to Laugh About

Just a few smiles to share with you. 

My Son.  What a great Dad playing with the Girls.

I just love this.

I might just be in the mood to laugh but

this tickles my funny bone. 

This was probably posted for Pearl Harbor Day and I just now saw it. My Dad would have so loved this.  He was there when they took the picture.

And finally me a couple of years ago.  The little Girls must have been over because we always put on costumes.  I can guess when it was by the glasses I am wearing.  Do you tell your age in pictures by your eyeglasses?  

More later.... 

Mid-Month Wrap Up

 

I am having a lovely quiet December so far.  The house is decorated with odds and ends of decorations I picked up from the Thrift store.  I knew my daughter would be out of town for Thanksgiving which is when we usually pull out the decorations and since we combined households, our decorations are boxed together and I didn't feel like taking that task on alone.  So I started gathering odds and ends at the Thrift store that were Very inexpensive and I ended up with a nice little collection of used decorations to go with the few new items I had purchased at Michaels and Joann's when they had good coupons going.  One of the great things about being retired is that you can go to Michaels or other stores in the middle of the day when there are just a few people.  

We are doing Family Christmas on January 4 which is when all the children will be back from other parents' houses and my Daughter's Partner's Son will moving in with them permanently.  

I've spent a bit of time reflecting on the changes going on in my family.  I feel like I'm living through the "empty nest syndrome" again.  I remember that strange feeling when each of my children left home.  I'm glad they have each found a partner, a family and happiness but I do feel like there is something missing from my life when I don't see or hear from them constantly.  Even the Grand Girls are seeing their Mother every other weekend since Son has taken her back to court for custody.  That used to be my time.  I purchased lots of crafts and books to share with them over Thanksgiving and Christmas but their time was booked up.  Of course, having more time with their Mom and the other weekends spent as a family unit with Dad and Girlfriend (I am going to start calling her DIL to make it simple) and her kids is a really good situation.  My son has always been the "let's grab up all the kids and do something" kind of person.  I'm sure I'll see the Girls more when the court battle is over and the holidays are behind us.  

The most negative thing in my life, and I have to confess I am quite worried, is the periodontal disease that is eating my gums away.  I did not know until recently that uncontrolled sugar in the saliva from diabetes makes gum disease quite serious.  I have avoided the dentist since Medicare does not pay for it but I'm running out of time.  I need to research and see if the periodontist might be covered.  Does anyone know?  Maybe since it is caused by the diabetes I can get some coverage.  You've got to be willing to research when it comes to diabetes.  

I have all the strangest ailments from diabetes!  I guess it is better than having heart or circulatory problems.  There is always a silver lining and that's mine.  

I hope you are all enjoying this mid-month December except for Margaret, Peggy, Peg who doesn't have a chance in H#%% of having fun.  We are all thinking of you Margaret. 

More later. 

Thanksgiving Follow-Up

My Thanksgiving with my family was wonderful.  My sister, her family of five and I were hosted by my Son and his Girlfriend and it was so lovely.   Girlfriend is a wonderful addition to our family and really put on a feast.  Their house was big enough to hold us all and her mother was there and I just loved her too. 

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday.  Food, family, and lots of laughs.  No worry about gifts or money.  Just make a couple of dishes and come on. 

My sister usually hosts Thanksgiving and we have a few basic we always have with a few new and bring different sides to try out.  Girlfriend made dressing from her Grandmother's recipe and made mashed potatoes instead of sweet potatoes. Girlfriend also made sweet potato cookies which was their preference over pie so I brought pecan and sweet potato pies as well as chocolate brownies - not Thanksgivingy - but I have to have chocolate. 

Girlfriend's dressing and mashed potatoes were delicious and a definite for Thanksgivings to come.  Bless her heart, it was her first time to cook for a dozen and she wore herself out.  I don't think I could cook for that many anymore. 

I did fairly well on how much I ate but my blood sugar still went through the roof so I went home and napped and hence the previous Buddy napping post.

I usually make a little video with all the Thanksgiving day photographs but my flash was turned off and many of my photos were too dark.  Here is the Son and I taken outside. 

As Margaret mentioned in her post the Father/Son french commercial really makes my day so I had downloaded the song, Come and Get Your Love by Redbone, to add to my video but, alas, it was not to be.  You may just have to wait for the Christmas video to get the Miller version of that song/commercial.

More later ....