Week by Week, Day by Day

Sunrise over the Sandhills

Trying to stay upbeat and living each day as it comes. Everyday we are thankful for and anticipate the next. Having friends and family stop by is our greatest therapy. Tokens of love such as cookies, foods easily swallowed, books, soup, feathers, necklaces and a Chinese new year medallion. Lunch dates with friends that live close by. Sharing with others rituals, prayers and shedding tears. Phone calls, emails, Facebook messages offering encouragement. Efforts put forth to travel distances from afar. Tossing and turning through the nights and glad for the next sunrise. Sitting in the spa watching the stars twinkle then drop with the new rising sun. Cooking for our visitors and planning menus. Finding joy in sharing our food and drink. These are some who belong to the heart felt community that supports us at these difficult times. LOVE!

Brian, Julie and Laura

Dan and Brian

Brian, Wilma and Harry



Brian, Aunt Carolyn and Michael

The January Blues

If only I could write a song about the January Blues. It has been a week with a painful experience when Monday I had arthroscopic surgery on my right knee. The same knee that has been bothering me since August and didn't respond to the steroid or Synvisc injections. Jessamyn was kind enough to haul me to Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff for out patient surgery and back. Paqui was there also and she and Zeyda followed us back home and stayed overnight to help Brian and I since we both were laid up. There was good and bad news from my physician. The good news is he was able to fix the tear in my lateral meniscus; the bad news is that he states I have much arthritis under my knee cap and will need a knee replacement soon. We continue to thank our family for helping us along these bumps in the road and our neighbors the Huddles for doing horse chores while I recuperate from the surgery. I also thank all of those who prayed for Brian and I.

Last week end all my favorite football teams in the playoffs lost. It was especially disappointing to see the Bronco's game and their poor showing. I rooted for the Saints, Packers, and Houston and not one, won! Saturday I went to Taylen's 7th grade basketball tournament here in Alliance at Saint Agnes. Afterwards we celebrated Paqui and Jessamyn's birthdays. Both are turning another year older, Jessamyn's was on January 9th and Paqui's will be on the 29th, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Paqui and Jessamyn

The wind has been blowing cold fronts through as I dream of the Hawaiian or Florida beaches of past. On those winds, Julie will be flying to Nebraska soon and Bree was here yesterday entertaining me with conversation. The Schafferts will be coming Friday and the hospice staff checks in frequently with visits and phone calls. Our church families (Alliance and Mitchell) continue to pray for us and we are humbled by every one's support.

Bree and Brian

Rules, Requests and News

As the new year dawns, I have been given specific instructions by Brian to not blog about his day to day health concerns. I will be honoring his request. This does not mean I will stop letting you all know what is going on our home front, it just means information will be more general in nature. We continue to appreciate all the prayers, meditations, rituals, and metaphysical enlightenment that have been offered in the name of Brian and our family. Please keep them coming on the wings of time.

Shannon, Tammy, Brian, Kevin, Charlotte, and Kevin Charles



Evelyn, Thom, Brian and Mary

What a wonderful  and unusual week and weekend we have had. Brian and I continue to have hospice nurses, clergy, and friends visit through out the week. Friday, Kathy the USPS Postmaster and good friend from Rushville, NE stopped in on her way through town to visit. On Saturday Brian's brother Kevin with wife Tammy from Sidney, son KC and his wife Shannon and daughter Charlotte from Denver visited. Then along came Brian's cousin Doctor Thom and his daughter Evelyn who lives in Lead, SD. Saturday was like having a mini family reunion. As Doctor Thom and Evelyn left Sunday our good friends from Sterling CO, Donn and Vicki arrived and were forced into watching the Bronco play off game with the Steelers on TV with us. Fortunately, it was  an afternoon of entertaining football with the most exciting climax! Go Donkeys!



Wow, It is 2012!

Well I must say it is 2012, mister sand man found me sleeping on the couch. I missed Gaga and the ball dropping and had to view the replay the next day. It must be my age or just plain disinterest with what comes next. Most likely it was from the champagne and spaghetti and meatball dinner before. Noodles are a sign of good luck and I figured Zeyda, my three year old granddaughter, would eat them catapulting us in good favor into the next year. It is a done deal like it or not, the new year is upon us giving us a peek at what is in store for next year with the television spouting non stop talk about this years elections. No wonder I went to sleep!

Paqui, Marc and Zeyda spent New Years Eve and Day with us. We watched mega NFL football and was disappointed in the lack luster effort of our Denver Bronco's. Hopefully, they will find the fortitude ( or Tebow up) to put on a good show with the Steelers on Sunday in the hunt for the title. Monday Jessamyn, Jay, Taylen and Jarret stopped by to pick up Sunny the bully on the way home from Steamboat Springs. The snow was sparse so they left early and made it to watch Nebraska lose their bowl game. Oh, woe st me!

Yesterday I finally got all the Christmas decorations down. Then toted them to the garage and got them arranged for the next holiday season. Rotating the boxes of decorations so the Valentine's box, then Easter are readily available next. Such organization skills need to be put to the test sometime, right?

Today before sunrise I took my morning ritual, a spa and behold I was able to view the most fabulous meteorite shower in the northeastern sky.
http://spaceweather.com/meteors/quadrantids/quadrantids.html With perfectly clear skies it was a grand way to begin the day!

Brian and I are taking each day as it comes, giving thanks to all who are praying, calling, and visiting. We are blessed to have this time together in our home. We are looking forward to warmer weather as the days get longer.