Adventures with Toots and Noodles

New Year's Eve afternoon

I am not at all sorry to see 2007 out. 

Noodles is outside playing with a friend. 

Lew had to work, but came home early and is puttering around.

Toots seems to be settling in at WP and getting adjusted to their ways.  More importantly, cooperating with them. 

My dad is resting in the arms of God. 

My mom is spending the evening with friends in her Florida condo complex. 

We have nowhere to go but up.

Best wishes to all for a happy and blessed New year. 

Day after

Noodles and I are home today and taking it reeeeealllly slow.  Shortly, we are going out to see "Alvin and the Chipmunks".

Christmas was a quiet day at home, for me, Lew and Noodles.  We all have colds to one degree or another, so I was just as glad we weren't going to be around any other people.  Noodles played with his new Nintendo DS and Hess truck (a Monster truck this year!  With two motorcycles!!) Lew and I read our new books, and in the evening we watched "Close Encounters".  I'm not sure I've ever seen the whole thing straight through.  It may not have been everyone's idea of Christmas, but it suited us.

We had a GOOD visit with Toots over the weekend.  The three of us drove up, we arrived at WP and gave her her presents, we all went to see "Enchanted" (which we really enjoyed), then had dinner.  Which she did not disrupt.  She was happy Toots.  She did ask for a pair of earrings she saw in a store, but accepted our "No" with only a small protest.  No fireworks, for which we are most grateful.  The next morning, we spent some more time with her at WP and then headed home.  Turns out she enjoyed her Christmas day, too--with several other girls and staff, she went down to NYC, visited the Wax Museum, had her picture taken with the waxen Jennifer Lopez, and saw the "Chipmunks" movie.  When we spoke to her last night, she was bubbly. 

But we are hoping for all four of us to be home, together, for Christmas 2008. 

A brief hiatus, maybe

I am taking another vacation day from work today, to get Christmas-type things done.

I'm feeling like I'm in a rough mental state right now, and I don't know how often I'm going to be up to posting - or reading others' blogs - for a little while.  If I drop out of sight briefly, blogworlders, I will return.

I hope everyone has an enjoyable holiday season.  Stay warm and drive safely. 

Four weeks

Last evening marked four weeks since my dad's death. 

Lew and I had a session with our counselor.  He is so kind.  He just let me cry and talk and cry and talk. 

This morning, I don't know if I feel better.  But at least I have things to do.  We are going to a holiday party tonight at Noodles' karate school, and I have to make food to bring.  Also, I need to get out the front door wreath and whatever other decorations I have the energy for. 

I should get started. 

It's hard to move when you feel like the floor dropped out of the world. 

Just back from grocery shopping

In the next few days, if you hear a news story about a woman running amok in a store in the New York suburbs, it will probably be me.

I'll have heard that horrible piece of music, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year", just one too many times. 

There was one nice thing today

Noodles went to a special karate seminar led by this master.  He did very well, and as always, I enjoyed watching him. 

The bittersweet part is wishing Toots was here to take part in things like this.  Just before she fell apart, a year ago September, she was doing very well in karate. She was receiving  compliments on her speed and strength, and she had just been invited to join a demo team.  She never got to work out with them, not even once. 

I am just numb and sleepwalking

Two days ago, we got word that a close family member is seriously ill.  They kept quiet about it during my dad's wake and funeral. They are now waiting for test results.

I don't think I should give any more details.  But prayers and positive vibes for healing, please, will be appreciated. 

A few years back, Queen Elizabeth used the phrase "annus horribilis" (basically just "horrible year", if I remember my Latin) to refer to all the events that had befallen the Royal family. 

2007 has certainly been ours.