A White Christmas

When we woke up at 5:50 AM Christmas morning, (thanks to a phone call from Payton telling us to hurry and come over) we went outside and found it snowing!  It was so quiet and beautiful and we were one of the first cars to make tracks on the street.  It was indeed a very Merry Christmas.

We celebrated 87 years of life for Chester R. Young on Sunday, December 23rd.  We gathered at the Ratliff's and shared a meal of Chicken spaghetti, salad and garlic toast.  Then, of course, we lit the candles on his cake and all sang Happy Birthday.  Wish we would have gotten more pictures, but there is one below taken by Stacey.  Daddy said he could only remember having one other birthday party when he was 28 yrs. old.

We had our family Christmas the same night since Shannon, Kory and kids were in Lubbock.  I got tickled at Mother because she was so impatient to get to the opening of presents!!  She was very much like a young child.  After the kids passed out the presents, the chaos began.  The last present to Mother and Daddy, was a framed 20"x30" photograph of the 2008 family gathering in Grapevine.  They had gotten the photo enlarged and never framed.  So Linda, Vicki and I went together to get it framed so they could hang it above the mantle.  Mother and Daddy were very pleased. 

Christmas Eve we attended the Candlelight service at Southcrest Baptist Church.  The singing was wonderful, especially the special music by their soloist and the violin solo.  But of course, the magical portion was lighting the candles for Jesus while singing Silent night.  I don't believe Mother and Daddy had ever been to a candlelight service before, and they seemed to enjoy it, especially Daddy.

After having homemade vegetable beef soup, we got busy making cookies to leave for Santa.  And while we were doing that, Santa Claus actually called and spoke with the boys!!  It was so nice of him to take time to call them.

Mother and Daddy came back over to Amber & Jason's about noon on Christmas Day.  We had a traditional meal with ham, potatoes, green beans, etc. (We sure seem to eat a lot!!!)  Then we broke out the cards and played Canasta for several hours.  Oh my, I think Daddy really enjoyed this as it had been many many years since he had played cards with anyone.   We will have to do this again.

2012 is almost over.  Time to take down the decorations and start over for a brand new year.  HAPPY NEW YEAR  2-0-1-3 !!!




 

...in the storm shelter...

Not much to post this time as I have been hiding out in the "storm shelter" !!  I have not been down to Mother and Daddy's house in over a week, and have not talked to them on the phone.  Life this week has been back to normal as in B.M.  (before Move).  Bob, Jason, and Nic have been down there to check on them, so I know they are alright.  Also understand that both Vicki and Linda have had the pleasure to talk to Mother on the phone and that she was not very nice to either one.  So it appears the storm in still in the area.  I will probably stay "underground" for a few more days to avoid a tornado!!

Christmas is only one week from today.  We are having a party for Daddy's 87th birthday on Sunday at Amber's house.  I am praying with all my might the Mother will behave herself.  Then of course, on Monday, Christmas Eve, we will go to the church's candlelight service and then bake Gingerbread cookies to leave for Santa.  Then the big day, Christmas!!  

Praying for all the families in Connecticut that have lost children and loved ones in the terrible shooting. 

Large Hail and damaging wind................

Still storming here.....and getting worse!!

I invited Mother and Daddy to come to a Christmas luncheon at my office building.  It's a pot luck type of thing.  At first Mother said she could not come because no one brought her "party dresses" from Dallas!! LOL.  After explaining that it was very casual --- jeans, etc.  she said they could come.  Then Friday morning she woke up Daddy at 4 AM and told him she was NOT going and began complaining about being in Lubbock.  When I delivered their morning paper, she yelled at me too.  I told her she should be ashamed as she was keeping Daddy from having a nice lunch.  Eventually they decided to come, but after eating she began harrassing me and Daddy about moving her (in front of everyone there).  So we abuptly got up and left.

Being the good daughter, I stopped over this morning to find Daddy raking the dirt in the front yard.  I'm sure he was just getting out of the house away from her.  I went in to talk to her and told her I had an extra Christmas tree if she would let me put it up.  She said it really isn't Christmas.  I told her it might seem more like Christmas if she had some decorations and a tree.  So I went home, gathered up a small tree, lights, red balls, tree skirt, small table, garland for the mantle and a wreath for the front door.  I put it all together and she seemed to be pleased.  There is a picture of the tree below.

Daddy then invited me to go to lunch at their favorite place, Golden Corral.  Although that it my least favorite place to eat, I went along.  Well, guess what..?????  Before it was over, she begins in on me ....saying none of us daughters came to see her when she was sick, .......all the way to yelling about moving her to Lubbock, etc, etc.  I got up and waited outside for them to finish eating.  She (and I ) screamed at each other all the way home....I told her she was the meanest old woman I have ever known, and she literally told me to take the Christmas tree and shove it up my ______!!  Daddy told her they were keeping the tree up, because he wanted it.

Well,  we'll see who wins that battle......I would bet $1000 that I will have my decorations back today.  I cannot understand how he lives with her.

Sorry to be so explicit....but just needed to vent.  Like the title says....there was large hail and damaging winds.

Oh, I did also get Mother in to see our family doctor and went with them on Tuesday.  The doctor was very concerned about her excessive swelling in her legs, ankles and feet.  He needs to run more tests to check for heart problems, vitamin deficiency, blood work, possible congestive heart failure, etc.  But will wait until after Jan 1st when their new medicare Ins. is effective.  Spent 2-3 hours x 2 days trying to find her some compression stockings (  the right color and size) Don't know if she will even put them on.  Of course she had to complain to the doctor about moving.  He asked her "what would you do if your husband had a heart attack or stroke and couldn't take care of you?"  She said she could live alone or call her friends.  The doctor just rolled his eyes!!  I almost laughed.

Stormy weather????

It's really not stormy weather, it's been unseasonably warm, in the low to mid 80's here in Lubbock.  But it's stormin' most of the time at the Young's house.  Mother seems to be on a rampage most of the time, and takes it out on Daddy because he moved her to Lubbock.  She told Daddy that I (Nancy) has been planning for years to get her out of Dallas, so that I could get all of her furniture for myself!!  Then today, she accused Daddy of putting something in her coffee to make her sick.  And also keeping her from going to the doctor, so she would die!!  Oh my, oh my.......

Thank you to Jason and Amber.  Jason brought over some fencing material, and repaired their double gate on the east end of the house.  Daddy was very appreciative.  Daddy worked hard too, and took out all the bushes and vegetation out of the front flower bed, including the rock edging.  Apparently they do not like the "desert/western look" that many have in Lubbock!  At some point they will learn that in Lubbock, if it is green you should let it grow.  Our average for rainfall in one year is usually only 10",  so there is not a lot of lush greenness here!!  This is NOT Dallas.

Nic spent a week at the Dallas house by himself, tackling the hoard in the garage.  He made tremendous progress, even though it was only one side of the garage.  He got to know the neighbors, who graciously fed him, let him wash clothes, and Dot who brought him chocolate cake.  After a week of toiling, he had to come home to refresh.

We have been trying to find ways to keep Mother and Daddy from going to bed at 6 PM.  But so far, they haven't been interested in the grandkids basketball games.  We will keep trying.  They did come for breakfast at our house Sunday morning.

We have been worried about Vicki.  She was in the hospital with pneumonia and is still feeling weak and bad.  Hoping she can get better really soon. 

Guess I'll go and watch the "Pickers" on TV.  They travel around and find old stuff to buy and sell.  Wish they were in Dallas.  I know a good place they could hunt....

.....learning to dance in the rain.......and without an umbrella too!!