We had snow today.  It started about 9 last night, just an inch or so.  Enough to be pretty but the roads were basically fine when I drove to work this morning.  Things are even wetter, and more slushy than ever.  We have had a LOT of rain since, well since this summer really.  It's so crazy.  California is in a huge panic of drought and we have river flood warnings a couple of times a week.  I'm ready for things to dry out a little here.  And it's cold right now too.  I think our high today hovered around freezing and it's about 20 degrees tonight.  Brrrrrrrr....

Anyway, Bruce had another tooth pulled yesterday.  He has had the roughest time over the past few months.  2 teeth, the flu, bronchitis, sinus infections....oh sweet Lord I know he is hoping to catch a break here soon.  This one wasn't quite as painful as the extraction he had in October, but still.  It is never fun.  Hopefully he is on the mend now.  

Nothing exciting is going on besides that.  All the kids are fine.  Really busy, but doing well.  I talked to Erica and Stephen both this afternoon and they were both in good spirits.  Erica misses Penny, our dog.  They really bonded over Christmas.  Stephen was a little disappointed that ECU did not get a snow day today. The public schools did.  It doesn't seem quite fair, does it?

Also?  Speaking of Penny...she did NOT approve of this snow thing.  Not at all!!  Erica was sad we didn't get pictures of her playing in it, but there was not much "playing" going on.  She stood in it frozen like a deer in headlights and then tried her best to do her business while levitating over the evil white stuff.  Maybe I need to get her some boots or something...LOL!  

So, Bruce's stepmother passed away this week.  And although things had deteriorated between us after Bruce's Dad passed away, and I mean seriously deteriorated to the point that she was no longer speaking to any member of this family, I was saddened when I heard the news.  I didn't expect to be happy, of course.  But after the issues over Dad's will and how she treated all of us, I guess I wasn't expecting to feel anything.  It could have been different.  It should have been different.  But it was what it was and there is no changing that.  

I suppose that really set the tone for the whole week.  Everything just seemed a bit out of kilter.  It was 25 degrees on Tuesday and mid 70's today.  It's been gray and rainy for so long that I can't remember how many days in a row it's been. I felt out of synch at work, and just couldn't quite hit the right stride after my holiday time off.  Bruce is better but not completely well yet.  I still miss Erica after having her here with us for 3 weeks.  It will all work itself out, of course.  Bruce will eventually shake off this crud, and work will find its rhythm.  I will still miss Erica but everyday life will mute the sting.  I guess it's the post Christmas blues.  Or the winter blahs.  Whatever.  It's grating but I know it won't go on forever.

Spring is just around the corner........

I'm back to work now and it is sadly like my wonderful 3 weeks off never happened.  Poor Bruce is still sick although he is bravely still trying to work.  He is getting really tired of feeling exhausted and coughing all day and night.  He decided to see a Dr this afternoon and found out he has a bad sinus infection compounded by bronchitis.  He came home with a bag full of meds, so hopefully he can kick this thing to the curb soon.  He hasn't been well in over 2 weeks now!

Erica made it safely back to England.  She was pretty much well by the time she left but this flu had her down for at least a week, too!  There were places she wanted to shop, like Target, to stock up on a few things. But we had to go just one place or so and come home because she would get exhausted and need to rest.  So we would hit it another place the next day...and another the next.  I think we managed to acquire everything she needed even if it took awhile.  She went home with a decent amount of new clothes and shoes so she should be set for awhile.  

Hannia has recovered from her bout of flu, which is a good thing.  She managed to fit in seeing her cousin who was here in Gville for just a week.  It was the end of their visit before she was well enough, but she got to see her cousin and family before they left...yay!  Now school is back in session so she is teaching again, and Stephen is back to work after his vacation time, too.  I say "vacation", because his lab was basically closed, but honestly I think he still had a ton of work to do while he was home.  I think this is going to be a pretty busy semester for both of them, but everything seems to be going well.

So we are saying good-bye to 2013 tonight.  Since we are still in flu recovery our celebration is quiet family time here at home.  I made homemade pizzas and tried my first ever batch of cannolis.  My recipe needs tweaking but cannoli is something that takes practice.  I will get it eventually, I hope. 

Anyway, 2013 was a decent year.  Good things happened.  The kids are all happy with what they are doing, and that makes me happy.  We accomplished the monumental task of selling and cleaning out the house in Danville.  Everybody was healthy not counting this awful Christmas Flu.  We have so much to be thankful for.

As for 2014...I think it's going to be an awesome year.  Let's make that thought a reality!  I hope all of you are blessed with love, happiness and good health over these next 12 months.  Oh, and sometime in October would somebody here please remind me to get a flu shot.  Please!

It has been a weird Christmas.  Bruce, Erica and Hannia have all had a bad case of the flu.  This is not something that I want to contend with again especially when it's the season that is supposed to be all Holly Jolly and stuff.  Everybody is starting to feel a bit better...I think.  At least we have decided that everybody is going to survive which is a good thing.  I'm just a little sad that Erica was sick for her visit, but there was nothing to be done about it.  I'm just going to be thankful we all are alive and remind myself that we ALL are going to get flu shots for next year!!!

We are in the height of postal madness right now.  Packages stacked to the heavens!  I am so exhausted, working later and later every day.  But...tomorrow is my last day until next year!!!  I am so excited to be done with it for a few weeks.  And....Erica comes home Monday which makes me extremely happy.

Are you all ready for Christmas??  I know people (and I love them) who have finished the shopping, have been decorated for weeks now.....oh my God, they make me feel so inadequate!!  Our tree is up and decorated at least.  Bruce was the most excellent husband who was on top of the roof when I got home stringing lights around the porch.  Yay!  I was afraid that might not get done this year.  We still have to wrap lights around the columns but maybe that will happen this weekend.  

Anyway, we are all just fine and dandy.  Working hard and trying to get ready for the holidays.  Having all the kids home will be so wonderful.  That's the only gift I need!!!

We had an awesome Thanksgiving.  The food was perhaps the best we have ever had...many thanks to Chef Stephen and his fabulous assistant, Hannia.  The apple cider brined turkey was perfect.  Tasty, moist and amazing!  The sides were all delicious.  And the desserts?  Oh My Lord....Stephen did an Indian dessert called carrot Halwa.  It was a huge hit.  And Hannia's flan, which is always yummy, hit new heights of sweet creamy goodness.  The only things I did was the deviled eggs (all I really did was boil them.  Jeanne and Calvin did the rest), and Lila's dressing which turned out quite well even if I do say so myself.  The food this year?  Highly successful.  And Jeanne made us all what might be my new favorite drink....coconut rum, mango rum, and a splash of pineapple juice.  I'm not sure what it's called, but it's very Caribbeany.  LOL!  And delicious!

We also had fun beyond stuffing our faces.  Hannia's parents joined us for dinner and we all enjoyed that.  They stayed and played cards afterwards which was very nice.  Casey and Delaney learned how to play Rummy.....one of my favorites.  And after that?  The traditional bonfire.  Bruce had chopped up an oak that had fallen in a storm, and we had plenty of wood.  Enough to go for 2 nights.  We had a repeat bonfire on Friday too.  This is one of my favorite parts of the holiday.  We sat around toasting ourselves by the fire and had some wonderful conversation.  It was really frosty so 1 side of our bodies would be warm and the other side cold.  We determined that having those child's toys...the sit and spin (remember those? ) would be perfect.  We could turn ourselves like rotisserie chickens and keep the heat more even.  LOL!

We did do other stuff too.  Bruce, Calvin and Stephen managed to move our 500 pound granite mantle out of the house and tear out the fireplace!!  That was the first HUGE step towards the remodeling we want to do after Christmas.  We hope to repair and refinish these wonderful old heart pine floors.  I am excited.  But not until after Christmas.  I don't want to be in a huge remodeling mess while Erica is home for the holidays!  

Also?  We celebrated Stephen's 29th birthday!  Jeanne and Calvin got to have a tour of the kids' new house.  We had Saturday lunch at our favorite Indian restaurant and managed to even squeeze a movie in on top of all of it!  Whew....busy.  But fun-busy!  The best kind!

Which brings me to the only thing that would have made this Thanksgiving more perfect....having my daughter with us.  But we did get to Skype her, so that helped.