Saturday, December 17, 2011

Christmas Preparations

Wow!  Only one more week until Christmas.  It doesn't seem possible.  I have my baking done, my shopping done, my boxes sent to the kids so we are pretty much just going to enjoy this last week with friends.

Bill & I talked about having a Christmas Open House for our friends & street neighbors so we will do that on Monday, Dec. 19th.  It isn't suppose to be very warm, but hopefully the rain will have passed by then.

Last Sunday after chapel, Bill & I went with Marquita & Ray to Sweet Tomatoes & then on the way back Marquita spotted a rose garden at the Mesa Community College.  Bill & I had passed it on our way back from the doctor's a few days before, but of course, it took Marquita to say, "oh let's stop & walk around".  She LOVES to take pictures & I didn't have my camera with.  It was a beautiful place to walk off our lunch, spend time with friends & enjoy the warmth of the sunshine.  Here are a couple pictures from the rose gardens --
 These two didn't turn out as well.  Smaller pixel I guess.



I tried to add some of the ones that show how big the gardens are, but Ray took some with his phone, so it might be the reason I can't upload them.

Don't have a lot to write about for this post.  Bill and I have been going to the chiropractor every week to try & get the old body in shape & he's been to the regular doctor a couple of times.  This past week they did a breathing test on him when he was feeling better from the first time he went & after being put on a second medication.  His base line breathing capacity has gone from 44% down to 32%.  We just keep plugging along & praying that God will handle anything we can't.  If his back starts to feel better he will be doing good.  We are still dancing (as much as he can tolerate, which is a lot for him) & playing shuffleboard.  I joined one of the park leagues this year & will also play on the "in park" league on Saturday mornings beginning in January.

Today I volunteered to help serve a dinner January 8th for the Young Artists of the Year to be held by Corbett's Studio in our park auditorium.  They are the people that I've taken classes from when I've painted my two pictures.  

December and January are my months to type the bulletin for our chapel, so that keeps me busy on Friday nights & Saturday mornings.  I have to take them to Office Max to get them copied, then I deliver them to one of our friends daughter who folds them for us.

This past week I helped teach another Excel 2007/2010 computer class & we finish up next Tuesday evening.  Then we won't teach again until the middle of January.  

In the meantime, I just try to stay out of trouble!  Sometimes that's hard to do!

As we prepare for this Christmas season, may we all be thankful for the blessings that we have.  So many during these hard times are finding it a struggle just to keep their bills paid & a roof over their heads.  Let us not forget the Reason for the Season & celebrate Christ's birth by helping those less fortunate.  We can give the gift of love, joy & peace, but sometimes a monetary gift helps some child have a Christmas that ordinarily might not have much.  When we give to others, we are the ones who actually receive the gift.

May God's love reach down to you through the manger this Christmas season.  With love from the Bullock's............Merry Christmas and a very Blessed New Year!

Until next time.......................The Traveling Cardinal's