December 1 - 15, 2025 Shopping for Christmas and Getting Ready!

1-Mon-Today’s agenda included a trip to the dollar store for labels to put on the Christmas presents. After lunch we wrapped the presents that we have on hand. I made penne bake for supper.

2-Tue-After breakfast and getting our bodies revved up to get with it, we got dressed and made the bed. We put up our Christmas Tree and the inside Christmas decorations. For supper we went to the Kumback Cafe on the square in Perry with Linda and Hazel. I ordered beef stew, but it was not appetizing and I had a hard time finding the beef or vegetables. It was mostly some kind of icky thick gravy substance. So it didn’t taste bad, but it definitely did not fit my definition of beef stew! It did not look appetizing either. Probably won’t return here.

A storybook picture of the entrance to Farragut State Park near Athol ID. We volunteered there in the summer of 2015. I stole this picture off of Facebook.

An ornament from my sister Marsha, From New Jersey.

Our Christmas Tree

3-Wed-After breakfast and getting around we went to Linda’s shop and visited about an hour. Then we returned home and I did some bill paying. After lunch we went to the post office to mail a check to the Weedman. Of course their price increased since last year, but the yard looked good this fall, so we paid it again! I went to the library and renewed my card so I can use the Libby app to get free books. We also went into a little store on the square called Prairie Exchange. We didn’t see anything to buy. Next I went into Thorn’s and got tickets for the Christmas Tour of Homes. I am still coughing! I am so tired of that!

4-Thu-We putzed around for awhile this morning. I have no idea what we did today. I do know there was a full moon tonight. We watched Dallas get beat by the Detroit Lions. 

Supper was chicken soup, crackers and berries.

The Moon!

5-Fri-I got up late today, about 9:00 and Steve got up about 6:00. After lunch we went to Stillwater to shop. We went to Home Goods, TJ Maxx, Sharpe’s, Ollies and Shoe Sensation. Then we made a stop at Walmart. We got home about 4:30. I was so surprised when I checked our mailbox in front of the house. We got a La Macarena Gift Certificate from Marsha and Tony! She pulled off a pretty good trick, since she lives in New Jersey. She looked them up on the internet and then called them. The people who operate La Macarena are so nice and delivered it to our mailbox. So Steve and I had date night at La Macarena! Woo hoo!

Chicken  Soup

6-Sat-Another routine morning. I talked to Marsha. Then we ordered some more  gifts online. After lunch we worked on putting up our outside lights. That took most of the afternoon, but we didn’t have any conflicts. We watched football after that. We are getting in the groove for Christmas. 

Outdoor Lights

7-Sun-We both slept in a bit this morning. We then watched TV til 11:30 . We got dressed and I fixed my hair. We did the Christmas Tour of Homes from 1:00 til 3:30 PM. Then it was more football. I made homemade pizza for supper. Yum!

An Oklahoma State Tree we saw on the Christmas Tour of Homes

Another tree from the tour. Steve had a great idea, put that wire tree over a green tree and it would look really neat!

8-Mon-We were up and around early today. We left the house at 8:00 AM. Steve had his annual appointment with his MS provider at the VA. Our first stop was medical records to sign a release for his back MRI report and disc. Then it was Xray on 2nd floor to pick up the disc. Next it was back to the 1st floor to see his PA. He was also seen by PT, OT, Speech Pathologist and Social Worker. On our way out we stopped in the Cafeteria so Steve could have a snack and take his meds. He had to be fasting today. We drove home, got gas and picked up the mail. 

My sister & her husband live in New Jersery but go to S. Carolina for the winter. We visited them there last year and I did not buy an ornament for the tree while I was there. She sent this to me for our tree!

9-Tue-After we had breakfast and putzed around for a while we started the laundry. I paid a bill and filed a travel claim for yesterday. Later we went by Linda’s shop to get some yummy treats. I went to Thorn’s to order a poinsettia for Marsha and Tony (Christmas present). We got back home and Steve went ahead and ordered new seat covers for his pickup. Steve and I ate at La Macarena without Linda and Hazel.

Saw this at Linda's beauty shop!

10-Wed-After breakfast we got around and wrapped presents. We had an appointment at 1;00 and then went to the bank for a visa gift card. Next stop was the dollar store for a Chili’s gift card. We mailed our long distance gifts (cards and a check) today. Supper was cube steak, fries and berries.

11-Thu-We returned to Stillwater today. We had bought a snow globe there and it broke when we unloaded it at home. So we returned to Home Goods today and bought another one. Our next stop was at Walmart for supplies. We got home and unloaded our stuff. We tried to get the oil changed in our vehicles but they could not do it today. Then we went to Linda’s to make a hair appointment. Linda joined us at La Macarena for supper.

12-Fri-Our plan today was to drive to OKC and meet Kristi and John at Target for more Christmas shopping. She was off today because she has to work one Saturday per month. John was off because he hurt his hip at work. So we toured Target and bought some things for Christmas. We ate lunch at Cowboy Chicken and it was really good. They had great chicken strips! Then we went to the mall and got some items at Eskimo Joes. We also went into Dillards and Penneys. We took Kristi and John back to their car. Steve & I returned to Dillards to get some towels that Kristi admired when we were there. Before we left OKC we went to Bob Hurley RV to see if they had any RV’s that would suit us. No success. For supper we had pork loin, baked potatoes. Then we had berries and ice cream for dessert. 

13-Sat-We were very ambitious today. We changed the sheets on our bed. It is quite an operation, since it is king sized and adjustable. Then we wrapped more presents that we bought yesterday. We washed the sheets. We spent time looking for RV’s online. Trying to find a different RV is difficult.

14-Sun-Not much to report today. It is 15° today. That is way too cold for me! We stayed inside and watched football. 

15-Mon-We got a lot of stuff accomplished today. First, we completed the laundry. Then we got the oil changed in the car and pickup. We checked the mail and bought some lottery tickets. We hope to win the billion plus prize! Steve tweaked his back when he was cleaning something, so I put the TENS unit on him later. I made turkey chili for supper. 

Steve sent this out to the kids!
Out of time
Out of paper
Out of patience
Out of money
Merry Christmas Everyone!

October 16 - October 31, 2023 More Chores and Routine Stuff

Oct 16 - Monday-Today we started off with  Laundry. Later we loaded up our aluminum cans and sold them. We got $30.00 for about 100 pounds. We are glad to have them gone. Also Buster (dog) tangled a little bit with a skunk last night so we went to Stillwater Mill and got Skunk odor eliminator. We also picked up some Ammonia and moth boalls to put under the shed. They are supposed to repel skunks. We will see. We also went to the courthouse to make sure we are still exempt from property tax due to Steve's VA status. While we were there we talked to the county extension agent about getting soil samples tested for our yard. I made roast, potatoes and carrots in the crock pot. 

Oct 17-Tuesday-We did  all the routine things. Steve started working on tree roots in the back yard. They are in the NE corner of the yard and interfere with our chain link fence. We took the soil samples to the county agent and then stopped by Lindas. In addition, I got a library card and checked out a book. With the library card I can check out electronic books through the app Libby and it doesn't cost anything. WooHoo!

The Rose of Sharon Bush also bit the dust over the summer. Steve dug it up. 

We saw this cute Halloween decoration on our way to dump trash!

 

Oct 18-Wednesday- After breakfast, we had to work on the TV sound. It was mute for some reason. We unplugged the Direct TV Box and it  finally worked. We had to clear some things out so the guy could come and cut down our dying tree. So we loaded junk in the back yard by the tree and hauled it to the dump. Then we burned limbs. We also went to Stillwater and stopped at Staples, Hobby Lobby, Walmart and then home. The nurse from the VA pain management call and we got an appointment for Steve (Back). 

Oct 19-Thursday-I called the VA and got an appointment for Steve to talk to the doctor who does back injections. Kristi  and John cam here about 10:15 (fall break). We visited and then went to lunch at La Macarena. Steve and John put the new chair mats in the computer room They also moved the ramp away from the shed . We took a walk with Kristi and John. They left about 2:15. I think we had a short nap later. Then we had a small supper with Linda and Hazel.

Oct 20-Friday-We left for OKC Va aboearly. We arrived there at 8:30 and our appointment was at 9:30. We headed home about 10 Am and arrived back at the house at 11:)) AM. We rested and had lunch. After lunch we took the pickup for an oil change and stopped at the post office and Homeland. We also made a run to Stillwater to pick up my blood pressure meds - I had to go to two walmarts because the regular one didn't have the medication. So I am achanging my pickup locaiton.Back hom about 5:00 PM.

Oct 21 -Saturday-We were up at 7:03 and got dressed. We moved the RV to the parking lot where the Walmart used to be here in Perry. Now we have O'Reilly's and Tractor Supply there. At 8:30 AM Ben Passow and his wife arrived to cut the tree down in the back yard. . He finished cutting down the tree a little after 1:00 PM. They took a little lunch break. They do a great job. They ground up the stump and also hauled off all the tree remains.We watched OU & OSU play football. I have no idea why I didn't take a picture of the tree before it was cut down, but I did take some after pictures. 

Finished!

Oct 22-Sunday-Well today was pretty routine. We watched football, took a walk. Had a short nap and then supper. I worked on my blog some. It  is sure easy to get behind on the blog.  Also when we are home, it doesn't seem too exciting to write about  our routine things. 

Oct 23-Monday-It was laundry day today.  Then we each worked on different things. I worked on the blog and Steve pulled weeds in the yard. Later we had a nice walk and  did some errands around town. 

Oct 24-Tuesday-We did some routine things and  I worked on the blog. It raining outside so we did not walk. Lunch was leftover pizza. So we have a project, we are going to re-cover our kitchen chairs (4). Steve started working on that and I helped him also. We cut the material and figured out how it was going to lay (stripes across).

Upholstery Material

Oct 25-Wednesday-Today we left for Stillwater about 9:00 AM because I had my routine doctors appointment. It was finished by 10:30 and  I had labs drawn for bloodwork. We went to Hobby Lobby for cushion material for our chairs. We enjoyed lunch at Schlotzsky's. After that it was a stop at Lowes and Walmart

Sky in front of house 6:39 PM

Sky in back of house 6:39 PM

. 

Oct 26-Thursday-I was on the phone making calls for various things, Overhead door, mammogram appointment, orthotics, etc. We took a walk with the dogs, which they love! We got two of the kitchen chairs covered and check out a few more Halloween decorations. We had supper at La Macarena with Linda and Hazel.

Before

After




Moon as seen outside the restaurant

Moon behind our house

Oct 27-Friday-After morning chores we walked. Then we back to working on the kitchen chairs. I was able to schedule a mammogram and again we discussed orthotics with the Stillwater VA. We finished covering the chairs - so it was our goal to finish before Thanksgiving and we did it!

Poopsie (Zoe) and Buster-A couple of really good dogs!

Oct 28-Saturday-We had our routine things to do and then we got ready to got to OKC. We left at about 10 AM to meet Kristi and John at Quail Springs Mall. Today we are all go to see the movie: Killers of the Flower Moon. We really enjoyed the movie even though it was long. Actually the movie stuck pretty close to the book and it helped me understand the book better.  I will re-read the book now. After the movie we ate at Johnny Carinos. When we arrived home we watched OSU beat Cincinnati in football. 

Kristi & John

Oct 29-Sunday-Today was a day spent inside. We watched Dallas win and Kansas City get beat. It was chilly and rain. I made chicken soup and diet Key Lime pie.

Oct 30-Monday-It was laundry day today. We also cleaned out a drawer and some old bills in the computer room It was chilly so we were inside most of the day. Steve's back is giving him fits! I've re-learned that my passions are: RV Travel, Books, History, Reading and Nutrition/Cooking. I say this because those are the types of books I have!

Oct 31-Tuesday-We did routine things today. The man was her at noon to measure our garage  door. We did some errands around town and paid some bills. About 4 PM we decided we needed to winterize the RV because it is supposed to go down to 25°tonight.