Back on Wednesday the 17th, I was getting ready for Texas, finishing packing, etc. Meanwhile, Tomkin brought in the huge piece of linoleum that he had bought so it could thaw before the guys came over to install it. There was melting snow everywhere, and I even noticed that water was dripping into the basement! Turns out that was actually from Chloe's water dish--her slobbery drinking had caused the wood under her dish to rot. Thank goodness we caught it in time!
Tomkin drove me to the airport--it was a beautiful sunny day. My flight was delayed about an hour, which wasn't too bad considering all the other weather-related delays around the country. Mom picked me up at the airport in Austin about 6:30, and we headed home to Temple. I got to meet my new "sister," Buttons. She is so cute! I wasn't sure if I'd like a fluffy little white dog, but she totally won me over right away.
Thursday we slept in and then just hung out and relaxed for a while. Mom and I headed to the mall, where I got some new clothes and a couple last-minute Christmas gifts. We had lunch at Chik-Fil-A. I didn't even care about Weight Watchers--we don't have Chik-Fil-A here, and I love it!
We went home, and I wrapped all my presents. Then I tagged along to Mom's weekly Weight Watchers meeting. She almost didn't weigh in, but when she did, she found out she'd lost nearly a pound! That evening we hung out at home and played some Skip-Bo. It was a nice relaxing day.
Friday we went to Macy's to take advantage of some good sales. Then we headed to Mom's hospice Christmas party. It was odd to be at a celebrational gathering and hear various conversations about death. Such is the nature of the work, I suppose!
In addition to celebrating Christmas, it was also a chance for people to say good-bye to Mom, since she is officially retiring as of January 1st. Forty years of nursing is enough for her. We had a nice time visiting with her coworkers and eating lot of delicious food.
Mom also had some gifts to open, and we got to play with Norman, the chihuahua who belongs to one of the hospice nurses. Mom cleaned out her desk and bid farewell to hospice work.
We headed to the grocery store and got all kinds of good food for the week. When we got home, we took the dogs (Bosley and Buttons) for a walk. It was sunny and in the 70s--quite a change from the weather in Minnesota!
That night, Mom and I went out for Thai food with Dick's daughter, Lisa.
Then we went home and played more Skip-Bo, and I talked to Tomkin. While I was away, he had the new linoleum installed in our kitchen. It sounded like it was quite a messy process, so I was very thankful not to have been there for it! Tomkin also had a root canal. But he did get to spend more fun time with his family and with Chloe, so that was good.
Mom and I had planned to go to Fredricksburg on Saturday, but after so much running around on Friday we decided to just stay home and take it easy. I kept checking Tomkin's flight info, wondering if he would arrive on time. I played on the computer, we took the dogs for a walk, and Mom took a nap with Buttons.
Tomkin said they were having a blizzard in Minnesota, but we were still hopeful that he would make it down to Texas. He eventually made it after a three-hour delay. Thankfully, he had the iPod I gave him for Christmas, so he just sat and watched movies and wasn't really bothered by the wait. And the flight after his from MSP to AUS got cancelled, so I was just glad he made it.
We relaxed on Sunday, and Lisa came over with her three big dogs (Jasmine, a weimeraner; Didi, a great dane/great pyranese mix; and Poppy, a St. Bernard/great dane mix). We all romped and played in the yard. I just wished that Chloe was there, too! (Though I knew she was happy at Kris and Dave's house in St. Paul.)
I was also thinking about Scout that day--it would have been his ninth birthday. It's been almost eight months now since he died, and I definitely still miss him. After Lisa left, Tomkin and I went for a walk, and then we all had dinner and played Facts in Five. Tomkin got a Wild Card and picked "Motorcycles" as the category. I was excited because I actually named more than he did!
We had talked about going horseback-riding on Monday, but it turned out to be pretty chilly. So Mom, Tomkin, and I headed to the Texas Rangers museum in Waco instead. That was fun and very interesting. We watched a video, checked out the exhibits, and hit the gift shop.
We took a walk when we got back, and that evening Dick took us all out for dinner at the Cotton Patch Cafe. (And he drove us there in his new Mercedes!)
It was our unofficial Christmas Eve. When we got home we looked through some old photos, and then we each opened one present. We played more Facts in Five and then went to bed wondering what Santa would bring....
We celebrated Christmas on Tuesday. We all looked in our stockings and then opened our presents. We all got so much great stuff!
Mom made Grandma Tack's traditional German Thumbprint Bread for breakfast.
Tomkin and I took the dogs on a long walk, and then we took a little nap. Lisa's daughter Chelsi came over, and she, Mom, and I ran to the grocery store (where they already had their Valentine's Day candy out!).
By the time we got home, Lisa had arrived with more presents. We all ate appetizers and opened more gifts.
Everyone pitched in to help get dinner on the table--turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, Jell-o salad, lettuce salad, and rolls. It was SO good. I ate until I was truly stuffed.
We played Apples to Apples and Who, What, Where and then had some dessert. Then we played Taboo. It was a really fun day, and it actually felt like Christmas!
Wednesday it was sunny and in the 60s--the nicest day since Tomkin had arrived. I got all our stuff packed while Tomkin helped Mom with some photo stuff on the computer. We took the dogs for a walk and then finished getting ready to go. Mom drove us to the airport in Austin--it was sad to say good-bye! We had such a fun time together.
The airport was practically empty. Our flight was delayed about an hour, so Tomkin watched movies and I read. There were two bats flying around the airport, which was a bit unnerving! When we got back to Minnesota, we waited on the tarmac for about half an hour, and then one of my bags was "lost," so I had to fill out a claim. We finally got home about 11:00. Thankfully, Kris and Dave had dropped off Chloe at our house--she was so happy to see us! Of course we were happy to see her, too. And within a couple hours, someone from Northwest dropped off my missing luggage. Phew! So we and all our stuff made it safely home.
Tomkin drove me to the airport--it was a beautiful sunny day. My flight was delayed about an hour, which wasn't too bad considering all the other weather-related delays around the country. Mom picked me up at the airport in Austin about 6:30, and we headed home to Temple. I got to meet my new "sister," Buttons. She is so cute! I wasn't sure if I'd like a fluffy little white dog, but she totally won me over right away.
Thursday we slept in and then just hung out and relaxed for a while. Mom and I headed to the mall, where I got some new clothes and a couple last-minute Christmas gifts. We had lunch at Chik-Fil-A. I didn't even care about Weight Watchers--we don't have Chik-Fil-A here, and I love it! 
We went home, and I wrapped all my presents. Then I tagged along to Mom's weekly Weight Watchers meeting. She almost didn't weigh in, but when she did, she found out she'd lost nearly a pound! That evening we hung out at home and played some Skip-Bo. It was a nice relaxing day.
Friday we went to Macy's to take advantage of some good sales. Then we headed to Mom's hospice Christmas party. It was odd to be at a celebrational gathering and hear various conversations about death. Such is the nature of the work, I suppose! 
In addition to celebrating Christmas, it was also a chance for people to say good-bye to Mom, since she is officially retiring as of January 1st. Forty years of nursing is enough for her. We had a nice time visiting with her coworkers and eating lot of delicious food. 
Mom also had some gifts to open, and we got to play with Norman, the chihuahua who belongs to one of the hospice nurses. Mom cleaned out her desk and bid farewell to hospice work. 
We headed to the grocery store and got all kinds of good food for the week. When we got home, we took the dogs (Bosley and Buttons) for a walk. It was sunny and in the 70s--quite a change from the weather in Minnesota! 
That night, Mom and I went out for Thai food with Dick's daughter, Lisa. 
Then we went home and played more Skip-Bo, and I talked to Tomkin. While I was away, he had the new linoleum installed in our kitchen. It sounded like it was quite a messy process, so I was very thankful not to have been there for it! Tomkin also had a root canal. But he did get to spend more fun time with his family and with Chloe, so that was good.
Mom and I had planned to go to Fredricksburg on Saturday, but after so much running around on Friday we decided to just stay home and take it easy. I kept checking Tomkin's flight info, wondering if he would arrive on time. I played on the computer, we took the dogs for a walk, and Mom took a nap with Buttons. 
Tomkin said they were having a blizzard in Minnesota, but we were still hopeful that he would make it down to Texas. He eventually made it after a three-hour delay. Thankfully, he had the iPod I gave him for Christmas, so he just sat and watched movies and wasn't really bothered by the wait. And the flight after his from MSP to AUS got cancelled, so I was just glad he made it.
We relaxed on Sunday, and Lisa came over with her three big dogs (Jasmine, a weimeraner; Didi, a great dane/great pyranese mix; and Poppy, a St. Bernard/great dane mix). We all romped and played in the yard. I just wished that Chloe was there, too! (Though I knew she was happy at Kris and Dave's house in St. Paul.) 
I was also thinking about Scout that day--it would have been his ninth birthday. It's been almost eight months now since he died, and I definitely still miss him. After Lisa left, Tomkin and I went for a walk, and then we all had dinner and played Facts in Five. Tomkin got a Wild Card and picked "Motorcycles" as the category. I was excited because I actually named more than he did!
We had talked about going horseback-riding on Monday, but it turned out to be pretty chilly. So Mom, Tomkin, and I headed to the Texas Rangers museum in Waco instead. That was fun and very interesting. We watched a video, checked out the exhibits, and hit the gift shop. 
We took a walk when we got back, and that evening Dick took us all out for dinner at the Cotton Patch Cafe. (And he drove us there in his new Mercedes!) 
It was our unofficial Christmas Eve. When we got home we looked through some old photos, and then we each opened one present. We played more Facts in Five and then went to bed wondering what Santa would bring....
We celebrated Christmas on Tuesday. We all looked in our stockings and then opened our presents. We all got so much great stuff! 
Mom made Grandma Tack's traditional German Thumbprint Bread for breakfast. 
Tomkin and I took the dogs on a long walk, and then we took a little nap. Lisa's daughter Chelsi came over, and she, Mom, and I ran to the grocery store (where they already had their Valentine's Day candy out!). 
By the time we got home, Lisa had arrived with more presents. We all ate appetizers and opened more gifts. 
Everyone pitched in to help get dinner on the table--turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, Jell-o salad, lettuce salad, and rolls. It was SO good. I ate until I was truly stuffed. 
We played Apples to Apples and Who, What, Where and then had some dessert. Then we played Taboo. It was a really fun day, and it actually felt like Christmas!
Wednesday it was sunny and in the 60s--the nicest day since Tomkin had arrived. I got all our stuff packed while Tomkin helped Mom with some photo stuff on the computer. We took the dogs for a walk and then finished getting ready to go. Mom drove us to the airport in Austin--it was sad to say good-bye! We had such a fun time together. 
The airport was practically empty. Our flight was delayed about an hour, so Tomkin watched movies and I read. There were two bats flying around the airport, which was a bit unnerving! When we got back to Minnesota, we waited on the tarmac for about half an hour, and then one of my bags was "lost," so I had to fill out a claim. We finally got home about 11:00. Thankfully, Kris and Dave had dropped off Chloe at our house--she was so happy to see us! Of course we were happy to see her, too. And within a couple hours, someone from Northwest dropped off my missing luggage. Phew! So we and all our stuff made it safely home.
2 comments:
Sounds like a great time Julie! Glad you each got a taste of warmer temps and a big dose of family. That's what it's all about!
Looks like you had a great time with your Mom and family. And thank God your flights were just delayed and not cancelled. I'm a little jealous about the game playing. I haven't played a board game in so long. Merry Xmas again!
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