Hi everyone,

First thing is to let you know I have a Dr's appt. Tuesday morning, Dec. 4. Arjay and I both have bronchitis, and I am still very conjested and become short of breath after coughing or doing much walking. I noticed this after my breathing treatment today. I just want him to check me out and see if there is anything else he can do or if it just has to run its course. It's more complicated for me since I have asthma/copd.

Made some progress in the decorating project. We have one tree up here in the music/computer room. It's the Thomas Kincade one I had inherited from my friend when she died 2 yrs. ago this Feb. It's the one Thor laid alongside of as it's the kind you can't lay under. It comes right down to the floor. It's the neatest thing to put together. It folds down into the box. It has 2 parts to the pole. You just pull the whole tree up the pole and hook it on the top. It's already decorated. I just added the big bow to the top, tweeked the riibon a little and it was done. Arjay put it together for me. All I have to do is get a tree skirt for it now and that's it. The most important thing is Max was great. He walked over, sniffed it, walked behind it and watched it swivel a little (which it's supposed to do ) and then walked away and hasn't gone back since. He was more put out that I moved his chair out of that corner to the other side of the room. I also put a Christmas cushion on it and I'm sure he smelled Thor on it. But, I put some cat nip on the cushion and he is fine with it now. Curled up on it for a while. We'll see what he does with the bigger tree that he can fit under when we put it up tomorrow or Saturday in the living room. If you want, check out the picture with Thor laying next to the tree from last year in my gallery. We miss our sweet Thor.

I promise I will take my time decorating. It may take me 'till the end of Sunday night to finish, but that's ok. I love doing it and have all the time in the world. I have learned it's more fun to do it slowly and systematically. I have to remove items before I can put Christmas things in their place. I even change out the pillows on my futon in the computer/music room and on the sofa in the living room. It's all in the details! I then place all the excess items in the guest room and then close the door until after the holiday. Luckily we never have out of state guests until February or so.

Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year. Arjay knew that and proposed to me on Thanksgiving Eve in 1979 and we were married a month later on Christmas Eve at 9 pm at his parent's home. The minister
was a family friend and he came to the house in between church services and married us. We will be married 33 years this Dec. 24. We have known each other 37 years. Nice to be married to your best friend.

That's it for now. Max sends his love and said he will stay in the Christmas Spirit. He'll be writing some I'm sure as time goes on.