Merry Christmas

I think my Christmas preparations are complete.  I know there is not a lot to do when Christmas dinner will be just the two of us but I am fixing a traditional meal (with lots of leftovers) while on a budget so I've gone to a few different stores for specials.  (We decided to keep the day with just the two of us and watch a favorite movie after the Christmas dinner.)

I texted both of my kids at the last grocery store that I was in sticker shock, it truly does seem the prices have doubled (Stephanie feels the same... that her Christmas dinner and baking seems like it costs twice what it did last year).  I am so glad that I know God provides every need and throws in some desires met here and there.

I had to smile at the remarks about my sofa in yesterday's post.  That sofa was purchased when we moved into this house specifically for this living room.  It was the second time we shopped for a living room sofa that we ended up getting something entirely different than we originally had planned.  The first time was in the 1990s for a previous living room.

We knew we wanted a sleeper sofa and we did get that.  We knew it had to be high quality, I am married to someone with a Master's Degree in furniture engineering.  But the color and style was completely different than planned.

In the showroom, we found ourselves leaving the sofa that was much what we had planned for the room and coming back to this one.  It looked much like one would fine in a refined "old time" men's study (the color is even called tobacco!).

Since I had to use the flash, the entire room looks more white than it really is (the color of the walls is taupe).  We decided to purchase that particular sofa and it ended up being perfect.   It is my favorite place in the house to curl up with a book or watch a DVD.

Yesterday I received a package from Amazon via UPS that made me laugh.  For it was an exercise DVD and I knew who had to send it, only my daughter would send me such a gift.  Anyone else would be certain I'd take offense.  It's one of those walking DVDs (with "Christian" music) and I'm looking forward to trying it.

She and I had been talking about ways I could exercise as the county roads are too narrow for safely walking.  I've been gaining weight just a pound or two at a time but it's beginning to add up (and I really am resembling the Pillsbury Dough Boy around the middle)... and it will help my blood sugar levels.

Speaking of Amazon... thank you all very much who ordered through the Amazon widget.  That, too, has added up (although I'm happy about that accumulation) and I look forward to receiving the credit in February.  Credit received each month was earned two months previously in case there are any returns.

I will be back on Sunday and then I'm taking five or six days off from not only blogging but I must take a partial internet break.  I am way behind on returning e-mails and I must sort through the stack of papers and other "stuff" which has accumulated to find the Recommendations List (about twenty-five pages of print outs).  That is a priority come the new year.

I'll also be spending time in prayer and pondering the Word from Him and the word for next year.  I think I know what it will be already.  Okay, I thought of it and then I lost the thought.  Most of you over forty know exactly what I mean.  ;)

Thank you all for your friendship, the unexpected part of blogging.  I remember reading on Susan Branch's blog (yes Grace, I do LOVE Susan!) what it felt like when she received her first letter from a reader.  She didn't realize when she "wrote" her first cookbook that it would bring with it those kinds of friendships.

While this blog is on a much, much smaller level... I am blessed by YOU.

Merry Christmas!