Karen, I hope your husband is feeling better before your son needs to go back. What a good kid
Rita, hope you got a walk. Just getting outside (can ) feel better.
Ann and 'teacup,' good for you.
I have 2-3 rolls of christmas wrap.. and decided we are just giving the kids money. I don't even have a gift for my husband. What to get? It's a mess this year anyway. I guess I gave up.

Sally, we just gave up trying to buy each other gifts, I tell him what I want, and he buys it, I ask him what he wants and he buys it, then gives it to me to wrap and put under the tree, he wraps mine and puts it under the tree, it works for us.

we have one present anyway-- gave 'each other' a nice bird viewing binoculars to share. Already used them

My husband will wrap up my new slippers. Nice that they came in just in time for Christmas. I'll call some of the several electronic gifts he's bought himself, his gifts. We give the kids money.

Will do aquafit this morning and then the pool will be closed down for 4 weeks. Lockdown starts on Boxing Day rather than on Christmas Eve, though we've been getting mixed messages.

mcash70 said:Sally, we just gave up trying to buy each other gifts, I tell him what I want, and he buys it, I ask him what he wants and he buys it, then gives it to me to wrap and put under the tree, he wraps mine and puts it under the tree, it works for us.

We do something similar, although sometimes I will buy some of my gifts if I have a coupon code and give him the box to wrap the gift. We also have a few surprises for each other. This year DH wanted a Garmin and I wanted un ultrasonic cleaner for jewelry.

Our gift exchange was smaller this year too. But our son got us a good forehead digital thermometer that actually works! He got us lots of little things for the house, too---Things that he has been noticing that really need to be replaced, like my insulated drinking glasses and a light timer. And oven mitts. Almond biscotti.

It's just the three of us, but this year we are especially grateful to be here and still healthy.

Karen

I'm doing the "home alone" Christmas - my grandchildren (one 23, one 26) haven't been wearing masks, and the boy is working in Kansas, a recent hot spot. So, I said I wouldn't be getting together with them - breaks my heart - there's even a great grandchild I haven't seen since April and he's right here in my area. But if I were to get sick, they aren't going to be coming to do my animal chores twice a day! I miss all the traditional holiday things, but I really don't want to get it. At 78, I should be in the group that gets the vaccine early, but I won't count on it.

It's been so cold (4*) this morning, so I don't spend much time outside. But the quilting and looking at seed catalogues keeps me busy. I should get back on the exercise bike - did it a lot last winter, just have to get back in the groove. Actually have lost some weight, which is good, but the exercise is for more than that. Well, hope everyone is having a good day.

Karen, they sound like great gifts, I always like to get something useful.

Judith, you have lots of company being along this Christmas, hopefully with the vaccine we can all see our families this summer.

Merry Christmas to everyone here. Have to be brief as we have a scheduled family Zoom in just a few minutes; so I'll be back later.

Judith, I can imagine how tough that was, deciding to be home alone. this is the last big holiday season like this.

I think animal care is a great excuse to get moving (outside? what animals?) and feel good caring for another being.
Vaccine seems to be moving very fast, I hope that is true and continues. I don't know what sort of scale-up is needed now to get to the next phases of distribution. As in, the numbers of people in each phase of distribution. My coworker with a son who's an intern says the first dose gives 90% immunity.

I got on the weight bench again, and will do it tomorrow. No excuses! No real walking on my sprained ankle, just hobbling carefully. I'm lucky if I am up for an hour. Then back on the couch.

I will try and get back to the exercise next week, probably Tuesday, I have a doctor visit on Monday, an ENT. UGH!!

Judith, I know it's hard, but in my heart, I know you made the right choice. We all want to be here next Christmas. Hopefully the vaccine isn't too far off for us old folks. Your state sets those parameters.

We're fortunate in that our son flew home for my husband's surgery, as well as Christmas. He's working a 50 hour week from here. He had to buy a lot of extra computer equipment, but it allowed him to be here to help out for 6 weeks. I don't know what we'd have done without him. He'll be here for another couple of weeks.

Since my husband's surgery, I have just been too busy all day every day to exercise. I'm hopeful that things will settle down soon and I'll get back into an exercise routine,

We might join a family Zoom meeting tonight, too. Merry Christmas everyone.

Karen

We had a zoom with Serge's sister, husband and their son this afternoon in Montreal, I didn't spend too much time chatting, I had to cook dinner, plus it is hard for Chantal to understand English.

Thanks for all the commiseration - I know I'm not alone, but it is depressing to spend a holiday just like any other day. I know, suck it up! My first quilt project is almost done - I've put off quilting for years, thinking it was too hard, or I wouldn't like it, but I find I do like the free motion quilting. I took the fabric (browns with oak leaf pattern) to an embroidery store and had a small, green frog tucked into a corner. The grandson won't see it right away, but will be entertained when he finds it!! He loves all reptiles, and has had many in terrariums.

Some of my orchids are blooming - I started husbanding them last year, when it was too cold to do anything outside, and find them rewarding. They are a challenge for me because it is so dry here - I have a hard time even getting my house humidity up to 35%. I mist them half a dozen times a day and have them on a grate with water under. It's a lot of work, but rewarding.

Good morning on Boxing Day! Should be a holiday, but instead we got a lock-down for 4 weeks. Cases in Ottawa have been getting lower, but some dummies in Toronto area have been keeping the numbers up; so all of southern and eastern Ontario is locked down for 4 weeks while northern gets to reopen in 2 weeks.

Did a turkey breast yesterday and have more than half of it left for nibbling or other meals. Simmered the bone, with quite a lot of meat on it, last night and will get some soup too. Made a pumpkin cheesecake and took half of it to our daughter's house along with dinner rolls and a creamy onions and carrots casserole I make. I just divided it in half. And we reclaimed our dining room table for use as well.

Judith,
I took a few hand-piecing classes couple decades ago and liked the hand sewing. About five years ago I decided to start a hexagon quilt, "to use up scraps of fabric and thread.." Well, all crafters know, you never use up stuff.. I was picking up a few more fat quarters to round out the scrap color scheme And haven't finished it yet But I did feel good about using up some fabric and thread on masks. emptied a number of partial thread spools inherited from a neghbor. Now I can't wait to take apart some masks and put them in the quilt. Even think I might scrap the original layout of the hexagons and go random, to reflect the Times in which this was made.

With the house that dry, I would get a room humidifier. I think you would be more comfortable, and the plants.

Our local area added restrictions about two weeks ago, and number may be easing. But with the Xmas rush..we'll see how that plays. Vaccine seems to be getting out fast, already given to hospital employees I know in a couple locations (maryland, florida). My library went 'more restricted' but interestingly, the county health officer said we were doing things safely. It was our headquarters that did it, probably due to a few staff cases (none hospitalized, some barely knew they had it) and a lot of staff concern.
Our Xmas day was not our best ever. But our son and girlfriend came by and ate. We appreciated them making the effort, after having spent time with her family and probably tired before coming here. What I don't like.. people feeling obliged to go too many places in one or two days and not enjoying it. And I did not help by suggesting anything different.
Today should be workout day for me. I will add a couple more exercises to my wimpy little bench presses.

I've been going to sleep with youtube videos of 'relaxing christmas music' but how many times do you want to hear Silent Night in all its relaxing variations

I forgot to switch over to the new thread, so I'm a little behind. Good Christmas, quiet, a brunch with a good friend, we had meatballs and some kind of crackers she made from a Pioneer Woman recipe, club crackers and Parmesan cheese and bacon, very good, plus fruit salad I brought. Home for a nap, then sausage balls, cheese dip and homemade fudge and watching Wonder Woman. Geoff had already opened most of his gifts. Another friend dropped gifts by on Christmas Eve, I got all kinds of candles, a candle holder, scented lotion, fancy hand soap, all the kinds of stuff I love but don't buy for myself. I have to admit that all the rich food left me with serious indigestion! I still have a ham in the fridge! Today is cleanup day, house cleaning, hauling out trash, and gathering stuff to take to the local food pantry and the local thrift shop. The holiday season may be over but the need is there more than ever. I'm fixing to go to Kroger's to see if they have marked down their canned veggies; they always order too much and have nowhere to store the extras, so sell them at greatly reduced prices. I'm hoping to pick up a case of green beans and corn for the food shelter.
Kitties are tame, so they will be going next week. Have to post pics on facebook and take pics to the local shelter. A busy week ahead, applying for a rental house, getting car tags, and getting hair cut, and work for the MG plant Sale. Plus hope to squeeze in yard work if the weather permits.
Here's Garfield, or Gar-gar, sitting in my sons lap right before we went to the brunch.

We had a good day most of the day except lunch was too heavy and I had heartburn for hours.

My husband reads the news more than I do, but sometimes he reads some weird stuff. He says we'll be among the last to get the vaccine. I don't think there are official guidelines yet, and it looks like counties can set their own guidelines.

The guidelines are set by individual states so in California.... who knows! In Ohio I'm in phase 1C which will include people over 65.

Karen

The article I read, dated December 21, says that they haven't decided who is essential beyond healthcare workers, farm workers, and grocery store workers. There has been lobbying by Uber to get them bumped up on the priority list. I don't have a job, am way less than 65, and don't have underlying medical conditions of interest, so I would be very far down the list and I don't really care. Someone has to be last.