Christmas is just around the corner…

 Monday was an awesome day! Karen came in and fed the hungry pooch and then fed me, we ended up doing the program again, and it took up most of the day, but at least I'm glad we finished, and even though I didn't feel, excellent I have plans, and I'm getting up. Cindy likes to cruise around and find all the really cool houses decorated for Christmas, So we cruised by and check out those, and she heard of this place in Santa Cruz called Farley's Christmas Wonderland. This guy fenced in his front yard and filled it with all these amazing displays. When you first go in, there's a Tinkerbell display with some really awesome surprises. There are also two really awesome Christmas village displays, and then there are double doors that go into his house, and you can see some really awesome stuff in his house, but that's not accessible to the public. This guy has found sleighs, elves, all kinds of refurbished Christmas displays… You would have to go through this place prolonged about 50 times to see everything. Just as we got past the Tinkerbell display, I got stuck in the rocks and mud when I went to turn around the corner. I was so embarrassed! Basically, everybody behind me had to help pull me out, or else nobody could go anywhere. It took a minute, but they finally got me pulled out, and we went on our way. Adriana and Cindy are so much fun to hang out with that I forgot about it almost immediately and really enjoyed the rest of the tour. The guy built a little log cabin with the table in a couple of chairs sitting in front of a fireplace and on the hooks next to the fireplace where Santa and Mrs. Santos jackets… The guy said that at night he and his wife either dinner in the little cabin… It really is a Wonderland! If I wasn't in the Christmas spirit before, I definitely am now! After we left, we cruised back, and I couldn't wait to get back into bed because my neck, shoulders, and arms were so sore from the cold. Adriana put me to bed, and I really wanted to edit my pictures so I could post them, but I had to lay here and not move until the gabapentin kicked in, and I was too numb to feel the pain. I couldn't go to sleep because I was so excited, so I just lay here and think about how lucky I am to have the best caregivers and how much fun they all are to be around. It is so uplifting. Eventually, the gabapentin kicked in, and I started deleting my pictures while listening to music, but then I fell asleep.

 Tuesday was a pretty good day. Cindy came in and fed the hungry pup and got me dressed and up in my chair. I have an early appointment with Dr. Owen for health maintenance and hopefully get rid of some of the medications that I take. I have a tendency to see something on a commercial or hear about something and want to start taking it, so now I have so many meds that I take, and it's ridiculous. It was really nice to see her, and now I have many appointments that I need to make, but that's good. I would rather get everything done and out of the way. And now is a good time to do it since everything has calmed down just a little before the situation gets bad again, and I hear it is supposed to. After Dr. Owens, we went to get something to eat and went over to the harbor to watch the boats. It's so beautiful over there. It just makes you forget everything else. We cruised along the water, the waves were so beautiful, and then we cruised home. Rosa came in and fed the hungry boy, put me to bed, and then fed me. As soon as I get into bed, I either have the heating pad on my hot water bottle underneath my neck, that in the gabapentin is the only thing keeping me sane right now. I never had chronic pain, which is ridiculous. The only thing that helps us lay here and not move. I'm so used to taking something and making the pain go away, but this is really hanging in there… Susan, the massage therapist, has been coming to her three times a week and is just not letting go. I tried to stay as still as possible, and eventually, the gabapentin kicked in, and I could relax enough to fall asleep. Adriana came by and told me that the boys got together and had a gingerbread house contest. These guys are so funny and creative!

 Wednesday was another miserable day. Karen came in and fed the hungry fur baby and then fed me, I used to not be able to eat before we did the program, but I think because my neck is so sore, I try to put it off as long as possible, and I know after I not going to be able to eat for a while. It's getting where we have to stop a couple of times during the program, and Karen hits my neck with the massager, then I can usually make it through the rest of the program, and as soon as I hit that hot water, everything feels great. I decided not to get up, and Adriana was filling in for her mom, so she agreed to go over to Kohl's and get some table decorations, we were going to have Christmas up at my cousins on Bear Creek Road, but it looks like it's going to rain, so they decided at the last minute to have it here. Somebody sent me a memorial Robby ornament for Christmas, and I can't remember who. I need to think of somebody. My memory is getting so bad. I also got one of the memorial plaques that I ordered for Penny, and I love it! The vet that takes care of my animals always sends them out to get cremated when they pass, and the place always takes a footprint so you can get memorabilia. When I went to order the stuff for Penny, they didn't have one on file and asked me to find out if the vet hospital I took her to took one, but they didn't, so now I have no way to get memorabilia for her. When Adriana got back, she fed the hungry mongrel, and then she fed me. She did some laundry and wiped everything down. Another thing I love about these girls is there always wiping things down. After she left, I watched TV for a while and just leave here wondering why my body is falling apart, there's something desperately wrong with my bladder, and I'm on my third round of antibiotics. My neck/shoulder/arm pain seems to be getting worse instead of better despite all the extra massages and laying here just resting my arm. I don't do this anymore. Where do I go to get off of this ride? I eventually fell asleep.

 Thursday was a perfect day! Christmas Eve! My caregivers are Hispanic, and Christmas Eve is really important to them and their family, but Karen agreed to stay here and pull a double shift so I can get up. She came in and fed the hungry puppy and then fed me and got me dressed and up in my chair. The weather was pretty nice, a little cold, but the sun was out. Dude and I took off for a cruise through Depot Park, down to the end of the wharf and back and down to the end of the boardwalk and back. There were many pelicans, and it looked like they were on a feeding frenzy, so of course, I had to stop and take a lot of pictures. I think Dude would rather I didn't stop because he wants to just cruise, but I can't help myself…  I live in such a beautiful place, and everything to me is still wonderful! Karen sent me a picture of the snack tray her family put together, and it was so adorable! I was never that creative, but my caregivers are, and I love it! It's a huge difference because the caregivers helping me out to help are so creative with the Christmas decorations. My house looks amazing! Outside also, Omar is so imaginative and so talented I feel fortunate that I found them all. I came home and texted Karen, and she came over to feed the hungry guy, feed me, and then go home to spend Christmas Eve with her husband. I had a quiet night. I listen to Christmas music for a while and then drifted off to sleep… With fairies dancing in my head or whatever happens on Christmas Eve.

 Friday was a really great day! Karen came in and then the starving boys and then fed me, we did some personal care and, of course, a nice long plot relaxing bath… just as soon as I hit that hot bubbly bathwater, all my aches and pains go away. She got me dressed and up in my chair. Dude and I took off for a little cruise down to the end of the worth and back. I took some pictures… The ocean was so beautiful! I came back early because of my uncle, aunt, mom, cousin Rich, and his daughters Luana and Melia… Not to mention my cousins, two fur babies Gunnar and Iya, were all coming over for Christmas dinner. We let the pups play in the yard for a while to be nice and calm as we are trying to eat. My aunt made us do and a big delicious salad and of course some bread. The dinner was great! And it was nice to have a nice long visit with family, we don't get to get together very often because of the coronavirus, of course, but it is nice to get together and catch up. Just askew we were getting ready for dessert, Adriana came in to put me to bed, I didn't really want any dessert, but I thought I should give it a try. Everybody left, and Adriana put me to bed and then went back over to her mother's house so they could have dessert. I watched TV for a while, listen to music, and edited pictures before I eventually drifted off to sleep.

 Saturday was a nice relaxing day. Cindy came in and fed the hungry Dude and then fed me. I decided to stay in bed, yesterday was a really long day, and my neck/back/shoulder/arm pain is getting worse… Staying in bed is probably the worst thing that I could do because I can't stop using the mouse, making my whole arm numb and my neck hurts. Every year for Thanksgiving/Christmas, the realtor that sold me this house sends me a card for a free pie. While I was getting the pie, I noticed they had this container that said lemon poppy seed cookies. Lemon poppyseed is my favorite, so I grabbed some actually far Christmas dinner last night. Still, when I went to fight into one, it tasted weird, so I asked Cindy to take them back into the kitchen today. She read the box, and you're supposed to bake them before you serve them… Thank God nobody else tasted one. She baked them, and I tried them, and they were!  I found the coolest sweatshirts. They have dickies sewn right into them. I was so excited! I always wear dickies, and they seem to be harder and harder to find, so now I find a sweatshirt with one stone in?? I can't wait to try one on! I open the blinds to see the birds eating in my new bird feeder; my cousin Rich got both my mom and me two of them and a big bag of birdseed for Christmas… Usually, when I stay in bed, I don't even open up my blinds, but I just love watching the birds!  My little brother had posted a picture of his house in the snow, and it looks so beautiful! I think I'm going to save the picture for next year, put it on my Christmas card and see if anybody notices. I turned on some music and tried to relax until Adriana came in. She fed the hungry boy and then fed me. She cleaned up a little bit and then went back to her mom's to be with her family.  My patio heater died, so I looked at patio heaters online, and I found a wine barrel fire pit. I was so excited, and then I looked at the price, and it was $3000. I'm going to show it to Omar, and I bet that he can make one. This guy can do anything. I watched TV for a while and then make myself shut everything off, and eventually, I fell asleep.

 Sunday was yet another relaxing day. Cindy came in and fed the hungry critter and then fed me, usually. On the weekend mornings, I'd like to either have a breakfast burrito or pancakes… Something I can't normally have. Cindy did a couple loads of laundry and put them outside to dry, and then went home. Dude and I just hung out here all day until Karen came in at 2 PM. She gave Dude half of his food. I will give him the other half at 4 PM… It doesn't seem very nice to make him wait two hours because he's used to getting fed right when my caregiver comes in. We did some personal care and a nice long hot bath. I just love Sundays because I get to go back to bed a little bit early, and everything is done… I have the whole rest of the evening to myself to do whatever I want. For Christmas, I got my uncle some FeeJay's because his feet are always cold, and they have that sharp in the feet. I also got him a sweatshirt from the same place, and they also found that in the hands like little mittens. My aunt sent me a picture of my uncle sitting on the couch wearing them and looking all cozy. I watch TV for a while and eventually fell asleep.