Happy Day After New Year Everybody

Hi all:

Posted a new picture of Charlie that was taken several years ago. That's the first Sheltie we had (Smokey) getting a treat out of his pocket! Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I went to Charlie's folks for Christmas. Mother-in-law got out of the hospital on Christmas Eve Day and doing pretty good. Father-in-law was convinced he'd had a light heart attack and went to the emergency room on Tues. after Christmas but was fine. He gets an idea in his head and you cannot get it out! And then when I left on Wed. Charlie's brother (the one who is so good to me and such a help) had his appendix out that night! But other than that, it was a good trip! Am leaving this Sat. for a week in G'burg with my two buddies Beki and Debbie. It's been kinda of rough for me this holiday season without Charlie and for some reason seems more so than last year. I was reading in Parade yesterday about Patrick Swayze's wife after a little over two years is still struggling and had no idea how hard this road would be. She says she is having more good days now but still some days it's all she can do to put one foot in front of the other. My heart went out to her. I so know how she feels! My nephew Brian is doing good and at the moment does not have any infections! Praise the Lord!

I was very upset over the news about the Sears/Kmart stores but did go by and see Charlie's manager at the last Kmart he was at and they are staying open. Praise the Lord again! Not that I go there that much as that is still very hard for me to do; but I guess there's is a connection there for me. Fortunately it's done pretty well considering the others so pray that they continue to and go beyond!

My sister came down on Thursday and played Santa for me and I opened my gifts then. Got some nice stuff from Charlie! (I even wrapped them and put notes on them like he did!) Three of the things I ordered for him to give me were a necklace and bracelet that has the poem "What Cancer Cannot Do!" (Does anybody know where that poem originated from, I seem to remember Jimmy V before he passed away saying this but not sure that he's the one that came up with it!) The other was a necklace with swinging heart in it that says, "When someone you love becomes a memory the memory becomes a treasure", and I was able to have his name engraved on the back of it. They're really pretty! My in-laws gave me the flag case for my brother's flag to go in (the brother that lived with us and passed away in 2008 right before Charlie started his treatment!) I so wanted that. One day it will go to his son, but for now it's mine! I'll have to pull his discharge papers out and get his rank and have a plate made for it.

Well, that's about it for now. I intend to be a slug today and watch football! And for all you fellow Southners out there, how about that game next Mon. night for the national championship and two sec teams playing for it! Does the SEC rule in college football or what?

Have a great year and God Bless!

Jan (Basketcase)