The Big Night is four weeks away

Happy Sunday everyone! What a difference a week makes. A week ago today, things looked pretty grim for my mom. Once again, she beat the odds and she came out of ICU on Friday. She is still very sick and, being the ever so realistic person that I am, I take every bit of improvement with guarded optimism. Having said this, we are all breathing a little better now and we plan on celebrating mom's birthday on Tuesday, in her hospital room.  Rather than eating the wonderful hospital food, I asked her what she would like to eat and she immediately said, a cream of asparagus soup. So asparagus soup it will be for her birthday lunch.  I will bring enough so that dad and I can share a meal with mom. It will be a birthday to remember.

This past week was crazy busy with gym, dog training (for both), some walks with the doggies, house stuff and hospital visits. I cannot believe that in four weeks tonight, it will be Christmas Eve. I was thinking of putting up our Christmas trees tomorrow afternoon. I think it's time to get into the Christmas spirit, despite the difficult times we are going through. Everyone who reads my blog has been so supportive and it makes it easier for me to get through these times. Some of you I only know because you're friends with Russell, you know who you are. Your support and encouragement mean the world to me.

Off to a totally different topic...Black Friday. People who know me well know how much I hate shopping.  So, I set aside some "free time" on Thursday to go to Fairview to buy a few things that I really needed, like a new pair of boots and some nice smelly body products from Bath & Body Works. I figured Thursday would be a good day, before Black Friday....what a mistake that was. Thursday was the Black Friday at Fairview. Nothing else to add other than I bought a pair of boots and found my coconut smelly body cream called "At The Beach". It's all good.

Yesterday, Russell had lunch with his cousin Kirk. He hadn't seen him in 30 years. The two had a lot of catching up to do. It was truly a nice reunion.

This coming week will be busy in a good way. Other than celebrating my mom's birthday on Tuesday, we will be going to Toronto on Thursday for a little pre-Christmas getaway. In addition to having dinner with friends on Thursday and Saturday, Russell and I will be spending Friday night in Niagara-on-the-Lake and take part, or watch, the Christmas Candlelight Stroll, always on the first Friday of December, We look forward to this getaway and making new memories. Coop & Spicy will be at Talemakers having a wonderful time!

That's my blog for this week. I leave you with pics of our two pooches. Russell was working on his portrait photography and the only "subjects" he could find were Cooper and Spicy. Have a great week everyone!

The guardians at the door...Spicy and Cooper on the
bench in the front hallway, waiting for daddy to come home.

Cooper took time out of his busy treat schedule
to pose for some portrait practice.

Spicy is her elegant diva as she practiced her
posing skills.