HAPPY TIMES FOR ME

It's the most wonderful time of the year.....that song says it all. Today is a miracle day. It is Mother/Daughter Day with Kim. We have had this tradition for several years and today was the day. Kim honked her horn for me at 9:15AM and I was so excited to see her sitting behind the wheel of her car, actually driving for the first time! We started out with pumpkin spice coffee from Dailey's and then went to I-Hop for our celebration breakfast. While eating our eggs and bacon we went over our shopping lists to see what we needed to do first. Macy's was our first stop and with all the discounts offered and the coupons that we had we bought what we needed and felt good about the prices. Macy's is so pretty - the decorations, the way the merchandise is displayed, the smiling, helpful clerks that we worked with made that expedition easy and fun. We, then, went to Target which is a big favorite of ours. There, again we enjoyed the atmosphere, the music that was playing and we found the things we needed to buy and moved on. By this time I was beginning to desire a big, juicy hamburger so we went to TGI Fridays. Patrick happened to call and we asked him to join us. He got there in record time and we had a delightful lunch and visit. It was now time to call it a day and go home. A few weeks or months ago I never dreamed that Kim would be able to have Mother/Daughter Day. She was so sick and the mere thought of her driving a car, shopping in the mall, having lunch in a restaurant was beyond all comprehension. Well, today she did it and all I can say is "Praise the Lord".

Last night Wayne and Jacque took me for a wonderful Holiday Treat and that was "Christmas on the General Jackson". The weather was very cold and windy, but we were not bothered by it all. When you are on that showboat and the entire interior of it is decorated with lights, greenery and a million red bows you don't know if it is cold or hot nor do you care one bit. Our table was almost on the stage, right up front so that we were able to see the show without any interference. The dinner that they served was so good. First came the "parade of the salads" when all of the waiters and waitresses came parading from the kitchen with big bowls of green salad for each table. Then the most wonderful dinner of prime rib, potatoes, green beans with carrots, rolls and coffee. Dessert? Oh yes, cheese cake with red cherries - luscious. Then the show started and that bunch of singers and dancers could perform on Broadway they were so good. The night ended way too soon, but what a night it was. I loved every minute of it. You can just take me to Opryland for the Rockettes, the ICE show, the General Jackson or just let me walk through the hotel and see the decorations and I am just in heaven.

Today Kim said "it doesn't seem like Christmas to me". I asked her why and she really couldn't answer. I can only say that this Christmas means more to me than any other because of days like today - Kim and I out doing the normal things that I was so afraid would not be possible again. Just to have my life back to some sense of peace gives me that good old Christmas feeling. These things I will hold in my heart and cherish forever.