Apparently I lied

. . . because here I am, not waiting to blog until after the New Year.  See, that's how we can get me to blog regularly.  Attempt to restrict me.  And then I'll just blog, blog, blog.

Anyway, I wanted to say that TRQ has been an absolute champ during this whole ordeal with the Coach.  She's been at his side non-stop, and at this point I am more worried about her than I am about him.  This morning she left the hospital at about 5:00 a.m.  She told me she wanted to go home and have a smoke.

Okay.  TRQ does NOT smoke.  But I love that she said this.  And if she wanted to take up smoking to relieve her stress right now, I would say carry on, TRQ.  You're the best.

Merry Christmas Eve

So, Dad's still in the hospital, but we have every reason to be optimistic.  Meanwhile, he is keeping us entertained.  The night after his surgery, my brother told him that a friend of his with the same condition dropped over dead while walking his dog.  My dad responded by saying, "I don't walk my dog."

Yesterday when I was in the hospital with him, he opened his eyes and said he'd just realized something important.  "What's that?"  I asked.

"The food here. isn't. that. great," he answered.

Today when a therapy dog wandered into his room to say hello, Dad said, "Therapy dog?  That dog's in therapy?"

We're grateful that he's hanging in there and that the prognosis is good.  Meanwhile, I'd like to wish you all a Merry Christmas.  I'll start blogging again after New Year's.  Thanks so much for reading and responding.  You bless me.

The poodle and TRQ

Got word yesterday that the coach has to have himself some surgery for Christmas, so I spent yesterday in Provo and stayed overnight with TRQ.  She wanted me close so we crawled into her king-sized bed, along with the poodle.

There were three pillows.  My mother's.  My father's.  And a third pillow, which (I assumed) was for decorative purposes.  Anyway.  That was the pillow I wanted because it was a little plump, unlike my father's pillow which looked like a crepe.

So I took that pillow, whereupon the poodle gave me the hairy eyeball.

"Um," said TRQ.  "That's the poodle's pillow."

So I gave it back.  Because I do NOT mess TRQ's pillow.  Ever.

MAKE ME STOP!

You guys!  In the past few hours I have consumed

Chex Mix
Dr. Pepper
almond toffee
potato chips
pizza
homemade chocolates
caramel apple
garlic knots (m-m-m-m-m)
a banana (healthy!  What was I thinking?!)
pecan brittle
egg nog

I've been eating crap (not counting the banana) like it's my job, you guys.

Stuff I am grateful for tonight

Yesterday over at http://www.hightouchmegastore.net/, Lisa B., a professor, gave an update on her grading efforts.  And I said one of the things I am truly grateful for right now is that I'm not reading final exams.  Which led me to think about other things I am grateful for.  A short list follows.

1.  Cheese balls
2.  Christmas trees
3.  Beautiful children's picture books
4.  Ornaments made out of macaroni
5.  Frank Sinatra singing carols on that cd I checked out from the library
6.  Kids home from college
7.  Meals with friends
8.  Christmas lights
9.  Moonlight on snow
10. Heated car seats
11.  Grandbabies

In retrospect

I've worried a little about Friday's post.  I meant in no way to compare my experience with what the tragedy in Newtown.  The event just triggered a memory about something I'd almost forgotten.

Here's to the beginning of another week.

Thoughts

As always I appreciate your comments, and yes I think I will make this whole idea--things I didn't know--into an ongoing series.  But today my thoughts are with the people of Newtown, Connecticut.

It seems like these things happen in spates.   Some of you may recall that the day before Columbine, the Church Office Building here in Salt Lake was the site of a shooting.  As it turned out, my mother was there on the same floor as the shooter.  As soon as she heard the first shot go off, she hit the floor face down, covered the back of her head with her hands, and counted off the rounds.  She stayed there until she and other patrons were led out of the building and taken to the Howard Johnson's nearby for safe-keeping.

This was in the days before everyone had cell phones, so we had no idea if TRQ was okay.  I knew that she'd been at the library.  I was supposed to pick her up later.  But of course the events of the day changed everything.  

I called Ken, who was working downtown and asked him to go find TRQ while I waited by the telephone at home.  He and a partner from work left the office and headed over to the Church Office Building to see what he could find out.  Meanwhile I contacted my dad,  who grabbed an assistant at the office and got up here as fast as he could.

We finally located TRQ a few anxious hours later.  She was shaken, of course, but safe.  As for me, I'll never forget those long moments of listening to breaking news on the radio and not knowing.