Monday, Dec 10
Another Sunday night we were up late getting the blog published at 11:17 p.m. Too many videos taking time, but I figured the end was worth it, for everyone’s viewing pleasure.
Today’s schedule changed abruptly at 9:00 a.m. with a call from Katrina at the AAC, cancelling the Silver Sneakers class today at 11:00 a.m. because the instructor was ill.
I had planned several stops in town for errands, but will postpone those until tomorrow when I must go in for a mammogram.
Tuesday, Dec 11
Our package expected yesterday from Amazon to be delivered by our carrier was not. Because of the overload of Amazon deliveries by the post office, they have had to hire additional help just for packages. Our package was not delivered until 8:20 p.m. (long after the gate was shut) and the driver did not know we were expecting it in our mailbox and it would have fit, (we get it every 5 weeks), and there was no notice put in the box either. We learned of it on line from an email. I told the Post Mistress I would come by to pick it up.
I did not know I would have to stand for 22 minutes in one line and not be allowed to pick it up at the first door before the counters. I was not happy about that at all. At least my package was there from my early morning call. A lady in front of me had the same thing happen, but her package was not in the building that they could find. I wish I’d had my camera. It’s no wonder they couldn’t find hers. Boxes were piled to the ceiling behind the counters (3 agents).
This was the email we received. I wonder if we had left the gate open if they would have driven it in to our house.
Hi John and Nancy,
Sorry we missed you. USPS tried to deliver your package today but didn’t want to leave it unattended.
Please look for a notice of attempted delivery or contact USPS for the next steps:
(again, there was no notice in the mailbox)
I went by Super 1 for my Entresto prescription pick up and received two for John that we had not ordered. No clue why, but I just paid for them (both 90-day refills), and wondered why. Our recent exam might have triggered this, but why? They have never done automatic refills on either of us in the past.
I went back to the hospital today for a 12:45 check-in for a 1:00 mammogram. While there I picked up a CD with both images for two chest x-rays done on me in Feb & March. I will hear back in a couple of weeks about the mammogram results. I actually heard in Saturday’s mail that it was fine and negative is good.
Checked by Bi-Mart, but did not win anything for our membership number.
Went to Rite Aid for a special BOGO (“Buy One, Get One” free) item on 200#, Nature Bounty 500 mg tablets Magnesium jar for $12.99. Unfortunately, they only had 3 bottles, and am not allowed to pay in advance, but can give me a rain check on more. So, they rang up one at half price, and I will receive a call to come back for the other at ½ price. I wonder if I can buy a couple more bottles at that time with the BOGO applied.
Wednesday, Dec 12
I left earlier than usual today, and it was a good thing because the roads were icy all the way to town, and most of the time I did not exceed 20 mph. Got there and found a parking space, before 11:30, when a friend was coming by to retrieve 2 boxes of quite old Christmas cards with a bowling theme. These were bought on sale, maybe 15 years ago. Our bowling lanes are now closed, and all bowlers have to go to Yakima or elsewhere to bowl. Our friends are excellent bowlers. I should have made a copy of the card (we had 2 boxes of 20 each to share). It was Santa Claus rolling a ball toward the tenpins. Ten-pin bowling has experience a decline since 1990. I was a bowler through our stay in Idaho, but got away from it when I moved to WA. The lanes in Moscow, ID closed after we left, and my friend and a bowler on my team got the wall plaque that designated me as having the highest women’s series (676) in sanctioned league bowling for the lifetime of those lanes. I grew up across the street in Atlanta, GA from the Broadview Shopping Mall on Piedmont Rd, and started working there before I had a the necessary (then) social security card, so they paid me in merchandise: bowling shirts, bowling ball, bags, etc. That lasted several years. I got all my bowling free.
We started a little earlier today than usual and played longer, with much audience participation. I didn’t have many people at the start to use my camera to video, but then we did get a few captures.
A Holly Jolly Christmas at FISH Food Bank Dec 12, 2018
After that musical activity and eating my lunch at the Food Bank, I drove to the AAC for my SAIL exercise class.
After class, I asked Meagen to take this photo. Carolyn is in our class, and you will see her again on Friday, at the Christmas party. 
Nancy and Carolyn after SAIL exercise class.
Been working on music for tomorrow most of the evening with breaks to keep the inside male cats separated, and spent some time cleaning up in the kitchen. Also worked on email necessities.
Also fiddled with some other Christmas clothing tops given to me.
Thursday, Dec 13
Meadows Place Assisted Living was our venue today. I need to finish getting the audience copies packed. I found out last night one of my colored copies went out with a person. Dang, that puts us down to 12 copies. I may start with the newer version of which I only have 12 copies.
Sad news from a former friend who now is in Wisconsin, but who have owned Brittanys from us for years.
Molly Friesen, 12 years, died after fighting congestive heart failure for 9 months. This picture by their Christmas tree is lovely; Molly is regally gorgeous. She was a sister to Tobie, and I drove them to the Spokane Airport to meet Paul. They were little puppies so they were allowed to ride on the plane in front of his seat (in a carry-on container); to a new home in Wisconsin.
Friday, Dec 14
Call from Confluence Health for (December 18) Tuesday, 11:05 appointment with Dr. Lisa Stone, in Wenatchee. A different building but only a mile less than before (~75).
This morning I got ready to go to the AAC for the 2018 Christmas Party; always a fun time. Here’s the overview of the day, from the Ellensburg Adult Activity Center (AAC), our local senior center.
I needed to wrap a gift for exchange. I had a Christmas coffee cup in a little gift box and John had made a bunch of Candied Carpathian walnuts from those he grew last year. I added 8 ounces in a Ziploc bag into the package. My gift ended up going to a friend, so that was nice. Here she is unwrapping and checking to see what she got. 
Karen, opening my gift and Santa admiring Believe in Santa mug.
But, I’m ahead of the story.
I dressed in pajamas for the contest at this year’s Christmas Party. The theme was a Charlie Brown (Snoopy) Christmas.
My principal reason for going was to be the main photographer while the staff put on the lunch, games, competition, and gift exchange for us.
I was not in on the plans for the musical entertainment. I saw a group coming in the front door and got a photo, not the best, but Roxanne got a better one I think on the AAC’s camera. I’m taking my flash drive along and will trade them the photos I got in exchange for the ones they took.
I talked to a couple of the gals from the Ellensburg High School (EHS) choir and found out what they planned to do, so I positioned myself over near the edge (in hindsight, I probably should have gotten on the other side, where the piano did not override some of the individual voices on duets). However, I did have a good perspective of the group, the soloists, and the audience.
Below are my captures of their program. Excuse the glitches in the videography, as I do not have an easy way to edit.
We received a great performance from the Bella Voce (Italian for Beautiful Voices) choir of young women, singing for us at the beginning of our Christmas party. The conductor is Gay Ott, and the program consisted of 10 songs, as follows: I have entered the YouTube link for each song in the program. It took me an hour to upload each couple minutes of song segment, because I was using my largest resolution camera that I normally only use for still photos.
Choir: A Festive Noel
1- A Festive Noel, Ellensburg High School Bella Voce Choir
Choir: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
2- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, EHS Bella Voce Choir
Lydia & Olivia: White Christmas
Brea, Maggie, Emma: O Come Emmanuel
Lydia, Shaedyn: When Christmas Comes to Town
5- When Christmas Comes to Town
Taylor, Kenya: Sisters
Kaela, Lauren: Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Lydia, Chloe, Lili, Olivia: Mary, Did You Know
Choir: Christmastime is Here
Choir: Mr. Santa
Thanks & Invitation to EHS Christmas Concerts: 12-17 & 18
11- Invitation to the EHS Choirs’ Christmas Program
Back to the party, after we enjoyed a great lunch with the singers. We were served ham, scalloped potatoes, steamed veggies, and a peppermint brownie, plus eggnog if wanted.
[ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggnog#Etymology_and_origins ]
Then we went on with the gift exchange and the pajamas competition.
I received a gift of a Christmas towel and a package of candy. John will eat the candy, ’cause I’m not a fan of Raspberries. I guess I will use the towel. Here is a photo of the contents of the long narrow gift bag, which I guess was meant for a whiskey or wine bottle? 
Raspberry & Dark chocolate Chips on white “thins” & the snowflake towel.
Part of the event was optionally dressing in pajamas for an event to compete for the best. I wore my jammies, participated, and was awarded a 2nd place. The top was given to me from a gal named Mita, in Kittitas. I was very happy with the first place winner, Jacquie Davis, being someone I have known since CWU times. The 3rd place person was Carolyn (you saw her yesterday with me in our SAIL exercise class).
Here are pix not well in focus, but they do show the placements. 
Top three: Jacquie, Nancy, Carolyn-winner Jacquie w/antlers gift
Afterwards, we were invited to pose with Santa Claus for photos.
This has been a yearly tradition for some years now; I’m sure he is happy I lost some weight.
Saturday, Dec 15
Today is our play date at Briarwood Commons Retirement center.
They always fix us a fantastic food spread, but this Christmas Smorgasbord overwhelmed all past efforts:
Menu: Potato salad, veggie plate/dip, deviled eggs, sausage & cheeses, crackers, cherry whipped cream salad, mandarin orange Jell-O, Crockpot (1) Smokies in BBQ sauce, (2) Swedish meatballs. Huge Dessert table. Thanks to leaders, Lee & Jo Ellen, but all the donators, Betty, Connie, Marilyn. Beverages included hot Apple Cider, Raspberry & something iced, and water.
Thanks to all the players and singers for entertaining: Marilyn, Maury, Kevin, Gerald, Dean (Pat), Nancy, Amy (Haley), Tim, and Sandy. Especially a big thanks to all our wonderful audience of singers.
Nancy & Haley in a musical Christmas vest she will grow into. Photo on my camera by Amy Davison.
I was given the vest by Anne Engels in my search for Christmas tops, but it is way too small. So I decided to give it to our little mascot for her future use. These photos were taken after we, the Kittitas Valley Fiddlers and Friends, played Christmas music at our usual 3rd Saturday gig at Briarwood Commons, and ate before going home.
Sunday, Dec 16
It’s been a week since we found Rascal with a hurt back leg. We don’t see the problem, so it is likely a muscle pull from climbing. He is back with us now and able to jump to his favorite spots for his sleeping and eating. The other good thing is that the two inside male cats are co-existing. Rascal still seems a bit put-out that there is a new cat in the house. Outside, Sue is becoming increasing friendly. Woody – no.
John’s been out to shovel a little snow that fell last night, feed the horses, and I have fed all the cats.
I’m slowly working on unloading the dishwasher, and John fixed us a treat for brunch – an egg, sausage, served with a blueberry pancake with our strawberries. 
I worked on the blog and other things this afternoon, sending videos from Friday to YouTube.
John kept the Sunflower seeds topped off for the birds. In the afternoon, with quail there, a small hawk came, and all flew off. We don’t know if the encounter was successful for the hawk, or not. Horses are fed. He’ll be editing my work soon.
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan