Daughters of Union Vetrans of the Civil War
Today I went to the Dec meeting of the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War. It was a luncheon at a private home. Lovely home...all decorated for Christmas, tree, wreaths, all sorts of sparkly stuff. (Our poor house is rather drab for the season, and will remain so. We did no decorating for the past two years. My husband has always been a Humbug!!! I think it goes back to his impoverished childhood. He HATES holidays of any sort. Holidays were always a big deal in my family. And I insisted on celebrating them when the kids were living at home. But now... The Christmas after my accident, Richard announced there would be no decorating. Must admit it was hard to get around with a broken leg and two broken arms...But I'm better now. I mentioned this to my friend Judy in AZ, and she sent us a decorated, lit, live tree through the mail. Richard had a fit!! Then, Judy flew up to WA and spent the Christmas week with us. While she was here, she and Robin pawed through our box of Xmas decorations and found the string of AZ chili lights we have...and they strung them across the fireplace mantel. After the season, I put them away in the drum table and took them out last Xmas and strung them again. I'll do the same this year. Last Dec, my friend Diana, arranged for several friends to come to our house for a Xmas Tea...she brought a "crafty" tree made out of tiered small Xmas balls. About a foot tall. That was and will be our tree. She is always so thoughtful. There is another Xmas Tea planned for next Saturday. Everyone brings some sort of finger sandwiches and/or cookies or cake. After my accident, it was absolutely impossible to get out of the house for almost a year. Diana decided we should have a Tea so I could visit with friends and family. It was wonderful. A chance to chit chat the eat wonderful goodies and drink Earl Gray tea. We now have about three or four teas a year. I was going stir crazy. I had to use the wheel chair and it was so difficult for Richard to lift it in and out of the car, then push it to god knows where. Now, I use a walker for almost all trips.) Where was I? Ah yes, the DUVCW...I had not been to a meeting since the accident, so today was the first one I've attended in almost three years. A nice group of ladies. We opened the meeting, had the blessing and then had our luncheon. Everyone brought a salad and the hostess provided sliced ham and Xmas cookies for dessert. Then the regular meeting. Richard drove me to the meeting and picked me up at 1:30. The DUVCW meets once a month.
After I got home, I changed clothes and then wrapped up the grand kids Christmas presents. Yesterday, I wrote out and addressed all the Christmas cards. So they are ready to go. This has not been a good year for several friends and family members. Lots of deaths. I went through the address book and drew lines through so many names. I didn't do this last year, so there seemed to be so many this time. Only sent out 30 or so cards. Since neither of us work now, there were no obligatory co-worker cards. We've lost contact with most of the Air Force people. Of the seven kids in Richards family, only three are left and his sister is unable to remember who anyone is. His remaining brother and wife are in a nursing home and none of his kids has contacted us with an address. I wonder if we will ever be contacted when he passes? It's interesting, since so many of his brothers and a sister have died, several of his nieces and nephews have contacted Richard asking for genealogy information...names, dates, locations, etc. Richard always sends them what info he has and answers what questions they ask.
Last night was the Son's of Italy meeting. We had planned on going. The lodge provides the main dish and everybody else is divided up into three groups: salads, side dishes, or desserts. 5:30-6:30 is "social hour," (read that WINE) 6:30-7:30 is dinner, and 7:30--whenever is the meeting. But..we didn't go because Richard has a really bad cold. Running a temp, coughing, hacking, sneezing, etc. The previous Friday, we had bought a big tub of potato salas for the meeting...so instead of the tomato salad I had planned on taking to the DUVCW, I took the potato salad. I'll eat the tomatoes...I have a ripe avocado right now, so tomato and avocado sandwiches...here I come. I may even make a few for the Tea on Sat.
After I got home, I changed clothes and then wrapped up the grand kids Christmas presents. Yesterday, I wrote out and addressed all the Christmas cards. So they are ready to go. This has not been a good year for several friends and family members. Lots of deaths. I went through the address book and drew lines through so many names. I didn't do this last year, so there seemed to be so many this time. Only sent out 30 or so cards. Since neither of us work now, there were no obligatory co-worker cards. We've lost contact with most of the Air Force people. Of the seven kids in Richards family, only three are left and his sister is unable to remember who anyone is. His remaining brother and wife are in a nursing home and none of his kids has contacted us with an address. I wonder if we will ever be contacted when he passes? It's interesting, since so many of his brothers and a sister have died, several of his nieces and nephews have contacted Richard asking for genealogy information...names, dates, locations, etc. Richard always sends them what info he has and answers what questions they ask.
Last night was the Son's of Italy meeting. We had planned on going. The lodge provides the main dish and everybody else is divided up into three groups: salads, side dishes, or desserts. 5:30-6:30 is "social hour," (read that WINE) 6:30-7:30 is dinner, and 7:30--whenever is the meeting. But..we didn't go because Richard has a really bad cold. Running a temp, coughing, hacking, sneezing, etc. The previous Friday, we had bought a big tub of potato salas for the meeting...so instead of the tomato salad I had planned on taking to the DUVCW, I took the potato salad. I'll eat the tomatoes...I have a ripe avocado right now, so tomato and avocado sandwiches...here I come. I may even make a few for the Tea on Sat.