Beautiful cold Day

Today is a beautiful day but a cold one. The winds died down during the night and the sun is shining and there will be frost on the ground in the morning. I do wish for snow, but in the south it is very rare and the one time it did snow in New Orleans, I was to be meeting one of my craft friends and New Orleans cancelled all flights, so we never got to meet.

My friend is still in ICU, but no surgery on his heart. His oxygen level keeps dropping so the doctor said he is keeping him in there so he can be watched. I met his doctor yesterday and Bubba introduced him to us as his emergency contact, so now the doctor has a face to go with the name. I think I am going to change my PCP because he seems very nice and concerned about his patients and I'm not crazy about the one I have.

My house is starting to look like the 9Th floor at Macy's---trees every where. My dining room is tiny, but I have trees all around the room, some small theme trees and it really cheers me up. The only room that looks the same every year is my kitchen and even that has some changes. For some it looks cluttered, but most like it and get excited about coming by. The ornaments are the last thing we do and that is done after Thanksgiving. This year my neighbor told me not to cook a big meal for just Al and me, because she is fixing us a plate or we can go and eat with them if we are home. They are the sweetest and nicest people I have for neighbors.

My siblings and I have decided to have a real Christmas and not a commercial one. No store bought presents! We have to make or purchase something that is used and was discarded. I would never do anything like this with friends, but I have found almost new things in boxes at Goodwill for my sisters and sils. I found a new purse with the tags still on it and it has an A on everything for my sil Angela. I also found a "Cadillac" walker for our brother and we all pitched in to get it. We gave it to him early and he was like a kid with a new toy. He has severe brain damage from a fall years ago, so he needed one to get around without fear of falling.

Warning about the next news---if you don't want to read about negative----just skip it, but it's a warning for women, even though it's happening in my hometown of Jennings.

We have a serial killer, even though the police will not call it that---all the girls lived in the same "crack house" and there are now 7 young girls killed and dumped in fields. They suspect it is someone knowledgeable in crimes because they are leaving no clues. And now on top of that, a friend I know from bingo was brutally raped Monday night behind the bingo hall. I do not go to this one, but it is still scary as he didn't kill her. The bingo players who went out at half time to smoke heard her yelling for help and they found her naked in her car. She fought him, but then passed out and he dragged her into a field behind the hall. We all think it's the killer who wants to throw the police off. She got there late and when she parked, a man was hidden in his van next to her and he jumped out wearing a ski mask and white gloves. She is not a drug user and is one of them like me, who goes alone to bingo. I'm not even sure if I am brave enough to go tonight, but I always get there before dark, so I can park in the front. There will be security tonight for us, so that is good, but I already told Al that I will not stop for anyone, including police until I drive into a public place. I carry mace with me and always have it on the seat with my cell phone. Even though these girls are living in bad places, they still don't deserve to be killed---we are all God's children and he wants His lost sheep more than those who are Christians. The only black girl that was killed is a cousin of the girl that my neighbor babysits for---scary. So a warning to you, it can happen anywhere and you should always be aware of your surroundings. I refuse to live in fear, but I am careful where I go and who I am friends with.

My Joys today
Jesus died for me
My husband and children
An almost pain free day---yea!
A warm roof over my head
My Internet friends

I wish all of you a beautiful weekend filled with joy and love. Life is what you make, so if life hands you scraps, make a quilt. Prayers, love, and hugs, Pat