Christmas in St. Charles

We drove up to St Charles on Sunday, the 22nd.  We were worried about an earlier ice and snow storm, but the storm was past and the roads were clear, getting better all the way to St. Charles.  We stopped at an Apple store to pick up another charger for my 'puter, as the original, due to a faulty design is slowly dying.  We had picked one up in Florida when there last winter, but the "genius" who helped me pick it out chose the wrong one.  Naturally I didn't realize this until we got home, but after talking to the store manager they agreed to pay my shipping charge to return it.  They did give me credit for the charger, but never did come through with the shipping.

The new charger cost $79, and Apple says they don't have any issues with the product.  The newer 'puters come with a redesigned charger.  Hmmph why did they change the design?

Enough complaining about Apple.

As per usual we stayed at Susie's and Bill brought clothes and slept in the basement.  As favored guests, we got Susie's bedroom.  Most of the time was spent with the three siblings reminiscing and catching up on news of old friends/classmates.   Bill and Susie treated us to prime rib on Christmas day, and it was delicious.  Snacks were abundant throughout our stay, and both of us are setting records for weight now that we are back home and using our trusty bathroom scale.

Christmas day we attended Mass at St Charles Borromeo Church.  This is the Church that Ginnie and all her family attended as they were growing up.  I've included a few pictures of the Church.  The place has lots of meaning for all, including me.  It's a beautiful and historic Church.  Originally, the Church was a Jesuit Mission, and sent Missionaries to the banks of Lake Michigan when Chicago was just getting established.   St Charles is also the place where the Lewis and Clark expedition began it's westward trek.  Lots of history in St. Charles.

St Charles Borromeo

Orange Poinsettias!

Taken from the East side, not our usual view

Thursday night our hosts took us to Ethyls for dinner.  This is a place that's been around since the 1920's and is in O'Fallon, Missouri.  I asked why we hadn't been here before and there were only lame excuses offered.  Ginnie, who grew up in the area, hadn't heard about it before, so maybe it's a new discovery.  Food was good, and I would go back again.

Bill, Susie and Ginnie

Friday we drove home, stopping in Joplin at a Cheddars, quickly becoming a favorite food stop.  We both had chicken pot pie, which is not only good to eat, but bargain priced as well.  The only downer to report is that as I pulled in to our garage, I heard a loud noise.  I followed my ears only to see that the noise was coming from our new heatpump, installed earlier this year.  Inside the house, the temperature was below what it should be, and we have no way of knowing how long the darned thing has been running.  I called the contractor who unfortunately had turned loose all his employees for the weekend.  I might or might not get someone to look at it today (Saturday), but in the meantime we are heating with the heatpump's "emergency" heat which uses lots and lots of electricity.

I'm becoming leery of short trips as when we came home from celebrating the September birthdays in Salina we found a large limb had fallen out of one our big Oaks in front of the house.  It was a huge limb and fortunately had hung up in the tree, not falling all the way, as it would have hit the garage roof, causing damage, I'm sure.

Now that we are home, with all the Holiday celebrations behind us we are going to have to get serious with the food intake and take full advantage of the Adult Fitness Center in Rogers.  I'm really enjoying the pool, and it's enough incentive all on its own to get me out for some exercise.   

That's enough about our recent ventures, except to say that  many of the Christmas cards from Florida friends tease us about the weather.  Ha very funny.  I guess we are getting a dose of what we did when we lived in Fl, so I shouldn't complain.

Winter!

Actually, I'm pushing it on the season.  It's still officially the Fall.  Looking out my window, it's easy to see how I was confused.

Last Thursday, (12/5) we started getting sleet and then snow, temperature well below freezing.  Today, Monday the ninth, the temperatures have gotten close to 32 degrees, but not much above or for very long.  As a result we still have a blanket of snow, some 6-8 inches.  Our little city has been taxed way beyond it's ability to remove snow from the roads, and travel is pretty hazardous.  Our Church cancelled services both Saturday and Sunday and is not having mass during the week.  Fortunately we can get out because our Honda Ridgeline has all wheel drive.  Today I had a Dr's appointment in Springdale, some 24 miles south and we got there and back with no problems, other than driving slow and carefully as all the roads, including 71 highway and Interstate 540 still have packed snow and ice on their surfaces.

I've made two "rescue" runs for a disabled Church member who has put his truck in the ditch twice, trying to navigate on our roads.  He was once an over the road trucker, and driving on these conditions shouldn't be a new experience for him.  This morning he called and asked if I could pick up some things for him at a local grocery.  Thinking he wanted food, I agreed.  Then he told me he wanted two bags of ice, two packs of cigarettes, and a newspaper!   If I hadn't once been a smoker and know what it would be like to be out of smokes, I would have turned him down.  In any case, I did the run and without any difficulty with the roads.  Love the all wheel drive.

Our back yard

Looking across the street

Our front

Looking north to our neighbors

  The pictures were taken Friday morning, and the scene has changed very little since then, still covered with snow, and getting out only for necessary items.  Thursday morning we went to two groceries and spent $200 on food.  We shouldn't go hungry.

A good thing happened on our way home from the Doctor's office.  After living  here for more than a year, I stumbled on an Adult Wellness Center for those 50 and older, located in nearby Rogers.   We stopped at the facility on our way home and were so impressed with the facility and all it's amenities.  There is a full gym, indoor walking lap lanes, two swimming pools, a social lounge, pool tables, a library and more.  The best news is that our "Silver Sneakers" membership through our health insurance gets us free membership.  We signed up on the spot, and now have a place to go for a little exercise when the weather would discourage outdoor activities.  I'm really excited as I've missed swimming more than I would have thought.  I haven't swam a single stroke since we left Florida last year.  I'm really stoked that we have found this facility and I plan to use it a lot.

Thanksgiving visitors

Scott brought Alex and Adrian all the way from Salina.  Bill and Susie arrived with tons of snacks.   This was on Wednesday, and I am now five pounds heavier than when all arrived.   We had fires in the fireplace, lots of good cooking, and entertainment provided by the little guys.  Alex did much better than we anticipated, seeming to adjust to Bill and Susie and new surroundings very well.  Adrian was a pill, on a completely different sleep schedule than the rest of us.  Susie and Bill brought Tonka trucks for the boys, and Adrian was up at 2am on Thanksgiving day, playing with the trucks, pushing the siren button time after time...  I will let the few pictures that I took speak for themselves.

Boom-Bada-Boom-Bada-Boom

These guys love Ginnie's keyboard

Watching Netflix

Alex and Daddy Scott

Alex 

Ready for Christmas

Just before Bill and Susie left, I pulled the Christmas tree out of it's closet and plugged it in.  We are now ready for Christmas, as far as decorating is concerned.