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.