Well, after getting on the bathroom scales for the first time in 2013 it looks like I had better make a resolution to cut back on the yummy Pinterest recipes!!! Yikes! Once I got back to the routine of work a few lbs. came back off but wow...what a scare! We are finally finished with the hospital remodel! After a few days of being relocated into other areas so that the business office could get new paint and carpet and the public entrance to the office changed, we are back. The official move day was on Thursday. The afternoon was spent wiping off our cubicles and desk tops from the dust, vacuuming and arranging our work spaces. On Friday I was able to completely work as usual while some of the billers were getting rid of unnecessary papers therefore eliminating some of the file cabinets. Paperless is describing us a little more although no office can truly be paperless. There is a lot less paper used today than there was 23 years ago though! The open house for the public is on Monday. I'm not sure if I will make it as I have a doctor's appointment in Rochester on Monday morning. If things go well, I may be able to make it home by 4 for the open house. My mom had cataract surgery done on Tuesday. There was some doubt as to whether she would be cleared for surgery as she flunked her pre-op physical. The only thing that kind of worried her doc was she has a wee bit of tachycardia. At her pre-op physical one of her hypertension meds was dropped and another was increased. After a week that brought her pulse down a whopping 8 beats per minute. Her provider consulted with the cardiologist over the phone and he said that, basically, they can do cataract surgery on dead people and since she would not be put totally under, it shouldn't be a problem. My mom is going to see the cardiologist next month to see if it is something other than just exercise intolerance since her pulse went down to 96 after we just sat for a few minutes in the room visiting with the provider. Mom gets around a little slower than usual these days and I also noticed what a giant both my parents make me feel like now. My mom was 5'7" when she was married and now I tower over her at 5'4". She says she is like her Grandma Corman was -- quite bent over and definitely needs a cane to keep her upper body propped up. She got through the surgery with flying colors and had to borrow a pair of my sunglasses as she did not have any. Of course, I sent her sunglasses with 'bling'! Dad is taking care of her as far as eye drop duty and does a good job of it. I think that is the most stressful part of it for her as she is terrible about actually getting the drops in her eyes. On Tuesday, Reed had an assessment that I went over to be present for. It is some kind of state assessment to evaluate how much support he needs. The appointment time was alloted for 3 hours but luckily only took an hour and a half. After that we went shopping for a chair side table as Reed got some Christmas money from Grandma and Grandpa and had some money to burn. We went to the same store where he bought his table and chair set for his kitchen as they are reasonably priced. We walked in and started looking around and when we saw the price tags on chair side tables you darn near had to scrape us off the floor. You could buy a CHAIR for the price of a table. I asked Reed just what his budget was and he said he didn't want to pay more than $200. In a last ditch effort, we went upstairs and found a clearance table that provided some storage and was large enough to hold a lamp and such for a reasonable price. Reed found a salesperson (it turned out to be the same guy who sold the table to him!) and he told him what he wanted, he wrote out the check and the salesman shrink-wrapped the table and loaded it up for us. Well, all of this works up an appetite in a young man so I let him have his choice of eateries. His choice was Buffalo Wild Wings -- I could have predicted that one! So he ordered the boneless wings lunch special and I had the cheeseburger slammers lunch special. We headed back to Clear Lake where I dropped him off at his apartment -- he said he didn't need me to come up and set his new table up. Hmmmph! Mother is not needed! From there I went to Fareway to pick up a few groceries. Now I'm just going to have to pop in on him to see that new table sometime! We'll see if his apartment is as clean all the time as it is when he expects me! Wednesday came and it was the night for one of my 6 nights a year I go out -- women's card club! I made cashew chicken dip which was a HIT! There was also some pretty marvelous chocolate cake that Jeannie Purvis brought. It was soooo good! I didn't win any money this time but had a good time visiting with everybody. This weekend has been spent so far keeping warm and keeping away from anyone who might have the flu! I made potato/hamburger soup and beer bread for lunch and Gabby and I baked cookies this afternoon. I made molasses cookies and sent some in to my Dad because he just loves them. Mom called this evening and said he totally ignored her homemade pecan pie and ate cookies instead. He says 'they taste just like my mom used to make' and maybe that's why he likes them -- they evoke a warm and comforting memory. We let Micah decide what kind of cookie Gabby would make and he chose snickerdoodles. Now we're just sittin' around, watching football and stayin' warm! In talking to Mom on the phone, she was surprised to hear of Betty Whetsone's death this week. Her funeral was today at Cataldo Funeral Home. I also told her that I received a call from our prayer chain that Arlene McDermott was hospitalized with influenza. I didn't think she looked real great at mass yesterday morning. She just doesn't have an ounce to spare on her body, this flu could really do her some harm. Father Miller said that we will not be participating in the optional Sign of Peace during the mass for a few weeks and strongly encouraged anyone who has a hint of a cold to abstain from the cup and receive the Body alone. It is really hitting hard. Well, I think I hear Gabby coming in the door from work so I better see what was exciting for her today!