Happy Birthday Celebration

January 28th - Friday - 24 degrees with three inches of fresh snow

Once again Lou and I got our morning exercise by shoveling the driveway, a job that we both enjoy doing. This is a pleasure to do with a blacktopped driveway. The majority of the shoveling is just walking the snow-shovel across the drive and throwing the snow off to the side. The gentleman that originally paved our driveway instructed us in the best way to shovel the drive to keep it from icing over and Mr. Fay knew what he was talking about, as it has never iced over by doing it his way. I shall always be grateful for his advice.

I have been a bit late getting the pictures of the roses and the cards posted, as Lou was gracious enough to share his cold with me and I now am reaping the rewards. Dr. Nespola has placed me back on Prednisone, Augmentin, Claritin D along with the rest of the meds I use for my breathing and sleeping is something I just think about with the huge amounts of Prednisone and if this keeps me out of the hospital, I am all for it.

We still haven't received the registration for the motor home, so we aren't going to be in any hurry. Actually, I am enjoying getting a few extra things done in the house that got neglected last year, lots of drawers cleaned out, files gone through, have helped Lou go through lots of his things, so we have used the time to our benefit and try to do extra things each day.

For my birthday, which was Sunday. The day was started out with a beautiful card from Lou, that he had purchased from my favorite card shop,

with a very special note and a gift of jewelry from him. We attended church together where I received many cards from our church family and after church we went out to dinner at one of our favorite places, Lamb's Creek Inn, and the owner, Nell sat beside us so we were able to catch up with her which is always a nice treat for both of us. Just as we were entering the restaurant, my grand-daughter, Michelle called me on my cell phone to wish me a happy birthday, she had just returned from church, she is the gal that is attending Elizabethtown College.

Susie called in the afternoon, she had sent a card with a gift certificate at my hairdresser, which was perfect timing, as Lou and I both had appointments on Wednesday. Susie and I had a nice chat and caught up on the news of the week and hung us and Krista called and said that she had baked me an apple pie and she and Steve would like to come down and spend the evening, so we put the coffee pot on and they brought the pie and ice cream down with a gift bag filled with goodies, mostly all my favorite Mary Kay products that I can keep in the RV, so I don't have to pack up the ones I have at home. Good thought! The card she gave me was really cute, you can see it in the picture, the cow, stating she lost her recipe for birthday cake, hope you like pies.... Jerry and Joanne sent me up a beautiful red scented candle to put in the motor home, but I couldn't wait, so I trimmed the wick and lighted it and the aroma is wonderful Baked Apple Pie, went right along with Krista's pie.

The next day a box of roses were delivered from Scott, they were beautiful. Two dozen assorted colors very tight buds that are just beginning to open,

this was a very special gift, as my late husband always bought roses for all of us "girls" for all occasions and I guess Scott remembered. In Ohio, when Al would drive home from work, he would drive past a florist and in front of the florist was a dog house and a "Snoopy" dog sitting beside of the dog house advertising "dog house special" for $1.00, so whenever Al would see that sign he would stop and buy the special. The girls would find roses on their pillows, and I would find them on the counter or in a vase all trimmed, we were all very spoiled. We always had fresh flowers in our home and after we moved to Pennsylvania. Al planted roses and I means lots of them, I think Lou and I counted 54 bushes. This year I was sick and couldn't put them "to bed", so Lou, bless his heart, methodically placed oat straw in and around 54 bushes to see them safely through the winter so all of us could still enjoy Al's roses again this summer.

Thank you family for making my day special.