Party room- a place for fun, pity, commiserating, or any other thing you come up with

[Mark N]

Hi Jim, I still have 10 days before I pick Tyrel up but I need to start paying attention to the date as I often lose track of the days before I know it. I hope your warm weather means Tyrel is having warm weather while out in the field as he gets back to the base on Tuesday. I was checking out our gas bill and they give stats on the past year, come to find out it was warmer last year this past month. That is hard to believe but it explains why our gas bill was so much lower last year this past month.

[csunshine]

It has just a been a hectic week around here. I tell you my folks think I moved in to be their personal aid, cook and maid....I'm tired. lol
My back is acting up bad I think from driving my mom's car.
Glad tyrel i s getting to come home. I just doesn't seem like christmas around here. I got my a little tree put up but other than nothing

[Mark N]

Karen, it is good hearing from you but it is a shame your parents act as if you are a personal cook and maid, I know it is a bit of an exageration but not much. Sorry to hear your back is acting up and causing you extra pain. It has been warm here and doesn't seem like Christmas but looking at our gas bill it shows it was warmer last year at this time. The forecast is for colder weather this week though. I should string up some Christmas lights up down here in the basement like I do each year but I don't know if I will get around to it. Penny has our tree upstairs looking very nice and the Christmas decorations are up there. I know getting some snow would help get the Christmas spirit going but it is iffy to get any around here this time of year.

Yes it will be nice to have Tyrel home but I am afraid he will get bored after doing so much every day at boot camp. He will have to keep his physical fitness up though so he will be running each day. It will be interesting to hear what they are doing in boot camp and he will get to see his new niece. I know Emery will be excited to see him as she talks about him being at the Army house. She picked out an Army costume for Halloween. I need to go and try to get a bit more sleep this morning.

[Mark N]

I stepped out the door today and what a change in the temperatures we have had as it feels like Winter has come. I was out to go to the doctor for my weekly injection and to shop for groceries [meats]. I got back in the house as soon as I could because the cold took me by surprise. I hope everyone is keeping warm and had a good start to the week.

[Mark N]

Wouldn't you know it, the temps drop and our 3 year old furnace is on the fritz. The good news is I pick Tyrel up in 5 more days and I hope the furnace is fixed by then. Really the guys are coming back tomorrow hoping to have a new circuit board to replace the defective one. We will get by on lots of blankets and space heaters as it got down to 58 last night in the house and probably will get that cold again tonight.

[csunshine]

Hi,
Hope you got your furnace fixed by now. It not really cold down here, you wouldn't know it be in my parents house though....it is like a sauna in there with the heat on 80 all the time. I hope your all doing well and are staying warm.

[Mark N]

Karen, the circuit board has been replaced and it is doing well now. I can't believe your parents keep it so warm as I would be sweating it out and having my window open for fresh air. We have had several warmer days now so it has moderated. I go to Louisville, 1.5 hour trip, to pick Tyrel up on Wed. It will be good to see him again. Of course Penny is stressing out about him flying. I swear she can find something to stress out about every day. Christmas will be here before we know it as it is just one week away today. We are going to have everyone over Monday evening for Christmas, it will be nice to have a Christmas dinner instead of Christmas Eve dinner. Keep an eye out for Santa as he will be flying high soon.

[Mark N]

I picked Tyrel up today and it is good to have him back home for a while. Ge said driving into town it seemed like he never left. We got a nice surprise as his sister, her husband, and the two daughters came over to visit this evening. Everybody had a good time. I was fixing supper when then came over so a 3 person meal got extended to a 5 person meal. Grandpa got to hold the littlest one while others ate and I got in what bites I could then grandma took over so I could finish my meal. Emery had a blast with Samme the cat like usual. He is a really good kitten that just lays there for her and lets her carryt him around wherever she goes. Finally he got a break when I put out some food for him and Emery accepted he needed to have supper too. Samme was free the rest of the night as grandma got Emery playing and forgetting all about the kitty. Samme made up with Tyrel and was laying next to him while he was on the computer. Samme put his two front paws on Tyrel's leg. Everyone is settling for sleep and Samme decided to sleep with Tyrel tonight.

I hope everyone is getting in the Christmas spirit although I admit it doesn't seem like Christmas around here. I was shocked when I checked the calendar and realized Christmas is on Tuesday. I talked to my mom and she plans on coming down for Christmas Eve when the girls and ther parents are coming over. I hope everyone can get together with family and friends and have a very Merry Christmas this year.

[csunshine]

I'm so glad you have your entire family around for Christmas. It is a freaky one for me since it is the first in 12 years I'm not in my own home doing stuff....but I am making it ok.
I hope you and the family have a very Merry Christmas.

[Mark N]

Karen, have a Merry Christmas, it is good to hear you are doing okay and I know not hearing all the things you used to hear every day. Things here are going well and it is hard to believe Christmas is almost here. It has been really cold the past few days here but no snow yet. They are saying the day after Christmas there is a good chance to get a little bit of snow. Tyrel is enjoying his time off from boot camp but eager to get back and finish and move on to the next training for advanced infantry then on to airborne training at a different base.

[Mark N]

Merry ChristmasI hope everyone in the room has a great day. I see the room is all decorated and we have a beautiful tree in the room. I love having Christmas music playing in the room and the hot chocolate hits the spot as a winter storm is moving in. I see Guido has hired a bunch of workers dressed up as little elves and Santa helpers. Once again have a Merry Christmas today.

[Mark N]

We missed the big snow storm but we are getting some snow now and the rest of the night. Things have slowed down since Christmas but we are planning on going out for a family dinner if the roads are too bad from the snow. We got cert. for a gift to this BBQ place so we are paying for everyones dinners if we can get there. It will be the last time all of us will be together as Tyrel leaves this week and Megan and Darrin are working so they can't get away except for this weekend. Tyrel is enjoy having a break but I think he is ready to get back soon. We are both going to the barber to get haircuts during the week.

[Mark N]

Happy New Year 2013

[Mark N]

Penny and I took Tyrel to the airport yesterday so our son won't be back home for about a year or long in all likelyhood. We are hoping to go to his boot camp graduation but I am going to have to be very honest about making an 8 hour trip. I think I can manage but Penny will have to be off three days so I need to be sure about this if we are going to do it. Tyrel understands my situation so it isn't a problem if we don't go. The other part of the deal is we will only see him for about an hour unless he gets a weekend pass and that isn't likely. I want so much to go to his graduation and see him marching by in review also to let Penny experience something that she hasn't ever been around. I have gone through it myself so I know what Tyrel is dealing with but Penny has nothing to base her concerns on. If she could see the graduation she would see some of the reason that I am still proud of being a veteran and still feel a connection to the Marines. I know Tyrel's time in the Army will develop that dedication into him over the years.
I know there is the smart answer and then there is the answer that my heart has so I have to decide which I will follow.

Megan and Darrin along with the girls came over for Penny's birthday this evening. We celebrated it on Wednesday with dinner and a cake so Tyrel could be part of it but Megan wanted to show up this evening too. Audyn is at the age that she is changing every day. She is really good at holding her head up so that she can sit up while supported but tonight she stood up for me for quite a while. Last week she was unwilling to try and stand up but tonight she really tried and did a good job. She has become very interested in the world around her and is smiling and talking a lot now. Penny had Emery enthralled at some videos on the internet so I noticed Audyn was paying attention to the tv show that was one. We sat down close to it so Audyn could see it clearly and that girl stayed interested for the entire 30 minutes of the show - Ommi Zoomi. It was a good evening with them here.

[Mark N]

We got a call from our son this evening and it was good to hear from him. He had some good news about boot camp graduation, he is getting a 4 day pass so he will be able to spend time with us for several days. I thought he would have some time but he thought they would only give him an hour after graduation to be with us. I am concerned about making the trip as it is an eight hour drive but now I will have three days there to recover before heading back home. Once back at home I can take as long as I need to recover.
Not much else happening other than looking forward to the increase in temps for the next few days as days in the 60s will feel nice this time of year.