December is always a busy month for everyone--me included. After Betty's house sold, we still had things to do.
Jean and I went to a care conference for Grandma on Wednesday, December 22. Afterward we visited with her and talked a bit. It's kind of funny how she remembers things. Her memory for things in the past is pretty good, and she remembers all of her family. There are just some things that she can't wrap her mind around still. She believes that her husband Lyford is still alive, though he died about 10 years ago. She doesn't really know where she is. Her surroundings don't remind her of anything terribly familiar.
Betty's doing alright too. We saw her for awhile. She grimaced at me when I wrote her name on a stuffed animal we got her for Christmas. In a nursing home it's a good idea to put the resident's name on everything. Hospice is still taking care of her, and there hasn't been any significant change I can see lately.
That evening Jean and I ate dinner at Applebee's, and then we went to the mall to do a little shopping for Christmas. We had pie and ice cream at Perkins and then watched Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader at the movie theater. I like to hang out with my aunt. I never really considered that I'd be living in the same house with her and we'd be spending as much time as we do.
That night on the way home from Bozeman, we saw a mega-herd of elk between the Yellowstone River bridge and Yankee Jim Canyon. I turned off the car and rolled down the window, and we could hear the calves whistling to their mamas. Occasionally we could hear the cows whistling back, but they weren't as vocal. It was very pleasant to see and hear. The bright moon and the snow on the ground allowed us to see how big the herd was.
We celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve because Jean had to work on Christmas Day (she works on all holidays). We spent it at Chris' house in Livingston. We had dinner--steaks, potatoes, vegetables, rolls, the works. Afterward, we exchanged gifts in a secret Santa exchange. That was lots of fun.
Christmas Day I spent by myself at home. I had a good but modest Christmas--mostly movies, and some software. I spent the day reading and watching TV.
Work was incredibly busy between Christmas and New Year's. I'm sure that the holiday breaks that schools give was the main reason for the burst in activity.
New Year's Eve I had to work through midnight, and Jean had to be at work in Bozeman the next day, so I spent it by myself. New Year's Day I decided it was a good time to clean the garage, and that's what I did.
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