Good morning and Happy New Week! It is Monday morning and it is a grey one, albiet 45 degrees out there so that isn't so very bad. The chick-a-dees are here, the cardinals are here and one lonely squirrel is walking around in the yard. I think it is doing what I do at a buffet; just checking out the feeding stations before making a choice of where to start. But so far there isn't a lot of activity going on.

We had a good weekend and of course it was busy. But it was one of those busy weekends that it is hard to remember what we actually did; --- just stuff. I know I missed writing my blog on Saturday but for the life of me, I can't remember what kept me away from it. I think we were just busy doing things like running around shopping, going out to decorate the parent's graves, and more running around. Some days, time just gets away from you.

Yesterday of course was Sunday. We had good attendance at one church and fair attendance at the other. Then, yesterday afternoon several of us from church went caroling. I haven't done that in years. We went to a nursing home and sang for one of our parishioners and then we also went to the homes of four of our senior members and sang for them. It was really special when one of our people we went to carol, then sang for us. He sang "O Tannenbaum" in German for us. It was so sweet. I had no idea that he would do that. I now hope I can convince him to do that at church for our combined Christmas service on the 20th of the month. The odds are not good that I can make it happen because he is a very private person. However, I think his daughters can probably convince him to do just about anything, so I'll contact them.

Ms. Kate is heading out to Las Vegas with her sister this coming Weddnesday. We all three did this trip last year and this was the week that we got out there and Aunt Aleen had a stroke back here at home. Karen had to return immediately because she was Aleen's guardian / power of attorney. Hopefully this year they will get to enjoy the full week they have planned. I'll stay home and guard the fort and get my work done. I used up the last of my vacation days over the Thanksgiving. I like Vegas, it is nice to go to but I get bored really quickly with it because my luck at a slot machine is terrible about 99% of the time. And frankly, I'm a cheapskate when it comes to putting my money in a slot machine. But it is always interesting to watch other people as they play. Some get really loud and want to share their fun with the world, (whether we want to see it or not) and other people sit there all mad at the machine because it didn't pay out. To me, at least during the winter months, the best part of Vegas is the buffets and resturants that I particularly like. During the spring and early summer months, I can get out to the desert.

The back yard is starting to fill up now with my birds so I think I will just sit here and enjoy them for a while. Everybody has a place to eat for the moment and even Mr. Fuss-a-lot is quietly having breakfast without raising a ruckus . Take advantage of your week to sit and enjoy something without rushing off to do something else. Take a moment to gve thanks to the Lord for answered prayers and a full measure of blessings. Have a week filled with peace in your heart and soul.