So I am all done with my shingles medicine and headed back to work on Monday, but I was still itchy and sore. At least the blisters are healing! I don't look quite like a leper anymore. And after having a week at work where they were so short of help over the holiday, we ended up with too much help as the other OT with the broken foot was allowed to come back. Things were so slow I was sent to another community to work for a day. (Not my favorite drive since it involves the Baltimore beltway and of course it was raining that day which usually means slower traffic and accidents). But I am back. I couldn't even go to the Holiday concert at work at the nursing home that the Girl SCout choir performed. I just had to drop off Allison.
Instead I was able to participate in the Christmas Parade with Allison and the GS choir last Saturday. They used to run the parade in November and most of the time it was so warm we could just wear our short sleeved polo shirts. Not any more! Although the weather was quite chilly, at least it was sunny and not raining, snowing or sleeting! We haven't had too many chances to perform in Holiday concerts this season. We were not asked to perform at the Festival of Christmas Trees this year over Thanksgiving weekend. The sponsors like to vary the shows from year to year. And the malls are rather picky about who they have perform. Our best audiences are usually the nursing homes. As it was we only had 12 performers attend the parade, and most of them were very young children new to the concert and unfamiliar with the songs. Allison said she had to sing a few solo parts at the Charlestown concert since she was the oldest one attending(it's good for her ego!).
While Allison and I were busy singing, Scott and Tom enjoyed Breakfast with Santa at the school, and then went off to get our Christmas tree. Meanwhile I had to get Allison to work. I decided to drop into the GS store on the way over and everyone was happy to see I survived my trip to the ER when I had trouble breathing(that was the last time I was there). Turns out the girl that helped me was involved in a horrible car accident herself that same weekend. She was on her way to Pittsburgh and got caught in the sleet on the freeway. Next thing she knows she had spun out of control and was hit head on by an 18 wheeler! She says she came out with a lot of bruises and a new car. I know the feeling. We Girl Scouts certainly live life on the edge!
That afternoon I asked Tom to take my van back to the dealership to have the windshield wiper replaced after it was damaged during the oil change. After another 2 hour wait my wiper was replaced. Not so sure it is worth all the free oil changes at the dealership! By the time he got home it was time to pick up Allison from work. Meanwhile I spent my time studying with SCott for another full week of tests. And when we all were home again, we headed over to our neighbors for dinner. They missed us at Thanksgiving when they headed out to Ohio to visit with family. I was planning on having them over since they had us over last year, but they changed their plans. So they decided to invite us over to their house for a belated Thanksgiving dinner. It was wonderful all over again. And we got to share SCott's Snickers Ice Cream Birthday Cake for dessert since we were too full last weekend after our milk shakes at Cheeburger Cheeburger.
On Sunday I was busy working with SCott again on his studies as well as helping him work on a research paper on witchcraft and witches. The class has been reading The Witch of Blackbird Pond and Scott was assigned to write a report about the Salem Witch trials and the belief in witchcraft(rather sophisticated for 6th grade). Tom meanwhile was heading out the door to spend the week working in San Francisco. Before he left he put up the Christmas tree and the lights so we can decorate it during the week. I also spent some time putting together Christmas stockings for St Nick's Day which is on Tuesday Dec 6th. Many years ago we decided that St Nick should bring our stockings early so the kids could enjoy wearing new Christmas stockings, jewelry, or t-shirts and hang their new ornaments before the holiday was over. So far it has worked out nicely. (Except for the gift wrapper!)
Sunday night I had to pick Allison up from work, so Scott and I took a quick break to get her and I stopped into a local church for their WAlk to Bethlehem. They had reenacted the Nativity Story out in their parking lot with small scenes in which a guide walked you through and told the story. The kids especially liked the feisty pony they used as a donkey for Mary to ride on, and the cute goats standing in as sheep for the shepherds. The little kids dressed as Angels and singing were adorable. But the favorite was at the end when they gave us plastic gold coins to shop at their market. They had tents set up in the auditorium to look like a market in the middle east. Scott loved spending his coins on the snacks-dried fruit and nuts, bread and cheese. They also had basket makers, sandal makers and jewelry to make. My favorite was the basket of guinea pigs that you could feed. (I did not know Jesus played with Guinea Pigs!). I also especially enjoyed watching the Roman soldiers in their plastic skirts directing traffic with spears!). A nice break in the holiday rush!
on Friday morning I was busy at Target picking up St Nicks Day goodies since our Holiday family photos were ready. I was also picking up items for my Girl SCout Holiday party scheduled for next week. The girls are going to bake cookies and casseroles for food donations. (and have a bit of fun as well).
I had to rush home since I had contacted a few roofers during the week online and I made an appointment with someone to come out and figure out where our leak was coming from. Tom had stayed home one morning during the week and had a roofer come out, charge us $100 bucks and tell us we needed a whole new roof for $12,000! He said he could not do any less. I had a guy come out, find the leak and I signed a contract for repair and supplies for $1400. They will be out to put weather proofing in our roof valley where the leak is forming this week(hopefully before the next big rain). We were very happy to see they still make our shingle. I think we will put off getting a new roof on our next house!
After the roofer stopped by I had to load up my van for our last GS cookie booth sale. We set up outside Advanced Auto Parts which is conveniently located next to a bar/restaurant(which was very busy). Needless to say we had some great sales! While Allison and I were off selling cookies, Tom took Scott to gymnastics.
I managed to squeeze in a little fun for myself Friday morning when I attended the Mother's Tea at SCott's School. Each year the school hosts a light breakfast for the moms at school at a local restaurant owned by one of the school families. They have tea and coffee and pastries, bagels and usually door prizes and an ornament for each guest. I have been able to attend every year since it is on a Friday when I am not scheduled to work. This year a new mom took over and no more ornaments, and no fancy pastries. But it was still nice to catch up with the other moms.
I also took an evening for myself to get recertified in CPR and this time added First Aid with the scouts. Many events for scouts require a First Aider and I can no longer rely on my co leader to always cover for our events as she is extra busy these days. She is a nurse and is going to school to get her masters in teaching and working longer hours since she has two kids now in private catholic high school to pay for, not to mention college soon after. So I would rather be covered for all events myself.
We also enjoyed an evening at the local bookstore Barnes and Noble when Scott's school choir entertained us all with a holiday concert. The school had a fundraiser that evening and the teachers wrap presents for free. It is a good night to get shopping done, make some money for the school and enjoy hearing the kids sing. Tom stopped in briefly since he was off to his Monday night football game with the neighbor boys. I took the kids out to dinner afterwards to Pizzeria Uno since that was also a fund raiser night and I had a gift card from my raffle basket.
  Enjoy our photos of the Christmas parade with the GS choir, and the Nativity as well as SCott enjoying some goodies at their market.
A very busy week! But we'd like to wish Sheila Bozyk a
very Happy Birthday who celebrated on November 28th!