End of Year Recap

Here are the highs and lows and in between of 2012

 

 

January: Marvin had surgery to drain the abscess on the 9th, then on the 13th he had abdominal surgery and a colostomy,  and was in ICU with a breathing and feeding tube for several days. Sandy and Lizzie were with me. I bought a maltipoo and named her Lulu.

 

 

February: Marvin was released from Kaiser on the 8th and transferred to Pacific Palms for rehab. On the 9th he went back to Kaiser ER and back to Pacific Palms on the 12th. Lizzie has been coming over on weekends and Sandy and Tristan flew down on the 17th. We celebrated our 47th wedding Anniversary at Pacific Palms with cupcakes.. Lizzie drove them to the airport the next day. Marvin was released the 24th. On the 28 trying to sit on his recliner Marvin fell down, had to ask John and a neighbor to help him up. The next day he ostomy nurse and the physical therapy nurse came to teach us some procedures.

 

 

March: On the 6th, Marvin fell on the bathroom, needed some help from the neighbors. On the 9th on a visit to Dr Shawel we found another abscess and was back to ER for surgery. Stay ed in Kaiser until the 18th when he was transferred to Pacific Palms. Sandy and Lizzie came over the 23rd, Sandy left the 25th . I had a mammogram on the 30th. Lizzie had diverticulitis attack the 31st.

 

 

April: Marvin was released from Pacific Palms on the 7th. Lizzie and I picked him up. Street paving. Sandy came down the 19th. We celebrated Marvin's 72 birthday at home, and also Mother's Day, we both got iPods :)  Sandy left the 24th.

 

May: Bought myself a new computer tower. Sandy came down the weekend of the 25th for Memorial Day weekend.

 

June: Marvin to ER on the 4th (don't remember why). On the 7th Sandy and family went to Belize, and Lizzie went ziplining. On the 26th Marvin went to the ER from the dialysis clinic with acute weakness, was discharged on the 28th.

 

 

July: Norbert went on vacation to Hungary and France. I had a hearing test and I am hard of hearing in both ears. House cleaner came on the 11th. Tristan came to stay with us for a few days on the 16th. Sandy came the 21st and they both left the 23rd. Lulu had obedience training this month but did not graduate. The London Olympics started the 27th

 

 

August: Went for a check up on the 1st. Called  911 on the 7th, firemen and paramedics came and took Marvin to the Whittier Hospital because he was confused and in pain, later that day he was transferred to Kaiser Irvine. He was released on the 8th, Jennifer and I picked him up. Sandy had knee surgery the 13th. I had a few procedures done at the dentist. I also went to the podiatrist Dr Chapra. Lizzie spend a week with Sandy in Utah.

 

 

September: Norbert got back on the 5th. Nothing much happening :)) Visits for Marvin to Optometry and Dermatology.

 

October: Back to the dentist to have a couple of crowns. Tree Trimmers came $350.

 

November: Quiet month. On the 24th Lizzie and I took Marvin to ER because of  being confused and weak.

 

December:  Went to Dr Shawel on the 3rd. On the 8th, Marvin woke up weak and "not right", and we went to ER.  They thought he had an infection and gave him antibiotics. He also had his fistula checked in Radiology since it was clotting. He was released from Kaiser on the 11th . On the 15th Lizzie and I had a pre birthday lunch at Black Angus. On the 17th I had my 69th birthday, Marvin and I went to Black Angus. I got Champagne and chocolates from Mia, yummy pastries from Utah. and a poetry book from Lizzie . We picked Lizzie in Fullerton on the 21st and next day the Thompson's came. The 23rd we all went to El Torito for a post birthday lunch. On the 24th the O'Dell's and Wann's and Jeff came to join us for a Christmas Eve dinner, prepared and fixed by my two girls and Jeff. :) Delicious.

Christmas day we opened gifts, and had a nice meal of canelones and fillet Mignon roast. It was a great holiday!!! 

 

Again I want to thanks Sandy and Lizzie for all the help and support throughout the year. It has been a very stressful year for me, and of course not a fun one for Marvin. He had to go through a lot. But thankfully, the year is ending in a bright note, and I sincerely hope that 2013 bring us health, wealth and happiness :)

 



Family Christmas

It was so great having both our daughters, Marty, Jeff and of course Tristan, spend Christmas with Marvin and I. It was specially great because Marvin was feeling good too!

This was the best gift. But of course we got other gifts too. It was fun opening presents and Sandy already wrote about it in her blog. My favorite presents were the yearly Calendar from Sandy and the framed poem from Lizzie. But I also liked the  bright red hummingbird feeder, and the beautiful glass balls, and everything else!

Marvin's brother and sisters and Lee and David also came for Christmas Eve, as well as a preggie Christina and Rick.

We all admired the beautiful flowers Mia sent. Here they are called Tiger lilies and Dutch Iris.

Sandy and Lizzie took care of Christmas Eve food, including cleaning :) They got a ton of stuff but everything was yummy. Jeff cooked an amazing roast pork. We had appetizers, main course and desserts. Too many to mention. We were sated!

It was fun opening the white elephants gifts, I still don't think I have the hang of it 100% but it came out all right and we all had something we liked and lots of fun doing it!

The next day it was just the 7 of us, and we opened our gifts around 9AM. Sandy explained it very well in her blog, so I won't repeat it. I wanted to add that our doggies Osi and Lulu got along really well. I think Lulu learned some nice behavior from Osi that is one of the coolest dogs ever. Tristan and Lulu also had fun together :)

After breakfast and lunch, Lizzie and Jeff drove back to San Diego. The rest of us, just hung around, and snacked all day. I drank a whole bottle of Cava because I could!  ;)

I put a whole bunch of pictures in Facebook, I hope you all will enjoy. Here's some pictures from our lunch in El Torito on Sunday.

 

 

 

Thanks everybody for a wonderful Christmas!!!

 

 

Christmas Spirit

Having my birthday and Christmas so close together is pretty fun, because I get double the presents! ;)

This year, Sandy  got some yummy Kouing Amman pastries from Salt Lake City (it's almost a tradition). They didn't last long!

 

My sister Mia sent me a great kit of Champagne Veuve Cliquot  and a box of Godiva chocolates! I am ssaving the champage for Christmas, buty the chocolates are...you guessed it! gone ;). The poinsettia is one of my Christmas decorations, it will be planted outside after the holidays.



 

 

Then  today I got another surprise, well surprises! Also from my sister, a gorgeous basket of goodies. I will share them with my family on Christmas day and wish Mia was there to share as well, she'll be in  spirit! :)  And a beautiful bouquet of flowerts. When I got them they were not open, it says it needs a couple of days to "wake up" from being in a box. I don't know what kind they are. They look a little like tulips. I'm sure Mia will let me know since she says they are typical of Sweden.



 

 

Now I cannot wait until we are all together. Lizzie will be coming tomorrow night and Sandy, Marty and Tristan will be here on Saturday. Monday evening Jeff, Marvin's brother and sisters and Rick and Christina will be coming too.

 

I wish everybody a very happy holidays!

 

 





69

Yep, that's how old I am today.

Next year will be one of those new decade type birthdays. I sometimes can't believe I am 69.

It was a nice day, a little rainy in the morning, it has been a wet December so far.
Marvin and I went to Black Angus Restaurant for a late lunch. It was very good and the best part is that Marvin was feeling good too!

We had an appetizer of garlic cheese bread, then a wedge salad with blue cheese and bacon dressing. We both had a rib eye steak, super tender and juicy, Marvin had au gratin potatoes and I had garlic mashed potatoes and onion rings. For dessert we shared a huge slice of chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and fudge.

 

 







After we got home, we didn't do much of anything, just watched TV and just take it easy.

It was very nice to hear the girls and Mia calling me and wishing me a Happy Birthday. My firends Jennifer and Lolin also called. And I got many many birthday wishes in Facebook. And a very nice message from Tristan wishing me a happy day! :)

iPhone

Yes ladies and gentlemen, I am finally the proud owner of an iPhone. I chose the same model Lizzie and Sandy have, than way they can help me put the apps on and learn how to do some things. And yes, it's white so it won't show up fingerprints as much.

It was an early birthday present, from me to myself!

On other news, after many years of middling to mediocre TV's, last night Norbert asked me to go to Costco and help him choose a new TV. He chose a 42" Vizio smart TV. This morning the cable guy went to his house and bundled the computer, TV and phone, so he was set up. At 3:00PM he called saying he was coming over to return the TV because it was not "bright" enough.

So off we went to Costco again and as a surprise, I got him a Costco card for a Christmas gift. He goes to Costco all the time, but always with friends with cards lol. This way he can go all by himself :)

Anyway this time he bought a 50" Samsung Smart TV.

Hopefully he will still like it in the morning.

Neighborhood weirdo

This morning around 7AM, somebody's car alarm started beeping, I think it was Nick's next door. Their dog Marshmallow started barking and howling. It lasted for quite a while, then Nick got up and turned it off.

Tonight I was walking Lulu and when I got back home, Nick was putting the Christmas lights around his house. Lulu of course went crazy and wanted to be petted and talked to. He took her leash and took her to visit with Marshmallow.

After that we talked for a while, and he asked me if I had heard his alarm this morning, I said yes. He said that there was a 25 year old man  that lives a couple of blocks down, and he was running naked  trying to open car doors. He said the police is aware of it because it had happened before, he said there was a police car in front of his house the other day asking questions.

So why they don't do anything? Well they have to catch him in fraganti!

The thing is, I had both my car and truck unlocked last night! I quickly went and locked them and you can be sure I will lock them all the time now!