Last night was a better one for Chris; He had a much smaller nose bleed, and he got it all in the toilet, except for one spot on the bed sheet. He was able to come back to bed and rest for the rest of the night. We got up and dressed, but he didn't want to go to breakfast, so I got it, and brought it back to the apartment. We ate here. Carla arrived to visit about 9 am. She and Rex arrived at Bianca's house in Pamona very late, after driving all the way from Eugene, Or. on Wednesday, after he did surgery at 8 a.m., and they left Eugene about 9. It is over 900 miles, and they were tired. This morning Rex played golf with Travis Westermyer, an old friend from Medical School, living now in Ensenitas, while Carla visited with us. Carla had lunch with us here, and we visited until Rex came later. He drove us down to the beach where we parked and walked a little way, then since it was quite windy, we sat in the car and watched a beautiful sunset along with lots of other people, who had come down just to see it. When we came back here, Carla and Rex sat with us while we had dinner. Then they drove down to Travis's house, where they were to have dinner and a New Year's Eve party. They will come back up here tomorrow, for another visit. Then we will all go to Karen and Terry's house for dinner, including Bianca and a friend, who will be able to come down. Bianca and her friend will be down for a visit sometime tomorrow and will stay with us, I think.

Chris had another nose bleed in the night, and he finally hit the emergency cord early in the morning, and an aide came by. She looked at the mess in the bathroom and called the nurse to come. The nurse brought gauze to plug his nose, since klenex wasn't doing it. The gauze works pretty well. Later I went to the dining room and brought breakfast back. Just as we finished it, one of the cleanup crew came up and cleaned up the bathroom. We had to give up the trip to Downey for Mabel's birthday. But we will see her and Charles later in the month. We stayed in the apartment, and Karen came over for a while to visit. We talked about going to the Kaiser Clinic for a blood test, but instead we called the coumidin clinic, and they said to wait until Chris' visit to the eye doctor in San Diego on Jan. 5. Then we are to call them again, after getting a blood test there. I went to the dining room and brought back lunch for us, and later for dinner, since Chris was still dripping a little. It has been a quiet day, but he should have a better day tomorrow.

The news for today starts out not too well; last night Chris had a nose bleed, and he spent the night sitting in his recliner in the living room. I stayed with him until 12:30 and went to bed as soon as he was asleep. I meant to check up on him, but I slept until 6. He came back to bed at 7a.m. and slept until 9:30. He got up and had a shower, and so did I, and then we went to what was supposed to be lunch. but we made a breakfast of it, and we had an omelette, bacon, toast, and orange juice. Later we went downstairs to read the paper and get the walker out of the car. Chris was still a little shaky, so he used it inside the building. As the day progressed, he got feeling better, and by dinner time we went to the dining room with canes only. He was feeling well enough to complain about the baked chicken, and so the waiter brought him another piece. I think they had to replace more pieces, too. Mine was burned, too, but I had eaten it, so I didn't complain. This is later in the evening. We have watched a news- cast and then an episode of Nova, explaining how all fish and animals, including humans, are alike. I knew most of it, but the program put it all neatly together. There was no reference to religion, but I'm sure the Lord had much to do with it all. Chris has dropped off to sleep again, so I'll stop this now and wake him to go to bed.

I have done it again - missed a day. Yesterday, Sunday, we went to Church as usual. Only, Karen wasn't there. She and Terry had gone to San Francisco, where they will visit with Candace"s and didn't come back until tonight, Monday. It was a good service, with an older couple telling about their mission to the Philippines. Anyway we didn't do much after that, read a newspaper in the coffee shop here, had lunch and a nap, and then we went to see Verla Reece in the care center. Back in the apartment we watched some TV, including the movie, "The Sound of Music. It was interrupted every little while with commercials, so it took a long time. We went to bed later. That's about all we did. Today we had breakfast and then read the newspaper again in the coffee shop and then went to the Gentle Exercise class. There were only 5 of us, and the instructor, instead of the usual roomful of people. I guess the others have gone away for Christmas or were just taking it easy. Anyway, the exercise was good for us. We talked to Kaye and then to Carla. Carla and Rex will be coming down to the L. A. area to visit their daughters on Tuesday, and then they will come down here on Thursday night. On Wednesday we will be going to Downey for a 90th birthday party for Mabel. Karen will drive. Lu-Wayne Harris is at Camp Pendleton, to visit his son, Gabe, who fortunately will not be going back to the war. He has gone two times, once to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. Lu-Wayne will come down here either Tuesday or Thursday to see us.

We slept in a little while this morning, and then we went to breakfast. There were clouds outside, but occasionally the sun peaked through. We sat with Ruth and John, and we talked a little, while eating. She was cold there in the dining room, but I was warm in my blue sweat suit with a short- sleeved sweater underneath the top. I noticed other people there with warm sweaters. I guess we all keep our own apartments warmer than the rest of the buildings. That's older people for you. Later we came back to the apartment, talked about going to the exercise class, but we didn't go. Instead we made a list of things to buy at Wal-Mart, and we drove to the shopping center off College Blvd. First, we stopped at the bank to transfer money to our checking account, and then drove to Wal-Mart. We had left the list at the apartment, so we guessed what we had written. We got most of the things on it. There is another day we can go back for the others. Back here we went to lunch, which is really like a dinner. We had that, and then came back the apartment, with the idea of a short nap. Later we talked to Kaye, and she and Kyle had gotten back from Seattle where they had visited Race, Stellan, Sara and Caden for Christmas. They were tired but glad to be back, without having had any trouble over the mountains. Carla and Rex had Logan and Meret visiting them. It's always nice to be with family during the holidays.

Merry Christmas! We first of all went to breakfast, and there weren't many people there. I guess some had gone to spend Christmas with relatives, and some just slept in, counting on an early dinner. The staff wants to be done with meals early, so they can spend the time with their families. At breakfast we picked up two of the boxed suppers for tonight. We were going to Karen and Terry's about 1:30 for dinner. When we got there, Brittany and Bianca were there, and after a while Al came. It was a very good meal, as Karen's always are. Then there were three choices for dessert. I had small pieces of carrot cake and Carla's gift of fruitcake, which I had brought over, and I skipped the cherry pie. The drinks were sparking cider and water, for everyone. We had a nice visit with everyone, and Brittany and Bianca told us about their schooling and jobs. They had to get back, so they and we left as the sun was going down. They stayed a short time at our apartment and then drove back to L.A. area . Al also left Karen's about the same time. Karen and Terry are leaving in the morning to drive to San Francisco where they will meet Candace and her family, and they will be back in a couple of days. This evening we rested a while and listened to a CD Carla had given us, along with the cake, and a book of family pictures of 2oo9. We had a part of the supper the dining room had given us, but we were still remembering the dinner Karen had cooked.

This has been a good day. After breakfast we talked briefly to Carla and Rex. Then we drove to The Kaiser Clinic here in Carlsbad. Last night the Cumaden Clinic called Chris, to get a blood sample taken; he had missed his date to be checked. It was a cool but nice day as we drove down the coast. At the Clinic he got his blood drawn and I bought some drugs in the Pharmacy. I also made appointments with Dr. Donahoe for Jan. 8, to have him check our faces. We both have small black spots that Karen felt we should be concerned about. After that, we drove back along the coast and stopped at Tamarack Beach and went for a walk. There weren't many people there, and and we thoroughly enjoyed it. And there were not too many cars on the roads, so the trip was an easy one Back at the apartment we went to lunch, and then came back to spend a quiet time. Soon the telephone rang, and it was the operator of the Beauty Shop here, to say she had an appointment that couldn't come and would I like to come right up and have my hair done. I said yes. She did a good job on it, and it was a good thing she called, because I had completely forgotten I had made an appointment for later in the afternoon! After I got back, one of the older women here, sitting in her wheelchair, knocked at the door. She was looking for a friend, whom she thought lived in the apartment. Chris wheeled her around the floor, looking for the friend, and then she said she had looked on the second floor already. So Chris took her to the dining room, hoping one of the waiters would know her. They didn't, but sat her down and she had something to eat. Then they called an attendant, who took her back to her apartment, I guess. Anyway, we went to dinner, and sat with the Chinese couple we have come to know. Later back at our apartment Kaye skyped us, from Seattle, and we got to see her, Race, Stellan, and Caden. He is a real, tiny boy now, and was playing with the little kiddie car Kaye had bought for him for Christmas from us.

Today we started off with breakfast, and then we took the clothes down to the laundry, and we had to wait a while to get started. We put them in the washer when we could, and then went to the Mild Yoga class. It was easier than yesterday's class. When it was finished we went back to the laundry and put the clothes in the driers. When we went back to check them, some were dry and the others not. Since it was getting toward the time Karen was to pick us up, we took all of them back to the apartment, and started out to meet Karen. There was what turned out to be a practice fire alarm, and we got stuck in the elevator. It was only for a few minutes, but during that time Chris called Karen on the cell phone, and told her. She was on her way here, and was waiting for us when we got to the main floor and to the lobby. She drove to Marjorie Rempel's house, where we were all invited to lunch. It was a great lunch, and it was a pleasure to be with her and see all the Christmas decorations she had painted, or others had made for her. We also met her daughter, who is awfully thin for a grown woman. On our way back to the apartment Karen told me about this young woman, who had been a successful entertainer, but now had mental problems, and was living with her mother now, who had left her husband. As we were leaving, there was a huge pile of food outside the door, that the ex-husband had brought and left there, after calling to say he would do it. We drove back to the Villas, and Chris stayed here, and Karen and I went to see Lorraine Pepper, one of the 3 women we visit teach. At the Villas again, I met Chris, we dried the wet clothes and had dinner.

This has been a good day. We went to breakfast, and then after a while we went to an exercise class. It is a harder one than we have been going to, but we managed by stopping exercising when it was too much for us. It felt good afterward, though, to have stretched out our muscles. Karen came to pick us up to go out to lunch. We went to Mimi's' and it was such a good and big lunch that we brought about half of it back here, to eat later. But we haven't eaten it yet tonight. We just went to the dining room and had a dish of chocolate ice cream. That was enough food for now. We can always eat the rest of the lunch later tonight, if we want to. We got our mail before coming back to the apartment after the lunch, and I found cards to us, from people I had sent cards to, and some I hadn't. So I looked again at my card list, and I had missed a page of it. Of course there are a lot of people crossed off because I had lost track of them, or they had passed away. Still, I had to spend this afternoon writing cards to people. Tonight I went downstairs to the living room, where there was a group of people who came in to sing Christmas songs. They gave all of us copies of the songs, and we sang along with them. I enjoyed it. Chris stayed in the apartment to listen to the news. I figured I could catch up on the news later, and there are lots of TV stations with evening news, some of them good ones, like the PBS station. The singing was more fun, anyway. This afternoon Ken Lofrano and his wife came over and brought us some cookies for Christmas. He is our home teacher, and they are good friends, too.

Now I'll write about today, Monday. We stayed here at the apartment, and I finished writing the Christmas cards. Also, we went to the Gentle Exercise class in the morning, and had our usual three meals. Karen came over this evening, though, and brought us part of the beef stew she had cooked. She said she did that because Chris had complained about some of the food here. We ate the stew, and went to the dining room later and had a salad and tried their apple pie. The pie was only half baked, really big uncooked slices of apple and a sort of cereal for a top crust, and the bottom crust not cooked. We came back here, and watched a little TV. Tomorrow is another day.

I did it again, missed a day writing. So, this will be Sunday's review, what I can remember of it. We did go to church, and stayed for just the Sacrament Meeting. I felt ready to stay for the rest of the meetings, but Chris didn't, so we went back to the apartment and I wrote Christmas cards. My list is limited now, only about half of what I used to write. Many of our friends and relatives are now gone, or maybe we just aren't writing to each other anymore. I got all but about 6 done. We expected our home teacher to come over in the afternoon, but he had already been to see us this month, and I guess he realized that and didn't come. We did have a visitor, though, The young man who used to do our cleaning before we moved here and helped us make the move by taking things to Karen's to store, and making a walkway to the new storage shed we put up at the house for things that wouldn't fit into the three- room apartment here.

I didn't write yesterday, Friday. We went through our usual routine here, and also went shopping again. Back at the apartment we tried out the little radio we had bought for Verla Reese. but we did find out it wasn't very good, and it had lots of switches and things, that were hard for me to operate. We thought about it overnight, and we decided not to give it to her. Instead, we chose a small radio in my bottom dresser drawer, that I hadn't used for a while. It turned out to be simpler to use, and we decided to give that one to Verla. It was too late by then to take it to her, so we waited until morning. Besides, I had caramels that Karen had made, to cut and wrap to send to Charles and Mable. Now this was today, Saturday. It was clear and lovely outside, so after breakfast we decided we would go for a long walk. On the way, we went to see Verla in the Care Center to give her the radio. She was awake, and seemed glad to see us. I got out the radio and the ear phones we had bought for her, and gave them to her, helping her to get the ear phone in one ear. It took a while, but she was happy with it when she could hear the music I had tuned in for her. She was a little confused by it all, and I really wasn't sure what more to do. Just then the nurse came in, and I asked her to help Verla use it. We left as she and the nurse were working with it. We came outside, and started our walk. I was carrying the newspaper I had picked up at the desk, and I suggested I put it in the car, and not take it with us. But by the time we reached the car, the heat and the sun had got to me, and Chris suggested I sit in the car and read the paper there. I asked him to go on and walk, but he decided to go back to the apartment, and I could come later. That's what I did. We never did get the walk, but it was a good day. Karen came over and visited a while, and then my visiting teacher. She is the same one I had in Carlsbad, and very faithful to visit me. After dinner we watched TV a while, and now it's time for bed.

This morning we had our breakfast, and then instead of going to the Gentle Exercise, we drove to the Carlsbad Kaiser pharmacy to pick up a medication. On the way back we stopped at Tamarack Beach and went for a walk along the lower ocean-side walkway. It was another beautiful day, and we enjoyed it. From there we went to the Walmart near the Plaza El Camino, and bought a few odds and ends, and then had lunch at Burger King. From there we went over to the Plaza and to the Radio Shack store there. We bought a small radio to take to Verla Reece, the friend of Loraine Pepper, and now our friend, too, who is in the care center at Las Villas de Carlsbad, where we live. We didn't have time to take it to her today, because we were late getting home, and figured she would be having her dinner. We'll go tomorrow. Tonight I went with Karen to the Relief Society Christmas party at the church. It was a good dinner and a great program; I just wish someone had made a movie of the whole program, it was so well prepared and presented. When we got back here, Karen gave us a pretty poinsettia plant in bloom, and we have it on our dining table along with the Christmas tree and the Creche, and a fruitcake Carla had sent to us from the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, Texas. This cake is my favorite Christmas- time dessert. Karen gave us our first one years ago, and we have had several since then..

This morning after breakfast I ordered two sandwiches to go, and I would pick them up about 11:45. That was because Karen had called and invited us to go to the beach and have our lunch there. After that we went down to the front desk and asked for a newpaper to read in the coffee shop, and we spent a little time with that. Then we went to the bank to buy a $5000 CD and to cash a check. From there we went across the street there to Wal-Mart and bought some crackers and cookies to have on hand for snacks. It was almost time for Karen to pick us up, so we didn't buy anything else. We got back here, picked up the sandwiches, and met Karen at the front of the building. She drove to a Circle-K and got a sandwich and a couple of sodas, and we went on to the beach. The sun was out, and as usual it was a lovely day. The ocean is a peaceful place to have lunch. We enjoyed it. Terry didn't come; his Parkinson's has been giving him pain since he got his pacemaker put in last Friday. I hope he soon feels better . When we got back here, I tried to buy a suit on the internet, and it took all afternoon. I had to call Kaye for help, and she ended up doing it for me. I hope we ordered the right thing, it's from Chris to me for Christmas. I haven't got the other presents yet, and there's only about a week to Christmas. I mailed 8 Christmas cards to friends, and I still have lots more to go. We have already received two cards forwarded from our Oceanside address. That's because I'm so slow telling family and friends our new address.

Last night as we were getting ready for bed, the power went off; I was in the middle of brushing my teeth. Fortunately the management here had put little flash lights in the apartment, and we could finish getting ready for bed. It wasn't just our building, but about half the town had lost power. The staff here, checked out the buildings, to make sure the people were OK. The lights were back on when I woke up about 2:30 a.m. Then this morning the power went off again. This time I was downstairs reading the newspaper in the coffee shop. I couldn't get back to the 3rd floor, because the elevator didn't work, and the stairs were dark, no lights. I called Chris on my cell phone, and he was out on the balcony watering the plants. I went outside to look up to see him, but he had gone. When I got back to the lobby the lights were back on. Exciting time. After lunch we drove to the Kaiser Clinic and pharmacy in Carlsbad to pick up prescriptions, and also, Dr. Donahoe wanted to see Chris, because of his being unable to move for a few minutes a few days ago. He checked him out and said it was not a stroke, but just a mild episode, and to just take care from now on. When we got back here, it was time for dinner (from 4:30 to 7), so we had that. We came back here to watch the evening news, and I went to sleep in my chair. About two hours passed before I woke up to write this. I knew I was tired, but not that tired. I'll watch news, and then go to bed.

This morning we had a quick breakfast and then went to Church. We stayed only for Sacrament Meeting, but it was a good one. Brother Eric Johnson was one of the speakers, and he was good, Also, there was a Samoan, an old friend of the bishop, who also spoke. He was also good. Back at the Villas, we sat for a while in the coffee shop and read the Sunday paper. It hadn't been delivered to our apartment. I guess the newspaper staff finally realized we were no longer on their delivery list. That saves us the trouble of getting rid of the papers after we have read them. When we got back to the third floor, it was time for lunch, so we went into the dining room and had ours. Karen arrived shortly before 2 p.m., and she and I drove to Nancy Barnhart's house to visit teach her. She is 92 years old, and her daughter Jean and Jean's son lives there, too. He helps keep up the house, which was lavishly decorated for Christmas. I guess Nancy has accumulated all kinds of Christmas decorations over the years she has lived in that location. I gave away too much of our things each time we moved, and we had only a wreath that Jean had made, that we brought from our house in Oceanside. I know I saved the handmade tree ornaments that our family and friends have made and given to us, but I couldn't find the right box in either of the two storage sheds at the house. After our visit,Karen bought me back here, and she showed us pictures of the house she and Terry have made an offer on in Oro Grande, near Pismo Beach. If they move there, we will look for a senior place near there.

Today we were slow to get up, but we did make it to breakfast. Afterward we started out for a long walk, but the wind was cold, and instead we went to see Verla Reece in the Health Care Ccnter. She had her eyes closed, so I knocked gently on the door, and she opened her eyes. We visited a little while and then left. Back at the apartment I had the clothes ready to wash, so I took them down to the first floor laundry room, where the room was clear, no one else washing. So, that's the way we spent the rest of the morning, instead of walking. Chris took some pictures of the lobby and the coffee shop, and he is now trying to put them on the small computer. I hope he succeeds. (He did!) We had lunch after we had finished with the clothes , and then we came back here and had a nap. We watched a little TV, and then went to dinner. Since then we have talked to Kaye, and she has bought their and our gifts for Caden, both little toy bicycles for him to ride, one is larger than the other. I hope he likes them. He enjoyed the smaller rider we gave him earlier, that didn't have peddles. When I was little, we called this kind a kiddie-car. We talked to Karen, and Terry is doing better after his pacemaker surgery. She and I will go visiting teaching together again, and I like that. We called Carla, and they have had a wet,cold miserable day. Rex is giving a talk tomorrow in their Church.

This morning at the urging of one of our daughters, Chris left a message for Dr. Donahoe, telling him about the short time (about 15 minutes) when he couldn't move out of his recliner. The doctor's staff called right back and said Chris should go right to Palomar Hospital Emergency room and take some tests to see if there was damage to his heart. It was almost 11:30 so went downstairs and tried to get the driver here to take us to Escondido. But the head people here decided he should have a non-emergency ambulance take us, in case something happened again on the way. They called it, and while we waited for it, I went to the dining room and got two sandwiches, since I wasn't familiar with the food situation at Palomar. I had only been there as a patient when I had pneumonia. We each ate a half sandwich on the way there, and saved the rest for later. When we got to the hospital they waited a while, then they put Chris in a bed in the emergency section and then they started to the tests. There was a long wait between tests,but they were finally done. A doctor came and told us they found nothing wrong, but advised Chris to see Dr. Donahoe and report all the results to him. I imagine he will already have gotten the results by email. Anyway, the hospital called a taxi and paid for it, to take us back to Carlsbad. I don't know why they did that, it was a first time any hospital has been so accommodating. Chris tipped the driver when we got home. We were in time to order dinner, that we took into our apartment.

Last night Chris had a short episode, where he couldn't move out of a chair he was sitting in. He got over it quickly, so we didn't think too much of it. However, I woke up three times in the night, to check out his breathing. It was OK. But because of his episode, he was tired, and I went to breakfast alone, and brought his back to the apartment. He ate it all and felt better. He went to work on the computer, and I read the paper and dozed a little, until time for lunch. We both went to lunch, and it was a good one. We came back to the apartment and he dozed a little, and I wrote three Christmas cards and then rested, too. We had a good dinner tonight, and then talked half an hour to Kaye. She told us about Caden's being better and playing with his toys; and then we talked about Kaye's new house. She was out there most of the day, but had lunch with Kyle and then went back to the house. She helped the workers by showing them the plans she had, so they would do the plumbing right for the fixtures that she and the builder had decided on. And she arranged for the skylights she wants. She is so happy about the house; I am, too, because the old house isn't good enough for her to live in. We are invited to a birthday party for Mabel on the 30th of Dec. and we want to go. I hope Karen will be here to drive us up there. We had been counting on seeing Charles and Mabel before Christmas, but this would be a good alternative.

I knew that I had to go back to Dr. Groesbeck this afternoon, so the day was planned with that in mind. Also, Caden was to have a biopsy taken of his implanted heart, and that was on my mind, too. I prayed for Caden, and then started the day. After breakfast we decided to go to the Gentle Yoga class. I sat in the back of the room, so I could leave if I got too tired. I did stay, but I took it easy on the exercises. In spite of that I did get very tired. So, instead of going to the health center to visit Verla Reece, we came back to the apartment. I sat down to read the paper, but I fell asleep. After a while I woke up, finished the paper, and we went to lunch. My eye was doing well, with the 3 drops I have to take 4 times a day, and I managed to stay awake. the rest of the time until Karen came to take us to Vista for my visit with Dr. Groesbeck. On the way there, I called Kaye, to see if she had heard how Caden was doing. She said she had just talked to Stellan, and Caden was awake, and asking for a drink. I'm so glad that he came out of it and is well. We got to the clinic, and Dr. Grosbeck examined my eye, and told me he told me it was doing well, and that he made an appointment for me with Dr. White in January for an exam to find out what new glasses I would need. In the meantime I can wear my old ones, or buy just plain glasses that have slight magnification. We came back here, and were in time for dinner, so we had some, and now are watching the news on the TV.

Another busy day. I was excited and nervous about having the cataract surgery, I guess. I knew I had to skip breakfast, so that wasn't a problem, and that I was to bring my eye drops with me. I forgot to swallow my blood pressure tablets, and that was a real mistake. But we went to Escondido, getting there an hour early. We stopped at a WalMart to look for some ornaments for our little tree, but all they had were big things. So we left, after having walked all the way to the back of the store and back. It must have been a block each way! We drove on to the clinic, arriving just on time. I think our trip was fast, because the rain and cold wind were gone, and the traffic was light. I waited about half an hour, and then was called in to the room with the three cots, where the people were given drops to dilate the eye to be operated on. Also, there were other drops to sanitize and lubricate the eye. For some reason, maybe my blood pressure, it took too long to dilate my eye, and I missed a turn at the surgery. But finally I got there, and Dr. Groesback started on it. In the meantime the two nurses and the anesthesiologist started telling jokes, and I was afraid the doctor would laugh and shake, so he would mess up my eye, but he didn't. I have to fill out a card telling how I was treated, and I'll tell them about This! Karen and Chris had a sandwich for lunch, and they brought me one which I ate on the way home. When we got here I felt weak, and Chris got a wheel chair and took me up to the apartment. I soon felt better, but I rested most of the afternoon. Tonight I watched Rick Steve's Christmas show, filmed in 7 different countries.

This day has been a little screwed up for me. Friday Dr. Groesbeck's office called, to say they had a cancellation of an appointment for Cataract surgery Tuesday, and I could come in then. We couldn't get Karen to ask her if she could drive us to Escondido then instead of our former date Dec. 16. We couldn't get her in time to call back and say yes, I would come, so we had to wait until this morning to call back. When we did, the girl said that was fine, but she didn't know when I should be there. We waited around the rest of the morning, but it was afternoon before she called back, to say it would be 10 o'clock tomorrow. We cleared that with Karen, so we are set for that. The girl did say I was to take the three eye medications every 2 hours today. I have done that, between trips to the dining room for three meals, and downstairs to meet Karen, who came to deliver the 3ft. Christmas tree I had talked about getting. (She had found one, and asked if she shoud get it for us, of course we said yes.) She also brought 3 Religious tapes we had wanted. It has rained all day, and more is forecast - I hope not for tomorrow. The wind is up, too. I will go now and watch the evening news, to see if there will be more wind and rain for our trip tomorrow.

We didn't go to breakfast this morning, because it's a fast day. We went to Church and sat with Karen, during the bearing of testimonies. I forgot to take my hearing aid, so I missed most of them. But there was one man who talked loud enough for me to hear, and he had a fine testimony of our religion. I was glad to hear him. We left after this meeting because Chris had problems breathing and didn't have any inhalers with him. He felt better when we got back to the apartment and he could use his inhalers. Later we went to the dining room for dinner, and afterward each of us had a banana split. They only serve them here on the first Sunday of each month. It was cool today, with a cooler wind, so we didn't go outside for our walk. Instead we just walked all of the corridors in this building. We kept running into a woman who was doing the same thing, and that made it more interesting. Also, there were a lot of Christmas decorations on doors to the apartments and in the dining room, and the lobby on the first floor. Our wreath was as good as any other. Jean, Nancy Barnhart's daughter, made it and gave it to us. Nancy is a couple of years older than I am, and Jean's husband passed away, so she is staying with her mother and taking care of her. Karen and I have been their visiting teachers for several years, at least until we moved here. I miss seeing the women we used to visit, but maybe when I get all well, I can go with Karen again.

We intended to go to the exercise class after breakfast, but we were late, and also it was the class that I couldn't keep up with, so we just stayed in the apartment and read the paper. Chris went down to the coffee shop, got a cup of coffee, and filled our empty water jugs with the purified water. It does taste a little better than the water that comes in the taps here. But I do appreciate the instant hot water each day, so I'm not complaining. Also, I appreciate the warmer floors in the apartment. The sun was supposed to come out in the afternoon at the coast, but it never did here. I spent the day catching up on the medical records I keep. Chris also keeps them in the computer, but I have been putting them in my little book since the children were little, and that gives me a quick record whenever I need it. I'm slow at the computer! We talked to all three daughters. Carla gave us advice on financial matters; Karen offered to take me shopping, but I stayed here to finish with the medical records. Kaye said she and Kyle will go to Seattle for Christmas. She hopes to get some good scopes for us with Caden and the rest of the family. And I do, too. Tomorrow is Brittany's birthday. We gave her a present last time she was down here, but we will call her tomorrow.

After breakfast we intended to go to the Gentle Yoga class, but we got to reading the newspaper, and we were too late to go. Instead, we drove over to the house in Oceanside to the storage sheds there. We were looking for some Christmas decorations I remember storing. But all we could find was a large wreath that Nancy Barnhart's daughter had given us. While we were out, we decided to visit the Dollar Store that Kaye had recommended for little things. We got a small wreath and two kinds of fancy bows that I put on it when we got back to the apartment. I hung the large wreath on the front door to the apartment and the small one on the door to the extra room. They look nice there. The management here has decorated the lobby and the dining room, and several people had decorated their doors. So, our wreaths fit right in. After lunch we went to the Care Center to see Verla Reese; but she was having trouble with her throat, with two attendants trying to help her. So we said hello to her, and then said we would come back another time, when she felt better. She looks worse than she did before she went to the hospital and then came back here, where she was supposed to feel better. After dinner we watched the news on TV, and later we will watch Bill Moyers' program and then go to bed.

This morning we went to breakfast as usual, and then came back to the apartment. Chris worked at the computer the rest of the morning, and I just did little things around the apartment. One thing was cleaning up some spots on the carpet, for which Chris gave me a talking to. After paying $5,500 a month for rent, we are certainly allowed to get service like that from the management here. He is right, of course. I guess I am just used to doing things myself, and it's hard to be taken so well care of as we should expect, being here. I did call Karen; she had offered to take me shopping at Costco, and I called to accept the offer. She had a tour to conduct at the Gemological Society, but she came for me as soon as she was through with that. It's here in Carlsbad, not far from here. We had lunch out first, and then we drove in her Jag (very nice car) and soon arrived at the store. I bought Christmas cards and looked at a lot of other things, but I didn't buy any. I haven't yet made a Christmas gift list, and I must do that soon and get busy on getting things. Back at the apartment I sat down to rest, having walked a long way around the store and then across a large parking lot back to the car. Karen drove me here, where I went to sleep, and finally woke up in time to go to dinner. After that, Chris and I just stayed here and watched the news on TV.

This morning we had breakfast, came back here to read the paper for a few minutes, then we went to the Gentle Yoga class. It's much easier than the other one, but has some of the same moves. I don't think it is really a yoga class, because it's so much like the Stretch and Flex class. Oh well, I can get tired exercising at either one. I called the TriCity Hospital to see if Verla Reece was there, and they said no. I asked if she had passed away, and the girl couldn't tell me, except that she wasn't there. Afterward we went back downstairs to get some filtered water, and I asked the receptionist at the front desk about her. And she said Verla is back here now, at the Care Center. That was good news. I'll go see her again tomorrow. We had lunch, and we both brought half of our sandwich back here and put it in the refrigerator to eat later for dinner. I finished reading the paper., and then two workmen came calling, to talk about the elevator, that was not working right when we had a fire alarm a few weeks ago. We had talked about it to another resident, and he went to report that the door opened but elevator wasn't there, and someone in an emergency might try to use it and fall down the shaft. I don't know what they did about it, but then the plumber who fixed the leaking toilet a week ago came back, to fix it again. It had started leaking again. We had fruit and pie for dinner, and came back here and had our sandwich. We talked to Kaye and Karen, will have to call Carla in the morning.

After breakfast we took our newspaper to read and went down to the bench in from of the apartment, and waited about 5 minutes for Karen to come and pick us up. Chris had to go the San Diego Kaiser Clinic to get another injection in his eye, to stop the development of the wet macular degeneration that was going on there. This is his third and last shot. I hope they all work to keep his eyesight. After it was over, about 12 p.m., we started back here. Karen had brought snacks for lunch, and we stopped for drinks to go with them. Then we drove back to Las Villas. Karen went home, because Terry is a little worse, and she wanted to be there. We settled down here, and after watching some news, we both had a nap. Chris slept longer than I did. We went to dinner early, because we wanted to get back in time for Pres. Obama's speech at West Point Military Academy. Pres. Obama said he is going to send 30,000 more troops to the war, and that was the most important thing I remember. Later we watched CNN Channel for the reaction of various news analysts to what he said. They all had different ideas on what had to be done. We watched a while, and then we turned the TV off, to wait for the News Hour with Jim Lehrer. We like that particular news show. After we see that, we will call Kaye, and then Carla, to see how they are.