Catching Up

Sorry for the blogging delay. Meant to get an entry up yesterday but it just didn't happen.

Benjamin's spots all went away without any permanent damage, clearing up pretty much by Thursday. Which meant everyone was healthy again, which also meant that couldn't last. Saturday night the boy started running a fever, and when we checked it at around midnight (since he just felt hotter than a regular fever), it was 101. That also meant I had to make a late-night run to the grocery store to get Children's Motrin, since we were told to alternate that and Tylenol every 3 hours to keep the fever under control.

Sunday morning he was running over 103, but that was really his only symptom. He still was playing fine, not being overly fussy, etc. Meron stayed home with him since I had to teach Sunday School, and I returned the favor that night as she went to our Sunday School party and he and I stayed home (and, of course, watched some Law & Order, at least until he fell asleep).

Monday morning he scared us a little by throwing up a little bit, but not much and it was an isolated case. And by this morning, the fever seems under control. Which is good, because the UMKids group at church is having Santa come in tomorrow night and we were hoping to be able to take him to see Santa #3.

He saw Santa #2 Saturday morning at Breakfast with Santa. A children's organization uses this as a fundraiser, providing a breakfast and things for kids to do, plus a chance to get their picture taken with Santa. Lots of kids there, so it took longer than we were expecting, but the picture came out OK (the one Meron took with her camera is probably much better) and we may try to do it again next year.

Friday night's poker game was middling to mediocre. I came in fourth and there was only one hand played after I got out. But, for once, I was saved on a couple of all-ins instead of punished. I caught a 9 on the river the first time to make the straight and stay alive, and the second time, I had to go all in with a 5-6, and pairing the 6s after the flop was enough to win. Played OK, made a couple of betting mistakes, but had a good time on the whole. Kinda glad I didn't win, since I've never been in the money in back-to-back games and the next game is the year-end Shootout and I'd much rather win some money there since the payouts will be larger.

Got some of the lights up around the house. Still need to get some help to do the roof. Between my dislike of heights and the fact that the rickity ladder I have comes just short of the roof, requiring a step off to get up there, and I usually have someone come help me with that part. Hopefully I can again this year, but if not, we'll survive. We still need to run some down to the mailbox and do the big Christmas-tree looking bush out front and we'll be done with the ground-level work, at least.

The tree is up inside and the ornaments went on it yesterday. We're still trying to decide if our other tree, the tree my parents bought their first Christmas that was passed down to me when I moved out, will make it up this year. We were going to put it in Benjamin's room so it could still be seen from outside, but I'm not sure we've got the space for it. I still have to get out some of my Dickens' Village collection. They probably all won't come out because I don't want Benjamin knocking them over or pulling them down, but there are enough high places in our den that we can get a few out. That'll probably, along with cleaning my wife's scrapbook room, be our chores for this weekend.

The Cardinals appear to have missed out on A.J. Burnett, and I have mixed feelings on that. On the one hand, I thought the price was getting pretty steep and I have a hunch he'll get hurt or otherwise not live up to the contract. On the other hand, that would have allowed for a trade for an outfielder, which would have made the Cardinals better than trying to sign some in the weak free agent market. I was really hoping to get Austin Kearns from the Reds, but it doesn't look like that will happen now.

They are forecasting a little snow around here tomorrow evening. No accumulation likely, but still, it'll be nice to see. Of course, that's assuming it actually happens, and around here, you don't believe it's going to snow until you see the flakes.

Just for my friend Deb, I'll note another Christmas CD in my collection, Celine Dion's These Are Special Times. It's probably in my top 3-4 Christmas albums that I have, but Meron has the same opinion of Celine that Deb does, so I don't get get listen to it at home much. Still, a song like "God Bless Us Everyone" will stay with you all day long.