[Fri]

Everybody showed up today. Mother was in top form and Marion's new medication seemed to have improved his symptoms.

George dropped by briefly with a check to deposit for Mother.

Beef smothered in onions for lunch, with seared okra and baby potatoes. Apple, pear and grape appetizers. Lemon merengue pie for dessert.

A good two-hour game of rummy followed the meal. Andrea won easily.

Trending up.

117 lbs.

26.6 °F, clear.

[Wed]

Spooked away from stepping onto the bathroom scales this morning. Long way to go yet on my self-confidence.

Down to two prednisone a day. No real coughing spell today.

Tilapia for lunch, with steamed carrots, patacónas and okra pickles.

Mary took down the Christmas tree, etc. I posted our three bank statements.

Mike Riddle called looking for space. Selling his building. I held firm at $1,500/mo for #3, #4 and #6 warehouses each. He picked up the keys. Will let me know tomorrow.

Slow, but I'm satisfied with my progress so far.

16.4 °F, clear.

[Sat]

Partied with Jack Webb and Ben Alexander last night, Dragnet episodes from my collection. Comforting. Slept well.

1:30 pm today, 62 degrees, spitting rain, we headed out. The problem was getting me up into the car. Buttocks almost giving way.

Dropped off Cosmolab invoice at the post office. Lunched at Huddle House. I took the $2.99 coupon breakfast. Two eggs over medium, hash browns, wheat toast. Hot tea. Mary had the special, Prime Rib Tips plate with baked potato and green beans. Coffee. $17.00 all. Two dollar tip.

Kroger for eggs, cupcakes and gas on the way home.

Plaintive call from Vickie. Isabela bored out of her mind. Vickie brought her up. Richard dropped off Sarah and little Mary. Playtime, Spanish vs English.

Vickie just returned with Samuel. He plays with little Mary. Running, laughing and screaming up and down the hallway.

I hope it's the medication causing some of this extreme weakness.

56.0 °F, rain.

[Fri]

Coughed a while last night, but slept.

Little Sarah's birthday, so Andrea just dropped Mother off here. Last I heard Marion's still at Vanderbilt.

Chicken pot pies for me and Mother. Leftovers for Mary. Cantaloupe appetizers. Coconut cream pie for dessert.

No cough in the kitchen, just out of it. When we started to take Mother home, I could barely get into the car.

The air felt so good outside, that after dropping off Mother, buying tila tea at the La Superior and mailing letters at the post office, Mary extended my vacation by driving to Dollar General for a few items. I got more than an hour's rest. No coughing.

Feeling good in the office. I won't be going to the livingroom for a while.

116 lbs.

46.2 °F, overcast.

[Thu]

Slept well, oxygen normalized, but a near day-long marathon of rattling dry coughing began after I got up this morning. Robitussin nor anything else worked.

Lentils, egg, patacónas and rice for lunch.

What I suspected seems to be true. Coming to the office has slackened the cough significantly. Something about my livingroom chair that's bothering me?

40.5 °F, rain.

[Wed]

Rummy in bed till midnight. Slept well. Woke feeling some better this morning.

Disconnected the lifeline and headed out with Mary. 38 degrees. Shared two cheeseburgers, fries and drink at Burger King using coupon.

We ran into Eli and son in Walmart. Then sister-law Kathi Jo and the Mister. Later, a Sandra (?) Mary knew from church.

On the way home, a stop at Peebles'. Mary bought me two new topped sweaters to wear in bed.

I lounged in the waiting area, head thrown back, closed my eyes and imagined I could just make out the sweet notes of a Heavenly choir in the distance. Oxygen deficit? Brought back by the face and voice of private gumshoe Larry Barlar. "How are you doing, John?" I learned from Mary later that I had entirely missed Maricruz and family leaving.

Arrived home not so bad with the oxygen as I feared.

Think I can feel the Prednisone working.

34.0 °F, clear.

[Sat]

All the symptoms early. Abated by noon. Only a small wheezing cough since then. Fingers crossed.

Turkey stuffing for lunch, with plantain, yuca and nopal. Apple and pear appetizers.

We watched Valentin (2002) from Netflix. 9-year-old boy in 60's Buenos Aires deals with family problems. Well made. Fine acting.

47.8 °F, rain.

[Fri]

Bronchitis.

Deborah and Delores called. Marion back at Vanderbilt. Can't make it for cards.

Ham, potato salad, sweet potato and Brussels sprouts for lunch.

Sarah took Marion's place.

Andrea took Mother home. Left Harrison sleeping with Sarah. Picked them up when they awoke.

Visit by Vickie, daughter and grandchildren Isabela and Samuel. Andrea dropped off Mary and Sarah to play with kids.

I'm all in.

119 lbs.

46.5 °F, partly cloudy.

We had Christmas guests yesterday evening. Humberto, Blanca and their kids William, Daniela and Jamie. Blanca's sister Martha and her kids Claudia and Javier. Nidia. Terry and Gloria Einhorn. Eleven in all. Tamales, loud music and much talk. The party lasted till past 2:00 am this morning.

The Einhorns left. The rest stayed over. While some were still in bed, Mary and I headed to the family dinner at the Pink House, arriving at noon. We helped Mother hand out 38 cash gift envelops this day.

Harrison was a big hit. Mary made sure everyone willing, held him for a few minutes. Stephen gave in reluctantly. Only sister-in-law Delores refused flat-out.

Left a little early. I haven't been worth a flip for at least two days now. Don't really feel up to taking pictures or posting. Lack of oxygen and the strength/capacity to breathe it.

36.8 °F, clear.

Town run this morning. First farmers with a deposit. Walmart for more Christmas fixings. Mary ran into a friend from church. I met Tommy Spence shopping. Ewell Caldwell, brother Marion's head mechanic for many years, also happened to be there.

Back home, Humberto's empanadas for lunch. Then, Mary continued preparations for the Novena held here tonight.

A good number made it from Mary's church. Anna, Robert, Denise and Leah were the only gringos to show up. Leah freaked out when the loud music started. I struggled to read my part of the recitations. Not enough breath. Nevertheless, it was a fine Novena.

I ate too many of Margarita's gorditas. Will pay at tomorrow's weigh-in.

49.3 °F, overcast.