December 2018

What a month of ups and downs both in the weather and news and football.  The weather was surely a roller coaster, starting with snow and then warming, melting and browning the countryside for Christmas. .The Packers played five times and only won one game--broke our hearts with losses that were inexplicable.  Mike McCarthy was fired….truely hard to  see where the Packers will go next year---and who they will be.

December is traditionally one of the larger taekwondo testings and this month turned out really special, as Dwight Stevens attended to present the seventh dan certificates for the family to Mark and Hilde.  Grandmaster Robert Stevens was not able to fly in, but seeing Dr. Stevens up and walking with a little aid was such an upper for the entire school, and an example of indomitable spirit.  The event fell on Mark’s birthday, so the school and Dr. Stevens were able to celebrate with him.  Hilde really enjoyed teaching the basics of self-defense the following week, too.

Decorating the house and baking made the month fly by.  Even though they had no Christmas company, having the lights and familiar decorations up is cheering, especially in a month of extreme gloom and very few glimpses of the sun.  Hilde had an owl (probably a great horned owl) smack into the side of the car at dusk one day,  Baking and then sharing the goodies is a joy, so stollens and cookies were produced in quantity. 

Mark and Hilde organized the church fruit baskets and delivered some of them also heading to Sussex.  They got to visit Hilde’s mother before the children’s service at Faith Lutheran, then home for a hearty stew and the Henkel end of gifting for the kids.  Christmas is joyful with happy grandkids, even if they turn the water bottles into untuned kazoos and raise a racket.  It was a fun early Christmas.  On the way home, Mark and Hilde picked up a new recliner for Mark and got that in place before heading to Christmas Eve service.  The actual holiday was quiet at home, but time to rest and reflect on many blessings.

While planning to go to John’s the following weekend, he and Evie were sick and worn out, so that “Christmas” will be later, in the new year.  It is sad not to see John for his birthday, but several phone calls helped on that .  Suddenly, Mark got a burst of energy and decided to remove all the 30 year accumulation of boxes, fans and other items in the furnace room, tear off the ancient paneling on one wall and dry wall it with remnants left from other projects.  By New Years Eve, he had it mudded and smoothed and ready for painting.  Some kind of shelving is planned to organize things, once the piles are winnowed out.  

Finally, the last day of the year, a snowfall covered things decently and cheered everyone who didn’t end up in the ditch.  Mark and Hilde thought it lovely.  But then they enjoyed the kazoo band, too!