Tea Time Tuesday....St Nicholas Day!

Happy St Nicholas Day! Our family didn't enjoy this celebration when I was growing up. I didn't do it with my children either. After I got into my Tasha Tudor group, it became a fun day to really kick off the holiday season. Tasha always had tea so it's fun to have a special day with my Tasha friends all over the USA.

St Nick paid a visit to our house last night and filled our wooden shoes! So fun.

A few things friends have sent and things I have collected over the years. It's just fun!

My doll Annabelle put her little shoe out and St Nicholas left her some goodies too, so guess she was a good girl this year.

Since I got sick in August, I have had to really learn to eat differently. I am doing better and it's getting a little easier. I haven't had a tea or been to tea during this time. I have to skip the scones and baked goods, so wasn't sure how to put a tea together. I didn't want to miss having tea today, as I have had a tea for Jimmy and me on December 6th for years. So, I just jumped in and did my best, just having a small tea with and keeping it kind of healthy.

I had fresh strawberries, tomato and cucumbers with cute little picks and open face curry chicken sandwiches to cut down on the bread. I did have one tiny piece of chocolate cheese cake and there were spiced cookies for Jimmy and a few candies. I skipped my coffee this morning and had two cups of tea this afternoon.

Love using all my Spode Christmas china. I just love it, always have.

I always enjoy this tea at Christmas...just a nice blend to set the mood.

Yesterday we had our first snow of the season. It didn't last too long but it sure was pretty. Temps are dipping tonight and the east wind is going to pick up tonight. That's a set up for ice and snow where I live. Looks like Thursday will be the bad day. That's my birthday, so we are planning to just staying home and stay cozy. It may be a good day to work on my Christmas cards! I love to do that.

I FINALLY got to see the podiatrist yesterday. The boot is gone and I now have a very light weight  ankle brace. I need to get some good lace up shoes. The young doctor was great and a good listener. I did have to have a cortisone shot. I did pretty good with it and today the pain is so much better. It's a first step and at least something has been done for my problem...three months later! 

Happy December, Happy Day!

Happy December! It is my birthday month and one of my favorite months of the year.

I had a busy day but I got some good news when I saw the kidney specialist. I was so nervous and worried. The doctor was so kind and caring. Oh, how I have been blessed with such wonderful doctors. She started the visit off by saying how much I have been through in the past 3 months and wanted me to talk about it. WOW....pretty cool to have a doctor understand. Of course, that made me tear up and look for the Kleenex box. Anyway, she explained that my kidney levels were fine until they put me in the hospital. She thinks it may be the medications, so she made some changes and wants me to be call if I have any problems. I have to have more lab tests on Monday and again in two weeks and then we will have a conference call on December 28. I can do that!

I have been decorating all week, so I needed to just get out for awhile. I did some errand and then had tea when I returned home in one of my best December teacups/ You can't beat Royal Albert! I especially like this pretty cup and saucer.

I seem to share this little miss every year, but I just love her. I have had this little birthday angel since I was a little girl. I don't know how she survived all the moves when I was growing up. She just makes me smile and I keep her in the kitchen so I see her everyday.

I have to share a darling early birthday gift that my friend Nancy sent t o me. It's a tea Advent calendar. I have never seen one and think it's just darling. I am having a hard time opening it! I am always like that with pretty soap or stationery. Funny, I know.

I can't remember who gave me this Christmas teaspooon, but I love using it every season.

The day was slipping away when I took this photo. I love the soft lights of December. It's been a long day and time for bed. Happy December.

Friday Morning Blues and Lots of Thank You's!

My sister and her family sent these pretty flowers to me yesterday. I just love flowers and it was a lovely surprise and they really cheered me up. So thoughtful.

I love daisies...I had them in my wedding and the the fabric that the girl's dresses were made out of also had tiny daisies in the print.

We had to chuckle as there are green carnations in the bouquet. My sister didn't ask for them, but as we had a wee bit of Irish in us that we adore, it was just fun to see that they had been added.

So, one week ago, I ended up in the hospital...so much has happened in a week! I went to see my primary care Dr yesterday and was upset as my BP was up. More adjustments, more meds. I am thankful to be here, but it's been hard being on a roller coaster with all these meds. I just feel a bit down today. My sweet Jimmy, who was a pharmacist, keeps trying to cheer me up and assure me this is normal and it will take time to get me adjusted. More tests scheduled next week at the hospital.

This gives me the opportunity to send out heartfelt thanks to my blogger friends. I just don't have much energy to visit you all right now...hopefully soon. But I do send big thank you's for the prayers and good thoughts and sweet replies. It is so encouraging to me right now and I do thank you.

I need to just relax and take things day by day. God is bringing that home to me! Man, it's hard to learn new tricks when you're an old doggy. I'm not good at patience either...sigh. It's hard to face all of this and learn to let go of things that really don't matter much. It's hard to feel worse after a health issue, but I do. I never felt bad or had any pain before and now I don't feel good.

So, I hope that blogging will help me track my journey. I am looking forward to seeing some improvements.