Floor plans, giggling boys, and meat loaf

Can you believe? Ten days until Christmas? Today it was a non-Christmas temperature n the high sixties and I had four boys playing football in the backyard—predictably one (that would be my grandson) stepped in dog poop. Fortunately, his mother was here and dealt with the crisis.

Tonight I took two boys and Phil, my sight-impaired friend with a seeing-eye dog, to the Grill for dinner. Phil and I had a nice visit, but the boys ate fries with ketchup, soft drinks, one had carrot cake and the other blackberry cobbler—which got all over his shirt. I told his mother the trick I’d learned from my mom—for fruit stains, pour boiling water through them until they disappear. Believe me, for that shirt, it would take a lot of hot water. I got them home, tried to give them a spelling test, and they were both out of control with the giggles. All that sugar. I had meatloaf, brought half of it home (great restraint on my part because I could have eaten it but kept thinking about a meatloaf sandwich for lunch tomorrow).

Now Jacob is in the shower, where he’ll stay all night if I don’t roust him out, and Hayes and his stained shirt have gone home.

Highlight of the day is that we got two versions of the architect’s drawings for the remodel of the garage apartment. I like features of each and think we can combine them. Lewis, the contractor, will come in the morning, and we can talk about them. I am alternately excited about the plans and appalled at all the work involved in downsizing. We are doing it in stages. I have a good friend who just did it in one fell swoop--not sure which is easier.

But I do know that 2016 will bring a lot of changes to my life. I also feel it will be a much better year than 2015. The past year has been marred by my mobility problems, leg and hip pain, and such. I’m pleased to say after two weeks in physical therapy I am remarkably better and more self-confident about my walking. Watch out, world! Here I come!