New Design for New Year

LOOK  I have a new blog header

I am excited about it....and feel the need to tell yall!

 I  give kudos to An Orginal Belle who designed this for me.

I have tons of stuff to blog about later on.....

as I go back to hibernating this week!

I Heard The Bells

When I learned the history of this poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.....This song has encouraged me even more to hear the Christmas Bells!

"A few months after the Civil War began in 1861, Frances Longfellow was sealing an envelope with wax when her dress caught fire. Despite her husband's desperate attempts to save her, she died the next day".

During his distraught times.....Longfellow still heard the Christmas Bells and wrote the poem below.

Christmas Bells   by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play,     And wild and sweet     The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom     Had rolled along     The unbroken song Of peace on earth, good-will to men! Till ringing, singing on its way, The world revolved from night to day,     A voice, a chime,     A chant sublime Of peace on earth, good-will to men! Then from each black, accursed mouth The cannon thundered in the South,     And with the sound     The carols drowned Of peace on earth, good-will to men! It was as if an earthquake rent The hearth-stones of a continent,     And made forlorn     The households born Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And in despair I bowed my head; "There is no peace on earth," I said;     "For hate is strong,     And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!" Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;     The Wrong shall fail,     The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men."   Take the time to hear the bells after my history lesson...   I wish yall a Merry Christmas!

Christmas Days of My Horse-Dog

Donny ran in the door carrying a big stick

I said "Donny what did you bring in the house?"

Rfff Nothin, do I look guilty?

Funny how I see that my horse dog was bringing me a present

when really he was playing with a beloved stick!

My Favorite Christmas Decorations

This was made by my Mother-in-law 25 years ago

My Mom gave me this to me a long time ago

My Son when he was 5 years old

My daughter made this at school 1993

my daughter bought this for me is NYC
she went there with her school

My 11 year old tree

I always liked this tree but it has seen better days....when it was young!

This makes up my Christmas tree full of old precious memories!

I Changed my MS Treatments

I took the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) treatment Copaxone for one year but I had injection site irritations.  I knew about those irritations from when I had previously taken Betaseron in 1994.

I wanted to try Copaxone because several other MSer's that I knew, had good results while using it.

However, I had taken Avonex successfully for 11 years.....So why did I change when we are all so different?

Maybe it was the fact that Hubs gives me the injection since I compare it to a harpoon Ok it is a large needle......always lookin for meds with smaller needles.

I learned the old sayin of "If it ain't broke, then don't fix it" was true for me!  I am back to using Avonex which works for me.


Different subject that is not so technical:

I received this beautiful Christmas card from Anne at HotchPotch Ehhh?? in Denmark.....Anne shares the history of these beautiful weaved heart cards

My Night Driving

net pic

This is a huge small accomplishment for me to be thrilled about!

I wanted to go to our MS Self Help Groups Christmas Party Dinner

however Hubs was working....therefore I was apprehensive about driving in the dark.

When I drive at night....it seems like the bright lights of other cars look like the above pic

As I grow older my eyes are not what they used to be...dah

(like the rest of my body)

I was happy when I was back at home....with a sense of accomplishment and relief.

I will be trying new eyeglasses that may shield the glare.

I am Thankful for small achievements and eyeglasses!

My Three Year Bloggiversary

The following is one of my first blog posts out of 500 posts.  I show it with all its flaws to say that practice makes perfect it better:

December 2008: Everyday life with MS

I AM WRITTING THIS AFTER A LONG DAY. TIRED OF COURSE, BUT THANKS TO MY POWER WHEELCHAIR, I HAVE THE DISHWASHER RUNNING NOW. I AM COUNTING DOWN THE STUFF I HAVE TO GET DONE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. SINCE MY JOURNALISM IS SO BAD, I WONDER WHY I AM DOING THIS. I KNOW THERE IS A PURPOSE FOR EVERYTHING AND MAYBE ONE PERSON WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO KEEP ON TRYING.

I had 5 followers with one comment that inspired me to keep on blogging.  (Thanks Lynn) 

A little encouragement can make a big difference in ones life

At least I stopped typing in all caps!

My Cactus Flourishes

What does my cactus show me? 

I knew it had grown a lot but I was surprised by how much it

had grown in 6 years.

The same cactus in 2005

 The plant took time, attention, care, and lots of light to grow

I feel that life is the same way.

Thankful for Memories

Grumpy Oscar and Happy Shelby

After grumpy Oscar passed away recently.....I found this old photo of Oscar and Shelby.

Many years ago, we had adopted a puppy so that Oscar would not be lonely....

I am not sure Oscar appreciated that fact.

Therefore Oscar was forced to raise the happy dog, Shelby.

Back when happy Shelby was a puppy with older grumpy Oscar....Shelby kept yelping as puppies do.

Oscar could not take that yelping puppy anymore so....

Oscar went over and looked down at her and barked a few stern  barks.....Shelby looked up and quietly barked Ok and hushed.

Oscar was not mean to Shelby and they both lived long, full lives!

Maybe the Christmas season causes me to feel reflective or is it the old photos...whatever it is...I am thankful for memories!

Gift of Lights

Hubs and I drove through the Gift of Lights at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

We began the tour of more than one million LED lights along a 1.5-mile drive through course

It brought out the kid in us to see the lights while driving through the tunnel under the stands.

There were many themes of lights.

They had us listen to their radio station of Christmas music as you drove.....NASCAR drivers like Tony Stewart, Darryl Waldrop, Brad Keselowski, Bill Elliot, Carl Edwards was speaking between the songs.

car loads of kids enjoying the lights

Georgia Gift of Lights website has all the info...the cost is $15 per car

Disclaimer: I was given a free ticket to the Gift of Lights to blog about  my tour

I had to remind Hubs that he was not a NASCAR driver when we drove home!  

However Hubs and I enjoyed the lights!