Post Christmas celebrations

The last post I wrote was a week ago when I mentioned how ill my husband and I had been with our colds. I dragged myself through the grocery shopping and I got through another 2 days, miraculously. I baked those doggie biscuits, wrapped and labelled them; and I made a double batch of my homemade nuts and bolts. I made the pie dough to put together apple pies and a lemon meringue for Christmas Eve dinner. I also put my cookie dough together to make a double batch of my Jewel cookies for gift giving. I wrapped up the gift baskets and made sure all the gifts were ready for under the tree. My Sweetie and I drove off to the last radiation appointment on Friday before we could enjoy four days off from the hospital. We came home again and went straight down for a nap. I woke up long enough to call our friends in Charleston Lake to announce there would be no Christmas Eve dinner this year....first time it has ever been cancelled in over 30 years. I pretty much spent the next four days in bed. Yesterday we resumed the treatments in hospital, but again it was followed by spending the afternoon napping.

Today I have been trying to catch up on my emails, and I see where people are putting away their trees and decorations for another year. I  can't do that yet. I still have gifts undelivered, baking not finished, and I am still receiving Christmas cards in the mail. Yesterday I received a beautifully handmade card from my friend Nathalie *wink, wink. nudge, nudge*, which my Sweetie and I both enjoyed. (I would love to steal that sentiment for one of my cards.)  Our friends from Charleston Lake were taking their son to the bus station last night, as his holiday is over and he needed to get back to Toronto. They stopped in here and we just basically exchanged gifts at the door. We didn't open them until after supper and then it was Christmas all over again. The same will happen when we finally are well enough to travel to Smith Falls. We were unable to have Christmas dinner at their house this year, so we still have presents for the family. I think our festive dinners have been hot soup, toast, and ginger ale and cranberry juice. I haven't felt so rotten for years. The cough is getting a little better, but the head cold has turned to sinusitis. I am still needing lots of rest, and I feel very weak and draggy. I worked too hard for Christmas to be over already, so I shall enjoy having my decorations stay up for a little while longer.

The "snowman" is actually 3 presents I wrapped in white paper and decorated with googly eyes, buttons and a red ribbon to look like a snowman. I like my presentation to be fun.

For those of you wondering about my Advent calendar, I actually had 25 days of gifts to unwrap;

Day 23 was a very pretty nail polish and Day 24 was strawberry body butter.

Day 25, Christmas Day, turned out to be a sleep mask and rejuvenating serum.