The Year of the Bunny Cake

 

I read the historian Heather Cox Richardson every morning--the Substack posts she does for the previous day.  She was far more optimistic in her year end post than she was last year.  I would like to be more optimistic too. At least this year I feel like writing an end of year post.  Last year I waited until January 1 to do so because I was not up to it the night before.

So why do I want to call it "The Year of the Bunny Cake?" With the help of two grandchildren, I made a bunny cake for our family Easter celebration. Since then, every time our precious three year old grandson sees me, he asks if I brought a bunny cake.  I did do so one more time last summer but subsequently we have made a turkey cake and a Christmas tree cake.  He even mentioned "bunny cake"  when he saw me on Facetime this week.  It's his birthday celebration on Monday but I will let his parents figure out the right birthday cake for him.  But what a joy it is to have a little one who can be so happy about a small delight!   I have felt some pressure to continue a tradition that seems important! 

There is much to be thankful for today.  We are comfortable in our lovely apartment.  We see our children and grandchildren regularly--especially the ones who live here in Princeton.  Jeff and Susan have made us feel so welcome here and often include us in their family dinners or celebrations.

We have had a fairly healthy year.  I am thinking that one medical provider I have says my condition is "stable."  Another one wrote on my portal "Keep up the good work."  Hooray for that encouragement even as I wish I saw fewer doctors!  May it continue!  Sadly, however, Jim and I are both keeping our dentist in business as we have had major work done this past year and will have more next year.  Jim has had very good news from his cancer doctors.  His eyes continue to be a concern but his doctor sees nothing wrong internally.  He just wishes he could figure out why some days his vision is clear and on other days it is so hard to read.

Jim finished one major project--the RH Charles biography.  There has been lots of communication with Oxford University Press--both from Oxford itself and from India where the actual publishing is taking place.  The volume should be in his hands soon.  Jim was honored by being nominated to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and will be inducted into that illustrious group next fall.  He has been able to play golf all year and might even be able to go again next week if the mild temperatures hold. 

We have really made progress in becoming more involved at our church--Nassau Presbyterian Church.  Leading a small group for five weeks this fall in our apartment has meant that we have been able to greet many more folks at church and have been able to contribute to the life of our church.  It is good to feel less like strangers there. 

As we consider the world outside our own little world, we are still concerned about Covid and continue to wear our masks in public.  We are fully vaccinated and happy that most venues are open again--stores, libraries, walking trails, churches, and restaurants. The hospitals are coping unlike the early days of overrun emergency rooms and morgues. 

Zelensky speaks to 
Congress

 The war in Ukraine continues to take place with terrible suffering as winter comes on.  The prospect of peace is not good.  We worry about the future of the nuclear plants there and the threat of nuclear war.  Immigration and inflation are continuing difficulties for our leaders.  And when will the US ever do anything about the terrible continuing gun violence with shootings at schools and clubs and even supermarkets? The first law in years was passed to increase background checks but so much more needs to be done.

We were concerned about the November mid-term elections and the future of our democracy but many good people were elected and some extremist and unqualified people eliminated. (Dr. Oz in Pennsylvania; Hershel Walker in Georgia)  We watched every single one of the January 6 hearings and wait to see what comes of their recommendation that Donald Trump be indicted for insurrection.  A special prosecuter is working on various issues including the classified material illegally brought to Trump's home (Mar a Lago) as well as the January 6 concerns.  Other courts are looking into Trump's attempt to influence the elections in Georgia ("I just want to find 11,780 votes") and his tax issues. Trump has already announced he is running for president in 2024.  We hope other Republicans present themselves as alternatives and that the Democrats can come up with a good candidate as well.  We think Biden has done a very good job as President but wonder about the wisdom of running again at his age.  

So what will 2023 bring?  We pray for a healthy and safe year for our family and friends.  I hope there will be happy topics for blogging even as we age into our 77th year.  

Christmas 2022

Our tabletop tree

 It's not Christmas Day yet but our celebrations are mostly over.  Dan and Alex came for dinner on December 10--a pre-Christmas visit because they were leaving for Costa Rica with friends on December 20.  We had our version of what my friend calls "assisted living" when instead of cooking for eight of us including the Princeton VKs, we ordered takeout meals from Olive Garden.    We put the leaf into the dining room table which is rarely used for eating and used the good dishes and silverware--also rarely used.

Then last night we drove to Gladwyne for a Christmas dinner and time for gifts at Laura and Michael's home. Jeff and Susan left briefly to get James at the Philly train station so there were 15 of us in all!   Again, little Henry greeted me with asking if we were going to make a bunny cake.  He was reassured that we would do a Christmas tree cake.  

We had a great dinner of ham and beef tenderloin with an abundance of food.  There was also an abundance of gifts.  I had wondered earlier in the day where I had hidden the crossword puzzle book I was going to give to Jim.  I couldn't find it anywhere and our apartment isn't all that large!  Well, it showed up--in the package wrapped for grandson James along with the iron skillet I had purchased from Amazon!  He willingly gave it up and Jim brought it home.  

Rolls by Susan and Michael

It was very windy enroute to Gladwyne and very, very cold (around 10 degrees) on the way home.  We were relieved to get back into our warm apartment.  It would not have been a good night for car trouble--or the flat tire we had a few weeks ago.  

Almost the oldest grandchild 
with the youngest

There will be just one church service tomorrow morning at ten although there are several tonight.  We are invited for Christmas dinner at Jeff and Susan's house tomorrow so the celebration will continue.  We are feeling very thankful for our family and the joy we can have when we are together.

----------December 26--We didn't make it to the Christmas pageant at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church on Christmas Eve but we were able to see Gabriel (Ruth) and a wise man (Alex) via livestream from our warm living room.  We also worshipped with our own church via livestream both on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.  It is bitterly cold in our area but we don't have snow like they do in the mid-West.  In fact, we are doing our part to conserve energy by turning down the thermostat and doing a cold water laundry.  

NFL and NBA

I have written only one blog so far this month.  I will probably do one about Christmas celebrations but otherwise there has not been much I have wanted to write about.  

Jim suggested writing about watching TV sports because that is a big part of our lives.  In fact when I complain about seeing the same commercials over and over,  I need to remember that is a result of watching so much TV night after night. 

So what can I say about our TV habits?  I have admired the longevity of Tom Brady and the skill of Baker Mayfield as they have come through in the last few minutes of some exciting games to pull their NFL teams to victory.  I have not admired Aaron Rodgers even if he too has been able to play well for many years because I have resented his refusal to be vaccinated for Covid.  Jim always hopes the games will be played in snowy conditions and we have seen a few where the field is obliterated under a white blanket.  One of the funniest scenes the TV crews loved was of a very creative snowman sitting next to a fan in the bleachers.  

Jim comments on the games and I try to understand what he is saying but much of it is lost on me.  Jim often makes an observation and then the announcers will say the same thing.  I tell him he could have a second career as a sportscaster!  

I like to watch Notre Dame teams play because their players are somewhat familiar to me and their coaches certainly are.  Jim finds it more distressing because he is frustrated when they play poorly.  I try to reassure him that the reputation of the theology department at Notre Dame is not dependent on the football or basketball team's winning seasons but I am not sure he is convinced!  

Sometimes I wonder about the morality of watching such a brutal sport.   Jim said that the Pro Bowl this year is going to be flag football!  I wonder how that will work out but I understand the desire to minimize injuries when so much money depends on staying healthy.   

And that is just football.  We enjoyed watching the Mets in baseball but they are losing so many players that it won't be the same next year.  We haven't really chosen an NBA team.  Last year we were happy to cheer for a few college teams--Rutgers and St. Peter's--who were often on in this local market.  

And then there is golf which Jim enjoys watching--even if the match is over and it's a replay and he knows who won.  I find it pretty dull although it can be relaxing at least.  

I do ask at some point each day what will be on for our viewing pleasure in the evening.  There is always something unlike the early Covid days when there were no live sports.  In our retirement we have plenty of leisure time and it is something we can enjoy together.  

January 5 update:  On Monday night, January 2, Damar Hamlin fell backwards after tackling another player.  He needed CPR and it was administered on the field with the Buffalo Bills players standing around him.  An ambulance took him to a trauma center.  The game was suspended after just six minutes into the game. The crowds went home. Amazingly, three days later, he is "neurologically intact" but still on a ventilator.  He wrote asking if there was a win and was told Yes because his life was a win.  It was such a reminder of how dangerous football is.  

We are Outliving our Teeth

 My mouth has been too much on my mind in the last few weeks.  It started with an ache in the back bottom molar.  After three days of listening to my complaints, Jim encouraged me to call our dentist in the morning.  They had a cancellation and asked if I could be there within an hour.  That didn't give me any time to think about it.  Jim had a phone interview so I had to drive myself which is a rare thing for me.  

After an x-ray I could tell the dentist had bad news.  He said it was an abscess and  I needed a root canal.  I asked about just pulling it out and he said that was an option but then I would need to go to an oral surgeon.  I didn't think about it any further.  I was sitting in his chair and I told him to go for it and do the root canal.  An hour and a half later I paid a "down payment" of $733 and drove home.  We picked up an antiobiotic which I choked down for the next ten days.  The pain was gone. 

I had a followup appointment two weeks later but I got very stressed because I didn't know what was going to happen next.  I didn't want to commit to a crown if I was going to lose the tooth eventually--which he had said could happen.  However, he said that things looked good so we should proceed.  After another hour and $1142 later, I went home with an uncomfortable mouth but no need for more antibiotics.  That night I was emailed follow up instructions.   If the front office had sent such an email after my first appointment, it would have eased a lot of my stress.  Someone probably made a mistake.  Information is helpful! (later--it probably was overlooked because my appointment was an emergency one--the dentist and his assistant will look out for that for others--I was glad I said something)

We don't have dental insurance as such although the office will submit the bill to our  Medicare Advantage insurance and we might get some reimbursed.  I have an appointment for a temporary crown and then they will do a permanent crown.  

I asked what was the cause of the abscess and he said it was probably a crack in an old filling.  There is nothing one can do about that.  Jim has had more than one tooth crack in recent years. His last episode involved an oral surgeon and a bridge which cost well over $3000.   We are getting old and our teeth are not lasting as long as we are.  A positive way of looking at that is we have lived a long life.  But it is uncomfortable and expensive to be spending so much time in a dentist's chair.