As I'm reading this year's Christmas cards, I find a place on the picture I really miss and that's a picture current picture of the the friend who has actually sent the card to me. We do this too but I really more interested in seeing how a friend had aged rather than counting the total number of the next generation-just one up-to-date picutre-PLEASE! I know how you looked several years ago and now I want to see how you look now.

I did something last night I hadn't done for a long time; I put a toy together. Back when I was in high school, one of my summer jobs in July was to go upstairs over my dad's hardware store and begin assembling toys, bikes, wagons, etc. for people to put away for Christmas. The temp was always close to 90+ so it was warm work. I started as a wrench, screw driver, socket set, hammer and profanity assembly worker adding batteries and cables and finally dealing with some foreign engineer's idiot idea of directions.

Last night I put a small bike together (horrible directions for something so simple but the directions and pictures were misleading. I did figure things out. With twins there's always a second so I'll put it together tonight.)

Later as a parent I always insisted I wanted the floor model; I usually would buy it or insist they assemble the thing and I would pick it up later. That often worked. Goes back to my high school days.

We went to see Footloose at the cheap seats yesterday afternoon ($5.00 for two of us). We both liked it. Roger Ebert panned it but then Roger ripped the original version. No wonder I seldom agree with Roger 's reviews .

We went to Wendy's for supper after. I have going online planning fast food meals which fall withing my barb limit. I shoot a little insulin just before I eat and that appears to work.

Made my first trip back to the fitness center since I went to hospital. It's more challenging than my tread mill and the low weights I have at home. Unfortunately we had a bad snowstorm move into Denver today so I don't know when I will get back but it's something positive for the future.

Did something today I thought I would never do, I bought a pair of suspenders. I've lost just enough weight, I can't hold up several pairs of pants (particularly work-out suits). Good problem to have. I called my brother and we laughed that if we had kept our dad's, we would have had quite an inventory.

Took my van to the grocery store and filled with gas at a station. It was the fartherst I had ventured alone since I got out of the hospital. I don't think I want to do much four-lane driving for a while but I was comfortable with this short trip. By going early Sunday I also missed the Sunday grocery shoppers. I plan to watch the Broncos-New England game for a while this afternoon.

Last night was the first time for Kathy and me to go out for supper since I got out the hospital a couple of weeks ago. We went to Panera Bread for soup and sandwiches. It did seem a little strange to be pumping insulin into my body rather than saying Grace before eating.