You can reach Sue at (314) 452-3685 or (314) 726-2032. You can write to her c/o Rose Holt, 905 Barnard College Lane, St. Louis, MO 63130


Hello, it's Rose here with a quick Christmas update. First of all, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR to our Dear Readers and their families.

The Big News we've been dealing with is Brayden's respiratory virus. Thursday night he had to be admitted to a local hospital in Louisville, later to be transferred to the children's hospital in Louisville. Scott spent the night with him, and on Friday morning the physicians released the little fellow.

Of course, we were waiting anxiously for news. Our Dear Beloved Brayden! Scott, Sherry, Brayden and Jalen were due to travel here tomorrow. It looked like on Thursday, No Trip to St. Louis. Scott was very concerned that all this happened on Jalen's Birthday Number Seven and that, in Scott's words, "Jalen was getting hosed." Then with Brayden's rapid recovery, the trip was back on. Today: No Trip to St. Louis for the family. Brayden was running a fever, and the virus wasn't completely gone. Our current plan is that we will meet Scott half way tomorrow to get Jalen who will come for a long-promised visit here. If Brayden is well enough, we'll get him some time during the week.

I'm afraid it is Scott who is 'getting hosed' this Christmas. He surely has his hands full.

When we last talked with Scott this afternoon, he had both boys, and they were having a High Time opening their gifts. When I told Jalen that Santa had been here and left gifts for him and his brother, Jalen said, "Wow! Santa was there too! He was at Grandma Jean's, at Grandma Mary's, at Mom's House, and at Dad's House!"

Folks, we are sick and tired of the gods laying waste to our plans! They surely have been trifling with us of late.

Sue spent a good part of today with Den at the Facility. He wasn't doing as well as he has been doing of late. This afternoon Shirley and I called for Sue at the Facility, and the three of went out to the Abbotts' for our Christmas Visit. For a dozen or more years, Den's traditional gift to the Abbotts has been the Hallmark Star Trek Limited Edition Ornament, some of which sell now for quite a pot on E-Bay. Just yesterday, Sue and I found the 2004 edition, something Den had been hoping we could do.

We had a great time at the Abbotts, exchanged gifts, ate a lot, and watched Norm repair things we brought for him to repair. [Well, in truth, in one case he just showed us how to turn the thing on. Norm makes us women think he has secret knowledge when it may, in fact, be nothing more than his own good common sense, probably taught to him by Margaret.]

Shirley and I dropped Sue back at the Facility on our way home and will call for her around 6:30 or so. Den wasn't able to go to his mother's Christmas Day Dinner. Instead he had guests come to him.

For one brief, shining moment this week, it looked like there might be a possible buyer for the Pontiac. Alas, it's looks like not. Those trifling gods again.

We'll post more when Sue is around to provide input and perhaps even some humor. These grim times require a lot of chocolate.