We had a very busy November. I flew to Louisville on Saturday, November 12th, to spend eight days with Scott and family. It was one enjoyable visit! Seeing the boys in their own habitat, "Daddee's House," was fun. Jalen is a model student and a great reader. Scott, Brayden, and I went to his classroom because he was chosen to read one of his stories for the other children and other parents. He did a great job. Scott told me today he is writing a new story, entitled, "My So-Called Life with Granny." That one I can hardly wait to read. He is a very sensitive, caring young man so my expectation is that his new story will reflect those qualities.

Brayden and I flew home from Louisville on Sunday, November 20. He was all excited over his first airplane ride, so excited he didn't mind leaving Daddy and Jalen at the security checkpoint. Turned out the golf cart we rode to the gate was a more exciting event for him than the actual airplane ride. Once on the plane, having been given bags and bags of peanuts, he promptly fell asleep slumped on the shoulder of the stranger next to us. The man was extremely nice and didn't move at all for fear of disturbing the little guy. He was cranky when awakened to deplane in St. Louis, but his mood lightened when he saw Aunt Rose and Aunt Shirley at the gate. We had him with us then until Scott, Sherry, and Jalen came for Thanksgiving and left the morning after.

Today is Janet's birthday. Happy Birthday, E! [E is short of Esteemed Sister-in-Law, which is Joe's nickname for Janet.] Pete called this morning to say they were headed to Phoenix for an overnight trip as part of the birthday celebration. They will leave Arizona next week to return to Idaho for the holidays.

Bernie called yesterday afternoon. He sounded really good. He and Maudie are planning a trip to Arizona later on this winter. Already they had snow in Spokane, and Bernie said Idaho Falls was getting snow, too. I repeated to Bernie my message to his daughters: If they want Mother's china, the set Bernie sent her from Occupied Japan, they will have to come here to get it. We would love to see any of the Fellin Clan, and perhaps this ruse will bring them here.

The Abbott Family is doing well. They had their big Thanksgiving dinner at Sabrina's this year. We had ours here with all the Spreitler Boys and their families. Hard to believe another Thanksgiving has come and gone. It is our very favorite holiday. And we have plenty to give thanks over.

A note about my health situation. My hands are still not much improved, but I am walking as well as ever. I do my exercises religiously and haven't had an IVIG (intravenous immuno-globulin) treatment since last May. This coming weekend, I will travel to Chicago with Rose and Shirley to consult with that wonderful physician there, Chris Costas, about further treatments. Of all the people whom I 've seen, Dr. Costas has been the most helpful and the most encouraging. Most lately, Dr. Dooley, my St. Louis neurologist, has turned optimistic but not before putting me through the seven shades of hell.

In another bit of health news. my stepson Mark had a follow-up colonoscopy this past week. All is well, and he won't have to have another for three years. You may recall Mark had a scary bout with appendicitis followed by colon cancer last Spring. Today you would never know he had been ill.

We are deep into Christmas now. Shirley loves it as much as I do, but Rose is a bit of Scrooge. We just ignore her. She has been busy of late with a teaching gig in Chicago in early November and with an ongoing class here in St. Louis. She and Shirley continue to see clients both here and in Chicago. All of you know how Rose can concentrate her attentions. What she didn't know was that she often fluffs her hair while hard at work. Brayden one day fluffed up my hair and exclaimed, "Aunt Rose!" Now she's trying to break a habit that Brayden clued her in on.