Marching towards Christmas and then a NEW YEAR

This is not our red truck but it is kind of like it.  The front window cranks out for AC.
Of course we had a grain box with tilt box to unload grain

Here it is Saturday and I have not written about our last tennis match of the fall.  One could guess it did not go as I wanted!  We lost court 3 big time.  I played on court 2 with Rusty.  I started out playing, in the first 4 games, about as poorly as I played all fall.  THEN things picked up and started to go our way BUT as I ran to my left for a backhand shot I had to stop quickly to avoid the fence AND that darn left leg gave in again.  I managed to play 3 more games, which we won 2, but then we lost a game which meant we lost the 1st set.  I knew I could not play but rather just stand and hit the ball if it happened to come to me so I said that is it.  It is pretty lame to have to forfeit and I am talking lame in terms of the match not about lame play on my part!!!  The good news was my court 1 came through in great fashion and won their match in a match tie breaker.  SO it is a month of non-league and then the winter starts.  I have put myself on the "unable to perform" mode for 2 weeks or more.
Maybe we can become the first ever team to come from the cellar in the fall to the mountain top in the winter.  Isn't that what the twins did this year?  I am more realistic than that so my sights are on a minimum of 10 points and maybe as good as 14/15 points.  We play 10 team matches with 3 matches each time so a perfect season would be 30 points.  I am finding that there is a HUGE difference in tennis at the 2.5 level and 3.0 level.  For sure it is always fun to play against guys somewhat better than you so you can improve so we will see.  For now it is IB twice a day, ice 4 times a day and rest.  I may have to check out more books from the library.  I have found that one of the most enjoyable aspects of retirement is having time to read.
Our neighbor John left for Canada yesterday and will spend his first Christmas without his wife Diane with his 3 children and grandchildren.  Last year at this time Diane was in the last stages of brain cancer so the memories may linger big time.  He will return January 8th.  I drove him to the airport and I asked him if he was ready for the cold.  He said each time he returns in the winter he asks himself WHY?  He keeps busy here with outdoor sports all the time.  He had a Christmas party at his house Wednesday where about 25 people gathered.  He hired a guy to play the organ for 2 hours so it was fun to sing Christmas songs.
I think Terry's foot is slowly healing.  It is a slow process.  She sees the Dr. Monday again.  Perhaps she will need to have the boot on for another week or two or three.  I called a Dr. to see if I could get in for my leg and here there are so many old people who need Drs that he is scheduled for 2 weeks out.  I made an appt for the 29th but am hoping that by that time the leg is kind of good.  I also made an appt at Costco to get my hearing checked and they are also 2 weeks out.  I have had my aids for 6 years and may be due for new hearing aids.  Not so sure about this old age stuff with hearing aids, pills, glasses and all the things that go with that.  Oh, I forgot to say it is good to be on the sunny side of the earth for sure.
I put together a 2018 calendar for my siblings and I have it hanging near the computer.  I see in January I can think about Quinn on the 5th, Janet/John the 10, Grandma Lee on the 23rd and Mike on the 25th.  I like that.
Enough for now as the last sip of FP was cold.

Christmas of 1973 at Aunt Ann and Uncle Otto's home in Lidgerwood
Aaron, John, Travis and Lisa Saunders