An early Christmas brought many surprises

It was Christmas last week or at least it felt that way. It seemed as if every time I turned around I was receiving another present.

The first present was from granddaughter Emma. She wanted to send me a package since I sent her one. So she colored a piece of paper with blue crayon and her mom mailed it to me. I think they have been studying Picasso and his blue period but I'm not sure.

Later that evening my friend Inger gave me two copies of a Norwegian American newspaper. It was interesting to see the difference between it and the newspapers I read every day. Parts of it were in Norwegian but most was in English. The jokes were as corny as could be and it made them even funnier. I found the subject matter interesting, as it is far different than what I am used to.

Inger is one of the most fascinating people in my life. She tells tales of meeting Nazis and it brings history to life. Plus she makes the funniest faces!

The next day I found a penny on the sidewalk. Pennies always bring good luck.

My sister-in-law called her brother, (my husband) and told us that her husband, Bill, had to have triple bypass surgery. This was a shock to us all. Bill is active, volunteers constantly for one thing and another and follows almost all the rules for a healthy lifestyle. He is the last person I would have guessed would have heart trouble.

The one thing he forgot, and we didn't know, was how big a factor heredity is. His three girls all came home to be with him. That has to be scary to have all your family arriving from all over the country. That would make me panic. He insisted he felt fine.

They operated anyway.

He came through the surgery and is on his way to recovery. The doctors said that his overall good health will be in his favor and will make his recovery that much easier for him.

That is the best present of the week. All my little irritations and the things I grumble about every day pale in comparison to heart surgery. I am so grateful that his blocked arteries were caught in time.

I am also glad that heart surgery has progressed so much in my lifetime.

My grandfather had heart problems. He was in the hospital for a very long time. He had several heart attacks and finally one killed him when I was in fourth grade.

Bill will not have to worry about that. He is receiving excellent care and can expect to be around long after his grandchildren finally start arriving.

As none of his girls are married that might take some time.

My last present of the week came last night. I was weeding the sidewalk weeds. I had misplaced the carpet knife that I usually use and had a three-in-one (or is it a six-in-one) tool that I was using to dig debris and weeds from between the curb and sidewalk.

I was busily yanking the weeds and tossing them into the street when a sheriff's car passed by. A half hour or so later I saw the car again. This time it stopped.

I thought, "Uh oh. He is going to make me clean up the mess in the street."

Deputy Matt Simmons (please tell me I spelled his name correctly) called me by name and asked me if I was working out some frustrations. I said no, that what I was actually doing was making a huge mess.

He looked around and told me, "Good job!" and gave me a thumbs up.

I counted on the upcoming rain to clean up my mess. I figured Mother Nature planted things in the wrong places; she can clean up the mess.

All in all, it was a week full of minor and major blessings, from a picture, to a newspaper, through surgery of a loved one and a mess in the street.

It might have been warm outside but it sure felt like Christmas to me.

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