It doesn't seem that Christmas is only a few days away.  No snow here as I speak and it hasn't even been that cold out.  Not like last winter...that seemed like it would never end.  Of course, with all that I had going on last Christmas, it was very stressful. 

  My favourite aunt died, she was my mother's adopted, only sister and only a few years older than me.  She was one of those people who didn't like their picture taken...so I have none of her..I have some of her hands...but that is all.

Then, right at Christmas, I had to take my mother out of her home...I knew that she was having trouble for a couple of years,  things weren't too bad because she was close by... but when she moved away to another city at one of my brother's behest (he didn't stick around).......  she wasn't coping at a all .  I had to have her elderly and sickly cat put down..( I told her a friend adopted it)..I knew that this was coming for a while.  If you have an elderly parent you know how well they hide the fact they can't cope.  Although, their fridge does show how they are not coping.

I had to bring Mom home here.

Then,  I had to sell my mothers house, but first I had to clean it up and out ...that took all the time between Christmas and New Years..Every day...all day long... Twenty loads to the Salvation army and 12 van loads home.  I couldn't sort stuff as I packed it, I had to bring it home to sort out important papers and such.   Thank goodness the mister was on vacation and our daughter gave us a hand, too.  The Salvation Army store was glad to receive most of her stuff.   And at that time it was just extra furniture and "stuff".  We left enough in the house to be lived in.  Haha,  I could use that service...someone with no emotional attachment come and clean out "junk" for me.

It was an extremely  stressful and emotional time for me.   One I will be glad to NEVER have to repeat.